Meeting Strategies Worldwide Inc., a Portland, Ore.–based environmental consulting company specializing in the meetings industry, has launched a new Web site designed to help planners select green destinations for their groups. The site, www.bestplacestomeetgreen.com, is free to use and offers a scorecard and calculator tool to help evaluate meeting locations.

The scorecard feature ranks cities based on green initiatives implemented by the city’s convention bureau, convention center, and hotels. Each green practice is verified and scored by Meeting Strategies Worldwide, and the city is given a total “green” score on the site. Users can sort the list of cities by total green score, city name, or city size to find a destination that suits their groups’ needs, although at launch in mid-October, the site had just five cities rated: Orlando, Fla.; San Francisco; Seattle; Pittsburgh; and Portland, Ore.

The site’s calculator tool allows users to plug in the number of attendees coming from various regions around the world as well as up to five cities being considered for the meeting. The tool then calculates the amount of carbon emissions that would be released as a result of air travel to each of the proposed cities and offers up the most environmentally friendly choice.

“The tool is the first of its kind, offering easy-to-use information about sustainability practices and destination selection for the environmentally minded planner,” said Amy Spatrisano, CMP, principal, Meeting Strategies Worldwide. “We applaud all the verified cities for being progressive and taking the initiative in their journey towards sustainability and supporting a greener meetings industry.”

Cities wishing to be included in the site’s destination database can apply for a two-year listing through the site.