Green Check-list

Tourism Australia has produced the following Green Check-list for Business Events to assist business events operators to plan and deliver cleaner and greener events.

Planning and Policies

• Prepare a written environmental policy for your event which can be shared with suppliers, delegates and speakers
• Estimate the total carbon footprint and plan to offset the carbon emissions produced at the event. Detail this in your costing so it is clear to the client
• Look at past event energy use and wastage and find ways of reducing this. Track your results after the event
• Plan your event precisely (looking at numbers, duration, size of venue and number of rooms required) then select the right venue to fit, so you use minimum energy and resources
• Ensure your tender clearly states your commitment to the environment and request all respondents to outline their policies
• Establish a policy that encourages all suppliers to submit proposals and quotes electronically
• In all communications with exhibitors and contractors request that waste and packaging be reduced

Travel Selection

• Consider using airlines with offset programs
• Travel with companies that are implementing green policies
• Fly visitors by the shortest route possible, not just the most affordable
• Choose a venue that is easily accessible by public transport or by foot
• Accurately monitor the number of delegates needing transport at each stage of the event and match this to the transport vehicle size
• Offer day or weekly traveller tickets to promote public transport use
• Use delegate shuttles and where possible use hybrid vehicles
• Consider bike use by providing bike racks and a bike concierge
• Reduce site inspections and use local scouts to gather information
• Offset carbon emissions for transport

Venue Selection

• Give preference to venues with a sound environmental policy
• Work with the venue to ensure lights and air conditioning are switched off when not in use
• Consider venues that use as much natural light and natural ventilation as possible
• Consider venues that use 100 percent accredited GreenPower and that can be accessed by public transport
• Choose venues that have environmental accreditation eg. Green Star ratings or Green Globe accreditation

Accommodation

• Use or recommend hotels within walking distance of the venue and with proactive waste, water and energy management practices

Power and Water Supply

• Ensure toilet suppliers are using grey water and correctly dispose of black water
• Ensure all equipment, in particular in exhibitions, is turned off at night
• Consider limiting air conditioning at venues during the set-up and pack-down phase
• Investigate alternatives to air conditioning during the event
• Hold the event during the day to utilise natural light and reduce power consumption
• Ensure suppliers use modern, energy efficient technology

Food and Beverages

• Ask to see the green policy of the hotel or caterer
• Aim to reduce food miles by using local rather than imported food and beverage supplies
• Plan menus using in-season, fresh, local, organic food
• Request fair trade food suppliers
• Include a larger number of vegetarian options and advise delegates of these options
• Select fish from sustainable fish supplies
• Avoid unnecessary packaging and plastic bags
• Ask caterers to provide reusable table cloths, crockery and cutlery
• Where appropriate limit use of imported and bottled water
• Use water glasses plus jugs with tap water
• Where possible use bulk dispensers for sugar, salt, condiments and sauces.
• Avoid individually wrapped sweets, salt and sugar sachets
• Ask delegates to sign up for the meals in advance to avoid food wastage
• Allow attendees to preselect a meal size, offering smaller meals options

Printed Material and Information

• Use new media and electronic technology to reduce paper use
• Offer electronic registration and market electronically via website and email
• Use recycled paper (post consumer waste) and print on both sides using vegetable inks
• Offer all relevant information, presentations, papers and web links via electronic media, such as on disc
• Consider requesting delegates bring their own pens and note pads
• Consider using SMS to give seating and registration details
• Collect and reuse name badges

Waste Reduction and Recycling

• Reduce waste by keeping track of attendance and tailoring supplies and food according to final numbers
• Make informed purchasing decisions and support use of recycled and biodegradable materials
• Encourage delegates to separate waste
• Reduce use of gift bags or satchels
• Ensure excess food is donated to charity or composted
• Ensure non-toxic cleaning materials are used at the venue
• Create incentives for suppliers to return excess or unused products
• Educate delegates about how they can assist to reduce waste

Activities

• Plan to include sessions on relevant environmental issues
• Offer off-site activities that are nature-based with minimal environmental impact
• Suggest a community activity for delegates which helps restore the environment
• Give an eco-friendly award to the greenest exhibitor

Sources

This checklist was collated from the following sources:

• BlueGreen Meetings website, which has a wide range of tips on reducing the environmental impact of business events: www.BlueGreenMeetings.org
• Green Event Ideas, Ecowise November 2007. Ecowise is a publication produced by the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre's environmental program. The centre is Green Globe benchmarked.
• Start a Green Event Policy: The checklist to running an environmentally sustainable event on a sustainable budget from a presentation @RSVP, July 2007, by Clare Donovan of the Australian Conservation Foundation; Jeremy Garling of Great Southern Events and Larissa Moore of the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change.

For further information contact:
Tourism Australia
bea@tourism.australia.com