Need a Checklist? Take Your Pick

How to Host a Green Event

Find it: www.sustainabletravelinternational.com

Use it: for background on why you should reduce your eco-footprint, for green meetings suggestions, and to create a custom carbon emissions calculator

Unique idea: Track problems encountered by event staff regarding greening the event as well as feedback received from participants.

National Recycling Coalition's Green Meetings Policy

Find it: www.nrc-recycle.org/greenmeetingsp.aspx

Use it: as a complete guide to green meetings, right through to questions to ask in evaluating the meeting's success on “green” terms. At NRC's Web site you can find links to help you determine the recycling capabilities of your meeting destination.

Unique idea: Do a prize drawing from recycled name badges.

10 Easy Tips

Find it: www.bluegreenmeetings.org

Use it: to jump-start your green meetings planning

Unique idea: Write an environmental statement for your meeting and share it with suppliers, speakers, and delegates. Sample: “Company X commits to minimizing the environmental impact of X Conference through …” Add your list of initiatives, small or large. Just seeing something in writing will encourage people to pitch in.

Venue Selection Questionnaire

Find it: www.bluegreenmeetings.org

Use it: to send to hotels before your RFP process

Unique idea: Limited to 8 questions that allow a planner to get a general idea of a property's efforts and attitude toward sustainability

Fairmont Eco-Meet Checklist

Find it: www.fairmont.com/environment

Use it: to get an overview of Fairmont's eco-initiatives and also as a guideline for evaluating other properties

Unique idea: Donate leftover meeting supplies such as paper and pens to a local school or shelter.

Vertigo: Plan to Meet Green

(A project of the Canadian chapters of Meeting Professionals International)

Find it: www.mpiweb.org

Use it: as a comprehensive guide to green meetings and an environmental policy primer. Included are numerous sample corporate environmental statements

Unique idea: Make giveaways edible or reusable.

Green Hotels Association Meeting Planner's Questionnaire

Find it: www.greenhotels.com

Use it: in concert with your RFPs, to gauge the extent of a hotel's sustainability efforts

Unique idea: Provides real specificity: The questionnaire asks if there is a recycling program, if there is a recycling program in which guests can participate, if the hotel will provide recycling bins in meeting rooms, and if the hotel will commit to seeing that the items collected are actually recycled!

Simple Steps to Green Meetings

Find it: www.meetingstrategiesworldwide.com

Use it: Attend this seminar, given by green meetings pioneers Nancy Wilson, CMP, and Amy Spatrisano, CMP. Get upcoming dates by e-mailing operations@meetingstrategiesworldwide.com.

Unique idea: Sessions include mock site inspection.

The Convention Industry Council Green Meetings Report

Find it: www.conventionindustry.org

Use it: to find minimum best practices for event organizers and suppliers

Unique idea: Save generic signs for reuse; use local talent and products.

Be a Green Traveler

Find it: www.greenhotels.com

Use it: to e-mail to attendees, giving them suggestions for things to do before they leave home and during their hotel stay

Unique idea: Pick up one piece of litter every day.