Green Meetings

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Green Meetings

• Jennifer Ryan Fencl
• Iowa Recycling Association

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What is a Green Meeting?

• A meeting that incorporates environmental
  considerations at all stages of the meeting in
  order to minimize the negative impact on the
  environment

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Why Green Meetings?

• Environmental impact
• Cost Savings
• Expectations

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Green Areas of Focus

• 1. Minimizing Waste
• 2. Energy Conservation
• 3. Using Products with Limited Impact
• 4. Social Aspects

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Green Meetings SWAP Project

• Green Meetings Manual
• To reduce waste
• To heighten awareness
• To position Iowa as a leader

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Progress to Date

• Research Presentations
• Coralville Marriott Client Meeting
• Iowa Meetings Association
• Iowa Society of Association Executives
• Meeting Planners of Iowa

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Progress to Date

• Survey Results
• Survey meeting professionals
• Involved with large conferences to small meetings
• Half have not planned green meetings
• All listed reason as dont know how/what to do
• Most interested in benefits of green meetings,
  list of environmentally preferable products, and
  planning tips

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Manual Content

• Focus on waste minimization
• For meeting planners and venues
• Reasons to apply green concepts to
  meetingsenvironmental impacts
• Ways to green meetings
• Sample RFP and contracts
• Resource lists
• Iowa specific

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Next Steps

• Additional research survey work
• Develop draft manual (Feb 2010)
• Organize a review group of SW industry
  professionals and meeting planners to provide
  feedback
• Finalize manual design for electronic and print
  formats
• Promote manual to meeting planners venues

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Thank you

• Iowa Recycling Association
• www.iowarecycles.org
• 515-265-1596