Welcome to this issue of the Daily Plan-It, a publication designed to inform and inspire your meetings and conferences to higher levels of success! Read on for ideas and tips to expand the strategic importance of your meetings, enhance your delegates’ satisfaction, reduce costs and help the planet. Further ideas and information can be found at www.meetingstrategiesworldwide.com. If you prefer not to receive future issues of the Daily Plan-It, please contact editor@meetingstrategiesworldwide.com.

Green Standards for the Meetings Industry

By Amy Spatrisano, CMP

As sustainability is gaining momentum in the meetings industry, one is increasing left with the question of what it means when an event claims to be green. In a general sense, we know that a green meeting reduces environmental impacts and contributes positively to host communities. But how green is green? What does carbon-neutral or waste-neutral mean? Are these even legitimate terms? Is it having a comprehensive plan or merely recycling?

Truth be told, we don't know. We don't know because our industry lacks a clear, universally endorsed green meeting standard. The situation is changing, however.

Both the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) have identified a need to develop clear standards for green meeting practices. Following on the heels of a green meetings procurement rule made in May 2007, the USEPA was seeking a way to benchmark environmental performance criteria for meetings that will allow them to better source green meeting venues. In December of 2007, APEX approved the development of green meeting standards. The Green Meeting Industry Council had been approached by both groups and was the catalyst to bring them together to work towards uniform standards that can be endorsed by industry and government to be used as a guide for business practices.

The process to develop the standard is underway and your participation is encouraged. APEX is leading this development process in collaboration with ASTM International. Nine committees have been formed under the APEX Green Meetings and Events Practice Panel to address the specific areas of meeting management. The categories include: Accommodations, AV/Production, Communications, Destination Selection, Exhibits, Food and Beverage, Meeting Venue, Onsite Office, Transportation.

There will be opportunities to participate via city discussion groups, committee involvement and online feedback channels orchestrated by the APEX Green Meetings and Events Practice Panel. It is important to note that the new standards will not seek to reinvent the wheel, but rather will harmonize and fill gaps created by existing best practice frameworks. This includes the recently launched BSI 8901 standard which outlines a process for creating a green meeting, but lacks specific performance criteria.

The timeframe for the first level of standards is to announce them in April 2009. Keep an eye out on the APEX website for updates and pathways of participation. We will keep you updated in this newsletter and on our forum as well. http://www.conventionindustry.org/apex/about.htm

Case Study - Doubletree Hotel and Executive Meeting Center Portland - Lloyd Center

By Vanessa Adelmann

Certification is handy when it comes to publicizing your green strategies and getting business. Just ask the Doubletree Executive Center and Hotel Portland Lloyd Center. Around town they are known for their extensive green practices and commitment to sustainability. But what exactly does that mean and is it important to take the extra step to pursue certification? According the Steve Faulstick, General Manager, the decision to pursue certification allowed them to back up their green claims so savvy customers know it is more than just talk.

To date they have received GreenSeal certification for operations (the first hotel in Oregon to receive this honor) and ENERGY STAR certification for energy efficiency. They are also planning to pursue the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - Existing Building (LEED-EB) certification for the structural building. All three are nationally recognized, third party verified programs which have stringent requirements for inclusion. The advantage of using similar programs is consumers can read up on exactly what each one requires and will have confidence that the hotel's practices have been independently audited.

In addition to these impressive accomplishments, the following are other achievements that put them at the forefront of sustainable hotels.

• Reduced overall waste disposal by 65% since 1996
• Diverted kitchen waste into compost at an average rate of 17 tons per month
• Employee paper-saving program has reduced office paper purchasing by 20% annually
• Retrofits have reduced water usage by 15%
• Total energy consumption has been brought down by 32%
• Employee mass transit subsidies have saved 9,500 gallons of gasoline per year, since 1999
• Offset 25% of its electricity use by purchasing 900,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually from renewable energy sources such as wind, geothermal and biomass
• Purchase 65% of their food products from within a 500-mile region

Does investing in these certifications and green initiatives make sense from a business perspective? The resounding answer is yes - to the tune of $4 million in sales. And that doesn't include all the additional savings from reduced energy and water use, reduced waste hauling, and reduced purchasing or the intangible value that increased credibility brings.

Ask the Expert - European Green Standards

By Guy Bigwood, MCI Group

Question: What types of green certifications do planners and the hospitality industry look for in Europe?

Answer: For planners and organizers, the idea of a "green meeting" has evolved from being a collection of responsible actions to what is, for many, a mission critical process. Committed green meeting planners can deliver a more robust environmental meeting plan by seeking suppliers who have achieved 3rd party environmental certifications. Any legitimate certification is better than none, it could be said but, in the European market, a small collection of preferred certifications can be identified among a bewildering array of labels and stamps.

BS8901, the British Standard for sustainable event management, provides committed planners a popular framework on which to build a responsible event. Its focus on goal setting and measurement give it both accessibility and credibility and it has earned a good deal of buzz from planners who wish to distinguish their event as being 'green'. For both conference centers and hotels, Green Globe has earned respect from planners and suppliers alike for its comprehensive approach and focus on a need for constant improvement. The Nordic Swan label, though strictly regional and not applicable to conference centers, is widely regarded as having the most vigorous of criteria. For printers ISO 14001, while not a great indicator of actual performance, provides the planner reassurance that the printer has made a significant commitment to audit and be accountable for their environmental practices.

Upcoming Events!

Community Events:

On Nov. 4, we joined PCMA for their "Service in Sync" day by volunteering at the Oregon Food Bank. In total we repackaged 3300 lbs of food, equaling 324 meals per person.

Client and Meeting Strategies Worldwide Events:

Eclipse Summit Europe 2008 — November 19-20, 2008, Ludswigsburg, Germany
Eclipse Summit Europe is the Foundation's premier event designed to create opportunities for the European Eclipse community to explore, share, and collaborate on the latest ideas and information about Eclipse and its members. The conference will consist of one day of symposia followed by two days of technical and business track sessions, selected keynotes, demos, and networking gatherings.

Greenbuild — November 19-21, 2008, Boston, Massachusetts
The Greenbuild International Conference & Expo brings the industry together under one roof. Three days of extensive educational programming, workshops, a vast exhibition floor and ample networking events give attendees unrivaled opportunities to learn about the latest innovations, exchange ideas and develop new business relationships.

BSR Annual Meeting — November 4-7, 2008, New York, New York
The BSR Annual Conference reflects exciting examples of sustainability in practice, and also serves as a catalyst for new ideas and initiatives that will shape a more sustainable future. Three days of rich dialogue and debate focusing both on "Practical Steps" and "New Insights" make the BSR Conference an essential forum in which we can begin to design a sustainable future.

Greening the Hospitality Industry Conference — February 24-26, 2009, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Whether you're new to planning meetings using green practices or you've been incorporating green meeting planning into your events for some time now, the Greening the Hospitality Industry Conference is a place for you to connect with like-minded professionals and be inspired and equipped to meet the challenge and opportunity for creating meetings that care for the earth while achieving business goals for added value, cost minimization and increased competitiveness.

Recommended Resources - Certifications

Audubon Green Leaf Program
Joint eco-rating program with Terrachoice for hotels.
http://www.terrachoice.ca/hotelwebsite/indexcanada.htm

BOMA Go Green (North America)
Certification and eco-rating system for buildings which includes some operational features.
http://www.bomabest.com/about.html

BSI 8901 (UK)
Sustainable event standard focused on policy and process.
http://www.bsi-global.com/en/Shop/Publication-Detail/?pid=000000000030146791

EU Flower (Europe)
Ecolabeling program for products and services.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/index_en.htm

Forest Stewardship Council
Provides certification for forest/wood-based products (including paper, cardboard, etc).
http://www.fscus.org/

Green Seal (USA)
Offers certification for operations at hotels and a wide range of retail products.
http://www.greenseal.org/

Green Key (Canada)
Eco-rating program for lodging.
http://www.hotelassociation.ca/site/programs/green_key.htm

Green Globe (Europe, Australasia)
Certification for the travel and tourism industry.
http://www.ec3global.com/products-programs/green-globe/

ISO 14000/14001
International environmental standard.
http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/management_standards/
iso_9000_iso_14000/iso_14000_essentials.htm

LEED - US Green Building Council
Environmental rating and certification program for physical buildings.
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19

Marine Stewardship Council
Certification program for fisheries with sustainable fishing practices.
http://www.msc.org/

State-based green lodging programs (USA)

• California: http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/EPP/greenlodging/
  
• Delware: http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/p2/Pages/GreenLodging.aspx
  
• Florida: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/greenlodging/
  
• Georgia: http://www.p2ad.org/Assets/Documents/ci_grnhotel.html
  
• Hawaii: http://hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/energy/resource/greenbusiness
  
• Maine: http://www.maine.gov/dep/innovation/greencert/lodging.htm
  
• Michigan: http://www.michigan.gov/dleg/0,1607,7-154-25676_25677_37026---,00.html
  
• New Hampshire: http://www.nhslrp.org/index.htm
  
• North Carolina: http://www.p2pays.org/hospitality/
  
• Pennsylvania: http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/pollprev/Industry/hotels/guestroom.htm
  
• Rhode Island: http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/assist/grncert/index.htm
  
• Vermont: http://www.vtgreenhotels.org/
  
• Virginia: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/p2/lodging/homepage.html
  
• Wisconsin: http://www.travelgreenwisconsin.com/index.htm
  

Contact Us

Meeting Strategies Worldwide, Inc.
6220 NE Glisan St.
Portland, Oregon 97213
U.S.A.
Phone: (503) 252-5458
FAX: (503) 261-0964
operations@meetingstrategiesworldwide.com
www.meetingstrategiesworldwide.com