When contributing writer Alison Hall and I first discussed the cover story for this issue several months ago, our conversation was mainly about “greenwashing.” With all the buzz about meetings going green, we were unclear on what was real and what was hype. Were planners really incorporating green criteria into their site decisions? Were the growing numbers of hotels and other vendors promoting their eco-programs taking valid steps, or just talking the talk? Was the conversation about sustainable meetings just a passing fad?

Our research suggests that the train has left the station. Even Alison, who started out writing the story as a green meetings skeptic, ended up a believer.

What we found is that “reduce, reuse, recycle” is becoming the new norm. Eco-friendly practices in building design and construction are growing exponentially. Hotels chains and individual properties are in fact transitioning to sustainable practices. When I and my fellow editors from The MeetingsNet magazines participated in green meetings seminars at recent industry conferences (at Destinations Showcase, Washington, D.C., in February, and NEMICE, Boston, in April), we were blown away by the large numbers of planners who attended the sessions, were committed to going green, and were eager for hands-on information and ideas.

True, it seems that companies are slower to get on board the green meetings wave than are individuals. When we conducted an e-mail survey of a small sample of FIM readers, 72 percent of the respondents said that they personally make an effort to go green when planning meetings — but only 5 percent said that they include green questions on their requests for proposal.

But I believe that the green evolution is here to stay and it's just a matter of time before green becomes a critical component of site selection. You can use your clout to help make it happen. “My credo and my suggestion to meeting planners is to say it, say it again, say it again, put it in your RFP, put it in your contract, put it in your pre-con discussion, meet with the GM, push the envelope,” says Kim Boriin, CMP, senior event marketing specialist, Guardian Investor Services LLC, and vice president, education, for Financial & Insurance Conference Planners, in our cover story beginning on page 22. Don't miss this fascinating read, which not only reveals how financial services and insurance companies are moving forward with sustainable practices at their meetings, but also includes helpful guides to green meetings checklists and carbon-offset providers.

Also in this issue: Cabrin Kelly-Hale, director of event planning at JW Marriott Starr Pass, Tucson, talks about the resort's journey to sustainable banquet menus, beginning on page 9 (I can attest to eating mouthwatering eco-cuisine, from American Kobe rib eye steak to zucchini hash browns, at an FICP fam at the resort in November); plus a roundup of hotel chain green initiatives on page 14. And to stay up-to-date with green news, case studies, checklists, and more, go online to meetingsnet.com and click “Green Meetings” in the left column.