it’s important to look at everyone involved in a show — from the convention center staff, general contractor, security providers and caterers to the exhibitors, attendees and AV providers — as sustainability stakeholders.
Top tips for exhibitors: Be green, save money
Companies traditionally replace exhibit booths every five years, but that isn’t necessary or wise.
Register now for 2015 Sustainable Meetings Conference
The 2015 Sustainable Meetings Conference runs June 17-19 at the Westin Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta.
GMIC plans to turn Atlanta green
When you think of green meeting destinations, what cities spring to mind? San Francisco? Portland, Ore.? Atlanta? If Atlanta doesn’t, it should. Here’s why: Atlanta has the world’s largest LEED-certified convention center, the Georgia World Congress Center. The first chapter of the global Green Meeting Industry Council incorporated in Atlanta in 2009. The city’s focus […]
Submit now for IMEX-GMIC green awards
Submissions are now being accepted for the annual 2014 IMEX-GMIC Green Awards, which recognize the sustainability practices encouraged by both IMEX and the Green Meeting Industry Council. The IMEX-GMIC awards — the first in the international meetings, events and incentive travel industry to recognize outstanding achievement in green meetings planning, sustainability and corporate social responsibility […]
GMIC 2014: Leading by example in San Fran
When GMIC’s 2014 Sustainable Meetings Conference convenes in San Francisco in April, it will put words into action and lead by example. The goal of the April 15-17 event: Use sustainable strategies to limit the amount of waste generated, Green House gases emitted and water consumed and, in short, leave San Francisco a bit more eco-friendly than it […]
GMIC partners with association manager
The Green Meeting Industry Council has announced a new association management partnership with Nardone Consulting Group, a company that specializes in managing state, regional, national and global professional trade associations. The partnership is designed to ensure that GMIC remains a leading resource on sustainability, increasing brand awareness and cultivating value for members and the broader […]
Savvy planners think green all year long
In the midst of this holiday season, you may have the color green on your mind. But we’re not talking Christmas trees or dollar bills here, we’re talking about green meetings. And that’s a green that’s good all year long.
GMIC urges planners to ‘Ask For It!’
The Green Meeting Industry Council this week launched a campaign called “Ask For It!” in support of the APEX/ASTM standards for sustainable meetings completed and published earlier this year. For the acronym-challenged, APEX/ASTM stands for “Accepted Practices Exchange” and the “American Society for Testing and Materials.” The campaign is meant to raise awareness of the […]
GMIC creates sustainable event planning certification
The Green Meeting Industry Council is launching a Certificate in Sustainable Event Planning program designed to create a new class of sustainable-event practitioners. The students will be charged with creating, guiding and implementing the sustainability goals and performance outcomes for the 2014 Sustainable Meetings Conference in San Francisco in April next year. Adult learners who […]
Passion, sustainability connected, GMIC conference-goers to hear
Personal passion for sustainability is key to changing how people think about it and whether they act on it, says Brian Hunt, an account executive for Maritz Travel. Hunt will share stories and best practices for igniting change on Wednesday at the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) 2013 Sustainable Meetings Conference in Chicago. The four-day […]
Sustainable Meetings Conference goes ‘Method’ in April
When attendees at GMIC’s annual Sustainable Meetings Conference convene in Chicago in April, they’ll hear a keynote address from Method Products co-founder Eric Ryan. Ryan, a designer and marketer, teamed with boyhood friend Adam Lowry, a chemical engineer, in creating the San Francisco corporation known for its nontoxic, biodegradable natural cleaning supplies sold in minimalistic […]
Sustainable Meetings Conference 2012: The Idea Auction (VIDEO)
“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples, then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.” — George Bernard Shaw Conference organizers […]
Sustainable Meetings Conference 2012: Games, blinks and weavers
This year’s Sustainable Meetings Conference convened in Montreal on April 22-25. Part 2 of our report considers “gamification,” the “blink” concept and weavers.
Sustainable Meetings Conference 2012: A whole lot of wonderful
The annual Sustainable Meetings Conference, organized by the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC), convened in Montreal this year on April 22-25. Read Part 1 of our report.
Metrics and the pursuit of green meetings
A recent global forecast found that meeting planners worldwide consider the environment more and more often in their planning processes and actively look for ways to include green elements in their meetings.
Integrating, innovating and igniting change: The 2012 Sustainable Meetings Conference
Of course there’s a virtual option. It’s easily the most carbon-neutral way to participate in a conference. And it’s one way people can attend the Green Meeting Industry Council’s 2012 Sustainable Meetings Conference in Montreal April 22-25. Another way is to monitor the Twitter conversation by following @GMICconference and the #GMIC hashtag. But perhaps the […]
Top takeaways from the Green Meeting Industry Council annual conference
On Sunday, Feb. 20, green industry leaders, practitioners and those interested in green event practices descended on a destination that lives and breathes sustainability: Portland, Ore. The Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) chose one of the most sustainable destinations available in the United States. I got off the plane, picked up my bags and walked […]
‘Game On!’ a home run at the Green Meeting Industry Council Sustainable Meetings Conference
For those of you who were unable to attend this year’s Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) Sustainable Meetings Conference in Portland, Ore., you really missed a fantastic event. This year’s conference, themed “Game On!”, brought record-high attendance numbers, including over 250 delegates, and for the first time, the conference was available virtually, which attracted over […]
Want to make a difference? Go to this event!
Take your ideas about planning green meetings and sustainable events to the next level by attending the 2011 Green Meeting Industry Council’s Sustainable Meetings Conference Feb. 20-23 in Portland, Ore., which Plan Your Meetings is proud to sponsor. Using an innovative approach to learning, the conference will engage attendees using principles from the online gaming […]
PYM planner profile: Joe Salazarte
With the recent celebration of Earth Day, I was reminded of the approach many corporations are taking to institute sustainable practices not only into their organization, but also their meetings and events. This month’s profile focuses on a planner who is determined to make a difference. Joe Salazarte is manager of the meeting and event services department for Cox Enterprises, Inc., one of the nation’s leading media companies and providers of automotive services. He is responsible for overseeing the strategic meetings management for all businesses of Cox (Enterprises, Communications, Auto Trader, Cox Media Group and Manheim). Additionally, Joe serves on the Board of Directors of the Green Meeting Industry Council – Atlanta Chapter and the Atlanta’s Table Advisory Board of the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
‘We are thought leaders. We are committed to a more sustainable world.’
By Lisa Kraus The third and final day of the Green Meeting Industry Council’s Sustainable Meetings Conference began with an open business meeting and general session, led by incoming GMIC president Guy Bigwood (@guybigwood). Guy’s discussion focused on growing awareness and members, and included the unveiling of his GMIC manifesto: “At GMIC, we are thought […]
Virtual events, social networks and benchmarks for green meetings at the GMIC Sustainable Meetings Conference
Special report from Lisa Kraus. The second session I attended at the Green Meeting Industry Council’s Sustainable Meetings Conference on day two was all about the benefits of virtual meetings. As someone who champions live events (especially PYM LIVE Events), it is difficult for me to accept why a company would choose a virtual meeting. […]
Day two at the Sustainable Meetings Conference
PYM’s Lisa Kraus continues her adventure in meeting sustainably… Day two at the GMIC Sustainable Meetings Conference brought attendees into a day-long, jam-packed schedule of several breakout sessions at the very green Colorado Convention Center. I loved being greeted by the convention center’s signature Blue Bear (right). First, we were treated to a welcome address […]
Day one at the 2010 Sustainable Meetings Conference
Plan Your Meetings’ Lisa Kraus is reporting from the Green Meeting Industry Council’s 2010 Sustainable Meetings Conference, from Feb. 9-11, which we’re very proud to be sponsoring for the second year in a row. Here are her notes from day one: The GMIC Sustainable Meetings Conference kicked off today in the beautiful and green city […]
Green your thinking at the 2010 Sustainable Meetings Conference
What are the two most important actions an organization can take to remain viable and improve trust? According to the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC), they are to create innovative business models designed for sustainability, and measure and demonstrate positive social and environmental impact. From Feb. 9-11 in Denver, Colo., the GMIC’s 2010 Sustainable Meetings […]
Stop trashing events
On average, events and meetings produce 20 pounds of waste per person, per day. Those same attendees produce an average of five pounds of waste each day they’re at home. If every meeting planner made an effort to reduce the waste produced during their meetings or events, it could make a huge difference.
Coolest way planners (and speakers) can walk the green talk
Things seemed pretty straightforward at the 2009 Greening the Hospitality Industry conference in Pittsburgh yesterday (stainless steel water bottles, reusable china, local/organic cuisine, multi-stream recycling, composting bins) until the keynote presentation. That’s when Green Meeting Industry Council Executive Director Tamara Kennedy-Hill introduced our keynote speaker, L. Hunter Lovins of Natural Capitalism Solutions. Lovins didn’t walk […]
Creating a culture of sustainability, one city at a time
A sign above the podium at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia read “History Starts Now.” A video contrasting congested, polluted areas with virgin tracts of land flickered across the screens to either side of the stage. Then, Home Depot USA’s Senior Manager, Events Management, Audrey Davies addressed the crowd.
