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By Jeff Blosser
Greetings from the Great Northwest. As you probably could guess, I’m
going to write about being green and sustainable. These words really
didn’t mean much five years ago, but now we all have to pay attention
and react to this new operating model. The triple bottom line is real
and needs our attention for energy conservation, savings in dollars
spent and improving the environment every day.
The Oregon Convention Center was the first LEED-EB facility in the
country, which has led our operation down a path of consistent
improvement in the sustainable piece of what we do in all areas.
Recycling is only a part of the overall plan in how we operate green.
Air quality, water quality, green product purchasing, chemicals used,
utilities usage reduced, composting and food donation is part of the
fabric of how we manage the facility. We are also looking to new
technology like alternative energy sources with solar panels, wind power
and management systems to control lighting, HVAC, irrigation and use of
utilities every day.
Show management and corporate meeting planners are demanding specific
green criteria for their meeting requirements from convention centers,
and I have listed below actual contracted requirements from one
licensee’s show as an example of what is happening today.
Operations
We will provide the following
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Recycling collection bins in
all meeting room lobby and ballroom lobby areas.
Items for collection are Mixed Paper,
Cans/Plastic Bottles and Glass..
●
Recycling centers in requested meeting rooms. We have 25 recycling
containers
(nine for mixed paper and 16 for
aluminum cans/plastic bottles).
●
Customized recycling stations in every Exhibit Hall. We currently
separate Mixed
Paper and Cans/ Plastic Bottles and
will also provide recycling of glass in the
exhibit halls.
●
Item-specific recycling bins for decorators and
exhibitors to utilize during move-in
and move-out.
●
List of organizations that will provide alternative
options for recycling, reusing and
reducing waste.
●
Cardboard collection is handled by staff when it is
placed by waste receptacles.
●
Assigned attendant to oversee any overflow of
containers.
●
Recycling provided for specialized materials upon
request
●
One point of contact during the planning of your
event to assist with any
sustainable/recycling needs.
●
One attendant to provide services on-site as a waste
stream coordinator and to
manage any overflow of containers.
●
Informational signage provided near trash containers
about our post-consumer
composting program.
●
Post-event report of total items recycled, waste
composted and food donated.
Catering
Continentals, coffee breaks and reception services only:
●
Locally grown food products based upon seasonal availability.
●
Standard china, glassware and flatware in meeting rooms and ballrooms
only.
●
Post-consumer
recycled biodegradable plates.
●10
percent post-consumer recycled biodegradable coffee cups.
●
Condiments served in bulk containers.
●
Standard china, glassware and flatware in meeting rooms and ballrooms
only.
●
Post-consumer
recycled biodegradable plates.
●10
percent post-consumer recycled biodegradable coffee cups.
●
Condiments served in bulk containers.
●
Post-consumer two-ply pull-and tear roll napkins.
●
Bar service used
with standard glassware and recyclable bottles or biodegradable
plastic barware when applicable.
●Composting
of food waste and biodegradable products for all events.
●
Donate excess food to local homeless shelters.
Served/buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner functions:
●
Locally grown food products based upon seasonal availability.
●
Standard china,
glassware and flatware in meeting rooms and ballrooms only.
●Condiments
served in bulk containers.
●
Composting of food waste and biodegradable products when applicable.
●
Donate excess food to local homeless shelters when applicable.
●Juices
provided in carafes.
●
Water in
pitchers/no pre-fill water glasses (ice optional).
●
Up to three staffed sustainability stations.
●
China service in exhibit halls, including additional servers.
Concessions:
●100
percent recycled biodegradable plates.
●10
percent post-consumer recycled biodegradable coffee cups.
●
Post-consumer
recycled biodegradable plates.
●
Biodegradable plastic flatware.
●
Condiments served
in bulk containers.
●
Post-consumer two-ply pull-and-tear roll napkins.
Walking the Talk
City governments are also requiring higher levels of operational
sustainability from public facilities to meet their goals,
adding to the need to make such building operational changes. Public
facilities need to meet these challenges from clients and our owners, to
be socially responsible for changing how we do our everyday business to
positively affect our environment for future generations.
It goes much deeper these days, and I feel will begin to have a greater
impact to our business. While convention centers all need to figure out
how to put a sustainability program in place, there is another section
of this new green trend that is gaining momentum. What exactly is our
carbon footprint, you ask? While important, I believe
 the new issues
will be about corporate and social responsibility to be green.
Convention centers all over the country are the major point of reference
for attendees as they touch it, live it and observe how the facility
works from their show-related perspective.
From a corporate sense, shouldn’t we be the example in our community for
our out-of-town guests to experience? We must operate in the sustainable
mode every day; I mean, walk the talk. I’m hearing a lot about
“greenwashing” from clients — cities saying they are green but don’t
really manage in a sustainable manner, which is bad for our business.
Marketing what you do is paramount to what clients should expect when
they arrive in your community and we have to walk the talk so our
industry does not get a black eye.
I applaud IAAM for creating its Green Task Force, as we need to push the
facility side of what we are about. The Green Meeting Industry Council
is setting standards and we need to be at the table helping to create
these standards for greening shows and facilities so we can provide the
necessary service levels our clients will be expecting in the future. It
is important we go down this path collectively, so we are not dictated
to by the EPA or any other jurisdiction that does not understand our
business.
The Northwest is famous for being green, and we are glad to share our
knowledge with all who ask. I encourage all convention center facility
managers to put this at the top of their wish list for funding and work
to be as green and sustainable in your operations as possible. Together
as an industry, we can make a large statement that says not only do we
care about what our clients need and want, we understand our
responsibility to be a leader in making this the place in which we live
better than we found it.
fm
Jeff Blosser is
executive director of the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. He may
be contacted atjeffblosser@oregoncc.org. |
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