5 Ways To Add Green Technologies To Convention Meetings
Hosting a convention is a great way to gather employees and potential customers from all around the world in one location. But traditionally, having large events like this can often lead to an increase in waste and harmful effects to the environment. If your company has goals to stay as green as possible, then you can still achieve these goals while holding a convention. Convention centers and large meeting spaces have a number of different features that cater directly to green living. As you plan your convention meetings, there are five different ways to implement these green technologies. By planning ahead, you can reduce as much waste as possible and showcase these positive changes to anyone attending the meeting.
Motion-Sensor Lighting
Aside from the main meeting room, there are lot of areas in a convention center that have limited access. Random hallways, storage areas, and bathrooms do not need constant lighting resources. To help conserve energy, you can request areas or convention centers that already have motion-sensor light technology installed. These lights are only activated when motion is detected and will automatically shut off after a set amount of time. This small amount of savings can make a huge difference on the energy consumption used at the convention. Many areas will have these lights in place already; you just need to ensure that the area you're renting out is equipped with it as needed.
Soy Ink Printing
Keeping a majority of your presentations or files in a digital form is ideal for most conventions, but there will be times when printed materials are needed. These include seating assignments, room labels, and forms that need to get passed out. Instead of using traditional ink jet cartridges, you can opt for soy ink printing during a convention. Soy ink uses the oils from soy beans to create a visible ink that can be used for printing. The cartridges can be purchased for black and white print outs along with full color printing. The small change can help the environment and still give you the resources needed to host your convention meetings.
Recycling Programs
Lunches, meals, and paper products are often a large part of conventions. Instead of creating a lot of waste, you can help give back to the environment by setting up a proper recycling program for your convention meeting. Instead of just a single recycling bin, you can make recycling a lot easier by placing bins all around the convention area. You can also expand your recycling by featuring a compost bin. These bins are ideal for throwing away food particles and allowing them to break down naturally. A convention center may have access to extra recycling bins and compost bins. The recycling features may be included in part of your rental package.
Bare Bones Decorations
While you may want a convention meeting to stand out and look nice, there are a lot of decorative items that can lead to waste. Table covers, chair covers, streamers, and balloons are just a few of the items that can cause waste at a convention meeting. Even linen tablecloths can create energy waste as they get washed and dried before the next event. Instead of creating the waste, you can choose to go bare bones with the set up. This includes basic tables and chairs. A reusable banner with your company logo will help people recognize the area, but other than that, it should be a basic set up.
Organic Cleaning Supplies
As you plan your event with a convention center, you can request the use of organic cleaning supplies for the setup and break down of your convention. These cleaning supplies use all natural elements and prevent harmful chemicals from getting released into the air. Many different convention centers offer this cleaning option to environmentally aware companies. You can even see a list of the cleaning supplies used so you understand the exact process and cleaning for your convention meeting.
Taking these steps can go a long way in representing your green philosophy to employees and potential customers. It will also make you feel good knowing your contribution to helping the environment as you host a large convention meeting. For more information, talk with convention centers in your area, such as Meet Chicago Northwest, and ask about these different options.
