| As EcoGreenHotel examines the world of | | | | efficiency features. |
| tradeshows and conventions, it appears sustainability | | | | It is held at the Georgia World Congress Center |
| options have finally arrived to the forefront. US | | | | Authority in Atlanta, which has recently adopted |
| Green Building Council LEED certified convention | | | | sustainability practices for its 3.9million square feet of |
| centers are springing up in cities of all sizes around | | | | space. Beyond the standard green building practices, |
| the world. Normal 0 false false false /* Style | | | | the center works closely with a local Food Bank to |
| Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable | | | | ensure left over food and supplies from events do |
| {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; | | | | not go to waste. Plastic water bottles have been |
| mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; | | | | replaced with spring water coolers and food wastes |
| mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; | | | | are composted onsite. |
| mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; | | | | But are these initiatives enough to create a truly |
| mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; | | | | sustainable trade show? |
| mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; | | | | |
| font-family:"Times New Roman"; | | | | There is still the impact from hosting tens of |
| mso-ansi-language:#0400; | | | | thousands of travelers annually and the tons of |
| mso-fareast-language:#0400; | | | | waste generated from booth displays. One could |
| mso-bidi-language:#0400;} | | | | argue the environmental impact of transporting |
| As EcoGreenHotel examines the world of | | | | people, equipment and 100s or 1000s of trade booths |
| tradeshows and conventions, it appears sustainability | | | | across the country or world is avoidable, too costly |
| options have finally arrived to the forefront. US | | | | and unnecessary in today’s computer driven |
| Green Building Council LEED certified convention | | | | world. |
| centers are springing up in cities of all sizes around | | | | A Virtual Future |
| the world. From centers in Santa Fe, Spokane, | | | | Imagine attending a conference or trade show while |
| Pittsburg, Raleigh, and Virginia City to LEED silver | | | | having lunch or on your own time and without dealing |
| centers in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Portland to the | | | | with the headache of airport delays. Thanks to the |
| first Platinum center in Vancouver, British Columbia | | | | emergence of innovative technology, you can attend |
| that sports its enormous 6-acre living green-roof, the | | | | sessions, meet vendors, exchange business cards and |
| largest non-industrial of its kind in North America. | | | | mingle with attendees — all without leaving the |
| Even master planned sustainable cities such as | | | | comfort of your desk chair. |
| Korea’s Songdo International Business District | | | | In EcoGreenHotel’s opinion, the most |
| and Qatar’s Masdar City know sustainability is | | | | sustainable trade show is the recent rise of Virtual |
| the way to the future. | | | | Trade Show events (VTS). Although these events |
| | | | | have been around well before 2007, the struggling |
| Green Practices All Around | | | | economy has forced many companies to reduce their |
| Now, more than ever, green practices are being | | | | travel budgets and increase focus on being |
| adopted by convention centers, surrounding hotels, | | | | green. |
| event planners, vendors and contractors to | | | | As the name implies, it is conducted online for all of |
| dramatically reduce costs and their environmental | | | | the attendees and exhibitors in a virtual convention |
| impact. It truly does become a domino effect. We | | | | center. The Virtual Trade Shows offer live speakers, |
| receive more and more inquiries about Energy | | | | interactive vendor booths, networking events, and |
| Efficiency Services as more hotels strive to become | | | | opportunities to sample products and services with |
| green to meet local event requirements. These are | | | | nearly Zero Carbon Footprint! |
| tremendous achievements and very exciting times | | | | In today’s economy the time and cost |
| for cities aiming to attract the growing market of | | | | savings alone make this option immensely more |
| sustainable tradeshows. | | | | attractive than traditional shows. EcoGreenHotel likes |
| | | | | the idea of the virtual trade show so much it has |
| For example, WasteExpo is North America’s | | | | committed to attend the Spa Hospitality Expo on |
| largest solid waste and recycling tradeshow serving | | | | May 26 and 27. |
| both the private and public sectors. The show boasts | | | | Your First Virtual Trade Show Experience |
| green initiatives such as: extensive use of | | | | Join us at our booth to win a prize and attend the |
| electronic media to eliminate paper, energy saving | | | | live streaming of Transforming Hotels & |
| lighting, green cleaners, carpet made from recycled | | | | Resorts presented by, our very own, Scott Parisi. |
| materials, and of course robust recycling and energy | | | | |