Before we continue I should tell you... I am making a green guide

Photo credit: Jonathan Rausseo

Have you ever been involved in planning an event? Make that a large event and on campus. The amount of effort that goes into it is amazing, especially if the planners are trying to be “green”. Early this year, I attended the Sustainable Business Conference and although I was not around for the planning of the event, I was able to see the results of what I imagine to be many sleepless nights- all sacrificed in the name of being “green”.

From the choice of food served at events to the selection of speakers, every decision made while planning an event has some sort of environmental consequence. It may be the decision to order from local caterers that are committed to local and organic produce or to hold teleconferences rather than have speakers travel far distances.

Planning an event is stressful enough without contemplating the environmental consequences of every little decision, so I’m working on a “Green Guide” that will hopefully make this easier for planners. I’m researching protocols on everything from ordering the delivery of recycling and composting bins to renting out video equipment and gathering contact information for these procedures.

I even contacted the EcoLogo program, a North American environmental certification group, in order to gather ideas on environmental rating systems for events. I also met with the SFUO sustainability coordinator to discuss their green guide in hopes of creating one legit informative guide.

I will admit that I have never planned an event on campus which makes this project easy as well as hard. Easy because I know that it must be as comprehensive as possible in order for n00bs like me and hard because I have no idea all the tiny things that must be considered. I am also starting to feel like Katherine and her STARS due to the multitude of questions I am shooting at random people on campus. So thank you to all of you that have replied, and those who have not… expect more emails.

-merissa

http://thesustainabilitree.blogspot.com