Green Globe Productions Turns Business Travel Green

Las Vegas, NV, August 26, 2009 --(PR.com)-- In June, Green Globe Productions was awarded the contract to act as NBTA’s Green Event Planner. They helped NBTA management set goals for future meetings and show by example how a large convention can be produced with a fraction of the environmental impact. According to Piotrowski the impact of a meeting on the host city and on the earth in general should be considered with each decision made by the hosting organization or association. These decisions include selecting a venue that is eco-friendly, accommodations that have good environmental policies, limiting pre-conference travel where possible, using electronic media instead of printed materials, and considering enviromentally responsible options for all vendors and products. Convention suppliers, exhibitors and vendors were requested to make greener choices in booth construction, give-aways, shipping and travel.

Green Globe helped the client identify important areas for conservation so that NBTA could make decisions that produced a cleaner, greener event with a smaller carbon footprint. They also helped NBTA set up a plan for future meetings with a goal of continuous improvement towards the ideal of a “carbon neutral” convention.

Their plan creates a set of certifiable, quantifiable and realistic objectives based on the assets and resources available. Green Globe developed a “Green Contract” for NBTA to use with all vendors and suppliers that spells out the green goals and specific green requirements important to the goals of the association.

Greening an event includes such diverse actions as encouraging the use of local organic foods to requiring the use of fully biodegradable utensils at conference events. It might require the use of recycled paper and eco-friendly inks for all conference materials while putting all lists of attendees and exhibitors as well as conference schedules online. Other innovative actions include offering discounted tickets for use of public transportation and pedicabs to attendees, rewards for hotel and convention center employees who use mass transit, free walking maps, recycling bins in every exhibit booth, elimination of single use amenities at host hotels, providing a “living legacy” to the host city, eliminating common toxins in tradeshow booths, and using eco-friendly signage in all locations.

Estrin and Piotrowski are founding members of the International Special Events Society and are members of the Green Meeting Industry Council and the Convention Service Association. Estrin was recently inducted into the Special Events Hall of Fame.

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