Greening Your Meetings
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
The following are suggestions for actions that can be taken to help make your synod assembly meetings environmentally friendly. Do not get discouraged if you cannot do all of them. Remember that going a little green is better than doing nothing at all.
- Reduce the amount of paper you use by printing on double-sided, post-consumer recycled paper. Also use vegetable-based inks whenever possible. Make recycling more convenient. Contract with the site to make sure that paper recycling will be available in every meeting room or convenient hallway locations. Provide paper, glass, can and plastic recycling in easy-to-reach areas so people will use them.
- Encourage participants to register online. Send registration confirmations by e-mail. Direct participants to Web sites for meeting information and post the minutes of your meetings online. Use generic signs and name badge holders that can be collected and reused for several different meetings.
- Instead of providing water in plastic bottles, supply reusable bottles imprinted with the logo of your event. Alternatively, provide a pitcher of water and glasses at each table. Provide reusable coffee mugs or have people bring their own. Encourage reuse of these mugs by charging people if they forget their mug.
- Work directly with your caterers and hotels to minimize wasted food. Help develop a system for donating leftover food to local charities. Use caterers who support the use of locally grown foods. Ask if the caterer is able to compost leftover food whenever possible. Use reusable or biodegradable flatware and cutlery for most of your meals. Provide reusable lunch bags for box lunches.
- Choose a hotel that is committed to working with you to reduce, reuse and recycle. Make sure that they have a linen reuse program. Let the hotel know that it is not necessary to change sheets and towels every day.
- If providing gifts or other giveaways to participants, consider asking the supplier not to package the items individually.
- Remind participants to use revolving doors, when available, to keep cool air in and hot air out. Turn off lights in rooms when not in use. Adjust the thermostat in the hotel rooms and at home when not there so the heat or air conditioner is not running unnecessarily.
- Carpool to and from the meeting.
Talk to everyone involved in your meeting regarding your efforts to go green. Other staff members and participants may have additional suggestions and simple ways to help. By raising issues of environmental awareness among vendors, suppliers and participants, you will find that it is easy to have a greener meeting. Even small improvements can make a huge difference.
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