Environmental change is everywhere. How much impact we each have on the changing environment is under much debate but what is not up for debate is the fact that there ARE major changes going on in the earth’s environment. Ozone holes, melting polar caps, huge glaciers disappearing at an increasing rate, droughts, active hurricane seasons, de-forestation and on and on. It would be easy to say, “What can I do? I can’t have an impact on a global environment!” but we have to start somewhere; and yes, we can make a difference.

PMPN is moving towards the support and development of green meeting initiatives as a way to corporately support this important issue. Listed below are just a few of the ways we support sustainable, green meeting.

Fact: One person that takes 5 short (less than 500 miles) and 5 long flights in one year will produce an additional 3.9 tons of carbon dioxide in a year! (That’s just 10 programs in a year, now do the math on hundreds of programs.)

Response: Our local meeting managers can support those same programs while driving less than 600 miles per year and only produce an additional .2 tons of carbon dioxide!

Corporately we:

-use re-usable plates, cups, and utensils for our staff

-we turn the lights off when we leave at night

-we make sure our copiers and fax machines use
“energy saving” modes

-use email heavily to save on copying

-recycle all cans and bottles

-mostly use the stairs instead of the elevator

-use large water bottles instead of individual water bottles

-purchase recycled paper products whenever possible

-recycle printer cartridges for printer, copiers and fax machines

Our Meeting Managers can:

-support your Audio-Visual needs locally thereby eliminating
shipping

-combine AV and meeting support in one trip to reduce
emissions

-use public transportation and suggest its use to your attendees

-carpool with registrars or others

-turn off meeting room lights when not in use

-power down AV equipment after testing prior to a meeting

-use rechargeable batteries for necessary equipment

-collect name badges to be reused later

-make sure attendees know about recycling areas at the venue

-discuss food donation or composting at the end of your event

-report to you about sustainable things done on-site

-assist with a paperless registration process on-site

PMPN recommends to it’s clients to:

-reuse and recycle boxes and envelopes when shipping

-print materials double-sided

-email instead of fax whenever possible

-have an electronic registration process

-mandate the venue donate extra meals and compost leftovers

-recycle and reuse name badges

-request that recycle bins are placed near break areas and
meeting rooms

-encourage the use of public transportation and carpooling

-offer meal portion size preferences to reduce food waste

-minimize distance shipping of materials or AV whenever
possible

-choose venues and vendors with sustainable, green meeting
policies