EPA New England: Greening Our Operations

Green Meetings

Reducing the environmental impact of the meetings we host and those we attend

Whether it's a half-day workshop or a large conference, meetings have environmental costs:

• Greenhouse gases are emitted from vehicles when we travel to and from a meeting.
• Energy is needed to heat or cool meeting and lodging facilities.
• Waste is associated with promotion, signs, nametags, handouts and other meeting materials.
• Waste is generated when food and beverages are served.

The environmental costs of meetings can be lowered when we make them greener.  A greener meeting can also be great for business, save time and money, and help educate attendees and the public about environmental issues.

At EPA New England we're taking several steps to green our meetings. Our Green Team is:

• Promoting recycling by providing recycling bins in every meeting room.
• Reducing our use of paper with paperless meetings or the use of double-sided copies.
• Conserving energy by installing light sensors in meeting rooms.
• Using green purchasing  by buying recycled content paper and meeting supplies.
• Promoting the use of videoconferencing, webcasts and other electronic means to reduce travel to meetings.
• Encouraging meeting locations that minimize travel.

We're also promoting the use of sustainable modes of transportation and establishing purchasing preferences for green hotels and meeting facilities.  Efforts to educate staff include a fact sheet, EPA New England Green Team and Green Meetings (September 2005) our Lunch & Learn sessions, and the Green Notes series.  For more information about these related Green Team projects:

Purchasing
Educating Employees

Whatever your role -- whether you plan, host, supply or attend meetings -- you can help make each event a little greener.  Improvements can be made at each step of the way, from finding a venue to planning the menu. Use the links below to learn more.

Blue Green Meetings, Ocean Blue Foundation
A range of information organized for hosts/planners and suppliers, including:

• 10 Easy Tips for Greener meetings
• Assess your meetings with the quiz “How Green is your meeting?”
• Sector-based links and tips( e.g. transportation, food, venues, accommodations, etc),
• Case studies and success stories

Planning Environmentally Aware Events, EPA Office of Solid Waste
This site challenges readers to imagine such an event, providing information on how to make it happen: Nuts & Bolts, Case Studies, and A Planning Checklist

Green Conventions
The Green Conventions site highlights success stories from recent large conventions and provides numerous links that will assist event planners in making their event "greener".

Greening Your Meetings & Conferences, A Guide for Federal Purchasers, EPA, draft January 2004
Helping government purchasers consider environmental factors when planning events.

Green Meetings, EPA's One Stop Information Source for Green Meetings
Links to resources and green meeting initiatives

Green Meeting Industry Council
Working to improve meeting management practices by promoting environmentally responsible strategies  

Green Meetings Report, 2004, Convention Industry Council
Best practices for event organizers and suppliers to use as guidelines for implementing policies of sustainability.

Green Hotel Initiative, Ceres
A program to increase and demonstrate the market demand for environmentally responsible hotel services.

How to hold a green meeting, EPA Region 3
Tips and links

Regional Snapshot We can't make your meetings run any faster, but check out our ideas to ensure that meetings are better for the environment.