Jan 13
maureen-pickellTrade Shows economy, environmental-friendly, green meetings, Keep America Meeting, overseas meetings, pcma
Your intrepid blogger had another busy day. The sessions at the PCMA annual conference continue to be varied and interesting, beginning with “Beyond Borders: Advanced Solutions for International Meetings.” Roundtable discussion topics ranged from Risk Management and Attendance Building to Budgets and Cost Containment as well as Working with Partners. The goal was to help eliminate the trial and error of international planning by sharing information among participants. Specific issues were introduced and solutions discussed using the expertise of both planners and suppliers.
For those of you interested in the results, the notes will be posted on the PCMA website after the conference.
Then on to “Top Industry Leaders on the Future of Meetings.” The meetings industry version of “The Magnificent Seven” including Jonathan Tisch, Roger Dow, John Graham, Bruce MacMillan, Michael Gehrisch, Brenda Anderson and Deborah Sexton addressed the outlook for 2010 and beyond. A lively discussion about the power of collaboration revealed that the prognosis is basically optimistic but more work needs to be done to rebuild and renew our industry.
The standing room only audience seemed more than anxious to take on the challenge by furthering the grass roots movements begun this past year.
And lastly, how many of you know the difference between Free range poultry and Cage free birds? The session entitled “Green Guide: Sustainable Food and Beverage” presented tips on selecting sustainable food choices and staying within budget while implementing a program to manage food and beverage waste. Again, consult the PCMA website for a glossary of terms relating to this important topic.
Looking forward to Wednesday’s sessions and networking!
Jan 06
Ashley SpitzerTips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows cvbs, environmental-friendly, green meetings, meeting ideas, pcma
Are you attending the PCMA Annual Conference in Dallas later this month? If so, here’s the inside scoop on how the conference is working hard to go green:
Getting Started: Choosing a Green Location
Make a difference from every aspect of your conference by choosing a green city. For example, 40% of the energy used in Dallas is renewable. Dallas was also one of the first cities to implement green building guidelines, and is committed to city-wide green programs including park construction.
Green-friendly destinations are eager to work with you to meet your green requirements and implement your ideas at the convention center. PCMA Vice President of Meetings & Events Kelly Peacy said she worked closely with the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau to infuse green elements into all areas of the conference, including area, including the destination, accommodations, food and beverage, communications, and operations.
Implementation: Make a Difference
This year’s conference supports local organically grown food as much as possible – quite a feat with the thousands of expected attendees! Leftover food will be donated to a local food bank and other unused food will be composted.
PCMA partnered with green hotels for conference housing, like the Hyatt Regency Dallas, who donates leftover soap to a recycling effort to provide people in developing nations with soap.
Words of Encouragement:
“You don’t just go out and suddenly become a green organization,” Peacy said. “You have to build on it. You need to decide how high green ranks on your list of organizational strategic objectives. We asked that question and determined that it was very important, so we put significant resources toward it. At PCMA it is half of one person’s job. Every year we build new objectives. If PCMA can be recognized as an industry leader to educate our members about green that would be a success.”
If you’re attending the conference, be sure to tell us what you think of the green efforts!
Sep 29
Damion RutherfordNews cvbs, green meetings
When it comes to making sure that cities, convention centers, and hotels offer “green meeting” options, one thing is clear: Meeting professionals are in the driver’s seat.
At a recent Convene Green Alliance (CGA) Focus Forum event in Washington, DC, a panel of three convention and visitors bureau executives spoke to a group of meeting professionals about green meetings.
All three executives emphasized that green programs are buyer demand driven, and each of them encouraged planners to let destinations and properties know that they must have sustainability programs in order to win meetings.
Jason Fulvi, CDME, Executive Director of Convention Sales for VisitPittsburgh, explained,
“Planners can not only influence companies but also local governments – they are the ones who need to approve money to make things happen.”
When the recommendation for sustainability programs comes directly from the meeting planner buyer, it carries some weight.
Michael Smith, Vice President of Convention Sales for Travel Portland cited an example:
“The Portland City Council was talking to a major fraternal organization a few years ago, thanking them for bringing their business to the city, and one of the leaders spoke to them sternly about the green issue and the need for more initiatives.”
Smith noted that this got the attention of the mayor and that it helped for him to hear the importance of green initiatives from the organization.
One Focus Forum attendee, whose association requires a city’s compliance with a laundry list of green initiatives, understands the value of meeting planners and association executives in driving environmental change. She cited examples of green initiatives that cities and hotels have made in order to win her organization’s meeting business.
The Convene Green Alliance is the premiere organization dedicated to helping associations to green their organizations and the meetings and events they host. To learn more about the CGA and future educational Focus Forums, visit www.convenegreen.com.
Does your association have green meetings requirements? How do you achieve them?
Apr 22
Ashley SpitzerMisc Tidbits, News, Tips for Meeting Planners environmental-friendly, green meetings, meeting ideas
Happy Earth Day!
The meeting and events industry has embraced green initiatives in a big way…
…from the countless hotels striving for and achieving LEED certification, to companies offering Green meeting and exhibit supplies, to the Convention Industry Council setting the bar with the current development of the Green Meetings and Events Standards.
Give yourself a big pat on the back today for helping to make our Earth a better place!
Are there any green initiatives you are particularly proud of? Tell us…we’d love to hear about them!
Planners, enter your ideas in the Stellar Tip Contest for a chance to win a great prize.
ConventionPlanit.com Members, share your initiatives with us and we’ll post them to your listing page in the new Green Initiatives section!
Sep 24
Ashley SpitzerMember News, News, Places to Stay, Tips, Tips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows Fontainebleau Las Vegas, green meetings, hotels, Las Vegas Hotels, LEED-certification
Start saving for your plane ticket now – the Fontainebleau Las Vegas is opening Fall 2009 and it’s very green and very cool… 
…with features from ECO-Mode Personal Thermostats to iMac laptops in all of the guestrooms, to 300,000 square feet of upscale retail space, an in-house destination management company and 58 meeting rooms!
The hotel is on track to become Silver-Certified by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Program.
Be sure to check out the rooftop pool, the Fontainebleau Las Vegas boasts the world’s largest!
Sep 05
Ashley SpitzerNews, Tips, Tips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows APEX, green meetings, meeting education, meeting industry
APEX – The Accepted Practices Exchange, part of the Convention Industry Council (CIC) has instituted a new council to oversee:
1. new initiatives, including green meeting and exhibit data standards
2. relevancy of the seven existing initiatives, created with input from over 5,600 people
Since APEX relies so heavily on the input of meeting planners and suppliers, the Standards Review Council’s updates will help the industry to stay on top of changing times.
Check out APEXsolution.org to see how you can become involved!
Jul 31
Ashley SpitzerNews, Tips, Tips for Meeting Planners, Trade Shows green meetings, meeting industry, meeting planner feedback
What’s green and what’s not? Tell us what you think…
…For example, attendees snap up bottled water at conventions because it’s healthy, but it creates plastic waste.
Are strategically placed water coolers with paper cups just as good?
Jul 11
Ashley SpitzerMember News, News environmental-friendly, green meetings, hotels, LEED-certification, Starwood Hotels
The nation’s first LEED-certified hotel brand, element by Starwood, has just opened its first hotel!
element Lexington, in Lexington, MA, celebrated its grand opening on July 1. The property is a mix of smart design and eco-chicness. It will be the concept lab for the brand.
How do you think the element brand will impact non-eco friendly hotels? Will the environment impact your property selection for your next meeting? Or is element appealing to a niche market?
Mar 31
Ashley SpitzerTips for Meeting Planners environmental concern, green meetings
As environmental concerns continue to heighten on a global level, there is a growing trend among hotels and resorts to “go green.”
One innovative property, Beaver Hollow, located between Rochester and Buffalo, New York, is literally going “miles” to improve its environmental profile. That’s because this resort is literally miles wide, with 300 acres of property.
From its inception, the resort has been dedicated to preserving the natural beauty of its surroundings. But now it is going a step further.
“We are going green,” declares Kathy Snyder Egan, Executive Vice President of Sales, “and we’re really excited about it!”
The resort is registered through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. Registered properties reduce operating costs and increase asset value, are healthier and safer for occupants, and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and waste sent to landfills.
Egan says the resort is determined to take advantage of all the ways it can become more environmentally friendly. Some examples, which many types of properties can easily implement, include:
• Provide guests with paper shredders free upon request .
• Give guests the option of not having sheets and towels washed every day or have toiletries replaced every day.
• Eliminate phosphates from detergents used for washing linens and dishes.
• Provide large coolers of water throughout the resort with glassware (except for outdoor locations) instead of providing bottled water, which generates plastic bottle waste.
• Recommend a local tour company with a commitment to being as green as possible, including offering hybrid vehicles.
• Provide meeting planners with tips for being green with their meetings.
Read more about Beaver Hollow’s innovative energy saving practices.
What is your property doing for the environment? If you are planning a meeting, is finding a green location a priority? If so, what specifically, do you look for?
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