From Houston Business Journal

Imagine attending a tradeshow that’s absent of printed brochures, signs and binders. Instead, exhibitor collateral arrives in your e-mail box. You choose to print or review on-screen. At the show, you receive a text message with each day’s symposium schedule. No need for a paper agenda. What were traditionally printed event backdrops are now LED projections, complete with changing information and graphics. Sound like sci-fi? Far from it. Many forward-thinking event planners are already embracing this kind of innovative, eco-friendly approach.

Today virtually every company we know is “going green.” For some firms, calling themselves “environmentally friendly” is mostly – even regrettably – lip service. But for the vast majority, being a good steward of Earth’s resources is tantamount to serious business. It’s a corporate value expected to extend through environmentally conscious orchestration of meetings, tradeshows and galas. For event planners, whether they be internal or outside consultants, “green” is no longer simply a color candidate for table linens.

Paper, Power and the Proper Place
Making our planet an event’s understated center of attention can be a relatively simple, but highly gratifying endeavor. Even if an event isn’t as eco-advanced as the one described earlier, focusing on a few basics – reducing paper, conserving power and choosing the right venue – can make a big difference. Further Earth-friendly measures can take the form of sustainable furniture rental,  bio-degradable materials, and lightweight, reusable tension-fabric displays that cut down on packing cardboard and foam. In terms of power, look first for Energy Star- or LEED-rated facilities. Add low-voltage LED and fiber-optic lighting for further event-driven energy conservation.

And remember – if you talk the talk, you should walk the walk. At Sullivan Group, the little paper we use is recycled. Low-voltage lighting is everywhere. We even have a carpooling program in place. By practicing what we preach, “going green” is far more than a thinly veiled pitch to prospects. It’s a way of working , and living, that makes our profession especially rewarding.

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