Road to Green Meetings in Slovenia
How Green is Slovenia? Among the Most Sustainable and Authentic Places To Visit. National Geographic Society´s Center for Sustainable Destinations and the magazine National Geographic Traveler ranked Slovenia in 5th place for being among the most sustainable and authentic places to visit in Europe. Slovenia wins praise for being “savvy about balancing tourism with cultural and historical preservation.” Ljubljana, the capital, is “colorful, vibrant, and architecturally appealing,” and “Slovenia’s Alps and wine country remain among the most sustainable and authentic places to visit in Europe.”
Slovenia is a Land of Forests. And Parks. Nearly 60% of Slovenia’s land mass is covered by forests. Slovenia is the third most wooded country in Europe! There are also primeval forest reservations in Slovenia, one of which is just 60 kilometres from Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. According to the IUSC standardisation, around 13% of Slovenia is protected: Triglav National Park, a number of regional and local parks, nature reserves and monuments serve as testament to Slovenia’s exceptional natural riches.
Slovenia Is a Land of Water. And the World Beneath. Slovenia is one of Europe’s richest countries in terms of the volume of river water per capita! One trait of Slovenia is its underground rivers, which create Karst caves below the earth’s surface. There are more than 9.000 such caves in Slovenia! Another of Slovenia’s splendours is its thermal and mineral waters which for centuries have attracted those in search of health and relaxation. Water is drinkable directly from the tap throughout Slovenia and is considered among the cleanest in Europe.
Slovenia is a Land of Biodiversity. More than one-third of Slovenia’s land mass is included in Europe’s Natura 2000 network whose protected areas maintain the biodiversity of Europe. More than 22.000 animal and plant species live in Slovenia, meaning that more than 1% of all known living species and more than 2% of all species on the continent can be found in an area that accounts for just 0,004% of the earth’s entire surface. At the crossroad of various geotectonic and biogeographic regions there also live endemic plant and animal species.
Slovenia is a Land of Local Curiosities. And Local Specialities. An important part of Slovenia’s sustained commitments is the preservation of local traditions and ethnographic, culinary and other specialties. At every step of the way, in every season and in every region, Slovenia offers different curiosities that have been preserved through the centuries. Wine growing represents a part of Slovenia’s cultural and natural heritage. The culinary arts which are based on naturally grown ingredients represent an important part of today’s green delights.
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Experience Green – Act Green. Slovenia is situated in the heart of Europe and can be accessed from all directions, including by modes of transport that are less harmful to the environment. Public transportation may be used throughout Slovenia, while some regions may be explored on foot or by bicycle. You may refresh yourself during your visit with water directly from the tap! Enjoy local dishes and purchase goods made in Slovenia which have not harmed the planet via long transport. Do not pollute the environment with waste! Bring it back with you and place it in separate collection bins, available throughout most of Slovenia.
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How Green is Slovenian Meeting Community? “Green, rich with rivers and streams and blessed with diverse climates, Slovenia is ideal for organising academic meetings since it offers all of these features and more. As well as friendly, communicative and resourceful people who add a positive stamp to any meeting!” The Slovenian meeting community has been taking concrete steps in mitigating the negative effects generated by the meeting industry to assure this statement by Prof. Lučka Kajfež Bogataj, Slovene Climatologist and Co-recipient of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2007, will hold true also decades from now.
I Feel Green Increasingly, Slovenian meeting and incentive providers focus on implementing sustainable business practices and development of innovative sustainable products and services. For instance, meetings in Slovenia can be held in conference hotels awarded with Green Globe Certificate or EU Flower. Participants can enjoy culinary arts, which are based on certified eco ingredients, while tasting organic Slovenian wines along with drinking water directly from the tap. On an incentive trip, participants can experience authentic local traditions presenting Slovenian history and cultural heritage. »I Feel Green« sections in the Road to Green Meetings Manual offer a glimpse on the sustainable measures of Slovenian meeting industry providers.
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BeBee Campaign The Slovenian meeting community has assumed responsibility for the negative environmental impacts generated by the meeting industry and taken action. The Slovenian Convention Bureau started to run the “BeBee Campaign” as one of the projects to take practical steps towards a greener future. The BeBee campaign focuses on protecting bees that symbolise the diversity of natural resources and unspoiled nature in Slovenia. Bees reveal the level of environmental protection and symbolize the Slovenian vision of preserving nature. Furthermore, bees relate to the Slovenian uniqueness seeing that Slovenia is the only European country that has protected its indigenous species, the Carniolan bee. The BeBee campaign therefore aims to increase the number of bee colonies, slowing down the negative trend reflected in the loss of bee colonies. In cooperation with the Beekeeping Association of Slovenia, the BeBee campaign enabled the Beekeepers Club of Dobrna to set up a school beehouse to learn bee breeding. Based on practical presentations and active participation, the pupils can learn how to think and behave in the company of their winged friends. 26 children will learn about beekeeping and therefore become aware of the importance of natural and cultural heritage. The Slovenian meeting community invites meeting professionals, eager to make a positive impact on society and environment, to join the BeBee campaign. By signing the BeBee petition, meeting professionals can support the aspirations of the Slovenian meeting community in preserving the green character of Slovenia. To join the BeBee campaign, please visit http://www.bebee.slovenia-green-meetings.si/ bebee/.
IMEX Challenge 2012 in Slovenia In summer 2012 Slovenia with its capital Ljubljana will host a CSR project IMEX Challenge. Three official partners – the Slovenian Convention Bureau, Ljubljana Tourism / Convention Bureau and Go.Mice Congress & Marketing Agency, sided by the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association and Draga Centre, have created a meaningful project that will continue long after June 2012. The idea is to build beehives within the grounds of an institute for mentally and physically disabled children and adults. It is anticipated that they will be involved in the bees’ upkeep as well as potentially create revenue from harvesting and selling honey. By pure coincidence, two of the school’s staff are registered beekeepers and are keen to assist in the future, too. The project will need to be completed in just three days and applications for dynamic and enthusiastic team volunteers to give up their time to build a beehouse for disabled children are now being taken.
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How to Green Your Meeting? In line with our endeavours in preserving the honestly green character of Slovenia, we kindly invite you to act responsibly and green your meeting held in Slovenia. In this manner you can help preserve the meeting destination of Slovenia so that future generations of meeting planners will be able to hold their meetings at a truly green destination. The Road to Green Meetings Manual provides smart guidelines how to plan, organise and implement and later on evaluate your green meeting.
PLAN
ACT
• Define environmental policies and a strategy to implement them
• Organise and implement sustainable measures
• Create measurable targets and set key performance indicators (KPI)
• Communicate with all stakeholders
EVALUATE • Monitor, evaluate against KPI • Report on your sustainabile progress
• Identify and engage stakeholders
The Road to Green Meetings Guidelines are based on the principles of international sustainable event standards, including BS8901, ISO20121, APEX Green Meeting standards, Global Reporting Initiative Event Supplement, and a number of sustainable event guidelines such as UNEP and ICLEI Green Meeting Guide, Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol. In line, a green meeting is defined as a meeting designed, organised and implemented in a way that minimises negative environmental impacts and brings positive results for the local communities. The key considerations when planning a green meeting relate to selecting green venues, accommodation providers, catering companies, transport providers, AV/IT, lighting and display suppliers as well as incorporating sustainable measures in event production, including communications and exhibits. To plan an environmentally sound and socially responsible meeting, follow these guidelines for each respective area of action. Check the »I Feel Green« sections highlighting green measures of respective Slovenian meeting and incentive providers.
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Greening Your Meeting
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 Venue Selection Management
Water Conservation
Give preference to venues with a sound environmental management system or/ and environmental accreditation.
Prefer venues with water-efficient equipment (e.g. low-flow water fixtures, low-flush toilets, auto-shut-off faucets, motion sensor taps) and operational practices (e.g. irrigation-free landscaping, rainwater harvesting).
Select venues of appropriate size for the number of attendees and minimise space taken up by exhibits so as to reduce energy consumption.
Venue Accessibility Identify meeting venues in close proximity to the main public transport connections and town centre, ideally within walking distance. Consider venues in close proximity to accommodation, restaurants annd activities associated with the meeting. Select event venues with pedestrian and bicycle accesss. Give preference to venues that are fully accessible to disabled participants.
Consider venues that aim to minimize water and energy use associated with facility cleaning and laundry and use eco-certified chemicals.
Waste Management Give preference to venues with a written, valid waste management programme in place with all staff trained on this policy. Consider venues that separate and manage different types of waste and provide clearly labelled recycling bins for different types of waste. Prefer venues that implement waste material reuse initiatives, either in-house or externally (e.g. donating old furnishings/ equipment to charitable organizations).
Energy Efficiency Give preference to venues with green building standards. Prefer venues with a programme for optimising its energy efficiency (heating, hot water, lighting, air-conditioning etc.). Consider venues using renewable electricity. Select conference halls of appropriate size for the number of participants in order to use minimum energy and resources. Identify meeting venues designed to maximise the use of natural lighting and natural ventilation.
I Feel Green In line with its environmental policy, Cankarjev dom, the principal congress and cultural centre of Slovenia, installed beehives on one of the terraces of its variegated roof. Three families of Carniola bees, each housing a family of 40,000 honeybees, are therefore buzzing in their rooftop beehives in the very centre of Ljubljana. Urban environment of the capital, with its trees, parks and gardens, provides profuse bee pasture. In pollinating city plants, urban honeybees are to help increase biodiversity. Bees namely pollinate between 75 and 100 important plant species, thereby enabling fertilization and, consequently, production of honey. www.cd-cc.si
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 Accommodation Management
Waste Management
Give preference to accommodation providers which have environmental certification or certified environmental credentials (e.g. EU Flower, Green Globe, ISO 14001).
Where separated waste collection systems are in place, all waste produced by the accommodation providers are collected separately according to the appropriate fractions (e.g. paper, plastic, organic, glass).
Prefer accommodation providers with an environmental policy and action plan in place (e.g. green procurement, energy saving, catering services, waste management, communication etc.).
Sufficient, wellmarked separation bins are provided in the guest and staff areas.
Select accommodation within the venue, within walking distance to the venue or in close proximity to minimise the need for transportation.
Energy Efficiency A building management system is in place to optimise the energy use. Guest areas are not heated to above 20°C or cooled to more than 6°C below the outside temperature. Heating and air conditioning systems should be easy for participants to operate and thus turn down. The use of natural light and ventilation is promoted where possible.
Accommodation providers reuse materials or donate it to charities (e.g. used linens, furniture).
Environmental Purchasing Waste packaging is minimised by ordering bulk and encouraging suppliers to use reusable packaging. The need for paper is minimised. Where used, paper products should have a high recycled content and be chlorine free. The use of single-use disposable toiletries (e.g. shampoo, soap) is avoided where possible. The use of single-use products for meals (e.g. jams, cereals) is also avoided where possible.
Key cards are linked to energy appliances in the guest rooms.
Water Conservation A towel and linen reuse programme is in place. Ask participants to reuse linen at their hotels. Water use in toilets, taps and showers is minimised by reducing flow rates, installing timers or sensors and fitting other water efficient devices. Chemicals and disinfectants are used only where necessary and the use of eco-certified chemicals is promoted.
I Feel Green Bohinj Park ECO Hotel, certified by Green Globe, has its own water energy well and cogeneration system, all rooms and capacities are equipped with natural materials, LED lighting, special insulating glass or walls, hard wood floors or anti-allergic carpets. Main lobby seating set is made out of recycled bottle caps. Various exhibitions compliment local craftsmen and traditional artistry. A guest staying in Bohinj Park ECO Hotel is estimated to produce 10 times less CO2 emissions than in a comparable hotel! www.2864.si/en
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 Transportation Management
Low Emission Vehicles
Give preference to transport companies that have an environmental policy in place, follow environmentally responsible maintenance and operation practices (e.g. minimizing idling by drivers, performing regular maintenance and emissions testing of vehicles, using re-refined oils) and offer a more eco-friendly vehicle fleet.
Partner with transport companies with a low emission fleet to organise a shuttle service or car-share scheme for participants travelling between the venues, accommodation provides and/ or point of arrival/ departure.
Consider proximity and public transport connections when selecting venues, accomodation providers and when organising side events.
Request the parking operators to allocate a certain amount of parking stalls for participants arriving in hybrid vehicles.
Determine meeting start and finish times in a manner that allows participants to travel easily using public transport or other eco-friendly alternatives.
Arrange routes for tours and shuttle services so as to limit travel miles.
Use low emission vehicles (e.g. Euro 3 and above, hybrid vehicles, vehicles powered by bio-disel).
Public Transport
Monitor the number of participants needing transport at each stage of the meeting and match this to the transport vehicle size.
Inform participants about the possibility of using public transport or other eco-friendly alternatives to/ from and on the venue.
Give preference to taxi companies with a large hybrid fleet. Encourage participants to specifically request hybrid taxis.
Create incentives for participants to use environmentally responsible means of transportation (e.g. complimentary public transport tickets, complimentary bicycle rental).
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Zero Emission Alternatives
Low Impact Air Travel
Arrange for bicycle rentals for participants.
Consider using airlines with offset programs. Inform participants of airlines that allow passengers to offset their emissions.
Assign a member of staff to accompany participants from hotels to the venues by foot or local transport.
Car-sharing For those travelling by car encourage car-sharing. Encourage participants to get in touch with others travelling from the same areas so as to make arrangements to share cars.
When selecting flight tickets, take into account the flight miles, not only ticket price.
Offseting Offset carbon emissions for transport. Encourage participants to offset their own emissions.
I Feel Green Cycling is an excellent way to reach different sights and attractive spots in Ljubljana, a compact capital that features well-spread cycling tracks. The Bicike(LJ) self-service bicycle hire scheme, which covers the wider city centre area, enables participants to move around the city in a green way. www.visitljubljana.si *LJ = acronym for Ljubljana on licence plates I Feel Green Participants travelling to Bohinj Park ECO Hotel with electric or hybrid vehicles are welcome to use a garage without supplement or fill their cars free of charge. Guest travelling by means of public transport get refunds on their tickets or they can obtain special discounts within the entire resort. www.2864.si/en
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 Catering Responsible Purchasing
Food Composting
When possible, provide food and beverages that are: in season, sourced locally, organic or, as an alternative, sourced from integrated production systems, fair trade and/ or appealing vegetarian alternatives.
Verify that organic food that has been touched is composted.
Give preference to condiments, ingredients and beverages purchased in bulk to minimize packaging. Prefer products supplied in re-usable or recyclable packaging and ensure it will be recycled.
Smart Menu Planning and Service Ask participants to sign-up for meals in advance and re-evaluate quantity needed during the meeting to help eliminate excessive food waste and costs. Plan menus using in-season, fresh, local and/ or organic food. Minimise the quantity of meat products offered and always offer a vegetarian option(s). Include options suited to specific dietary requirements, including choices for ethnic minorities. Serve only seafood that was harvested in a responsible manner. Tap water is provided as the first option, bottle own water locally as the second option, while providing bulk bottled water should be regarded as the third option. Information on the origin of food and beverages is made available to participants. Avoid the use of disposable items by using reusable dishware, cutlery, glassware, linens and decoration. If disposables are unavoidable, ensure they are recyclable.
Ensure the leftover untouched prepared food is consumed as staff meals or reused in other manners.
Waste Management Provided appropriate recycling systems are in place locally, all waste produced during catering should be collected separately according to the appropriate fractions (e.g. paper, plastic, organic, glass). Provide numerous, well-located bins for the separate waste fractions with clear signs. Collect fat oils and grease and provide it to respective users and/ or use for fuelling.
Energy Efficiency Water and energy efficient kitchen appliances are used where possible. Ensure switch off policy for equipment, lights etc. is in place.
Water Conservation Water use is minimised in taps by reducing flow rates, installing timers or sensors and fitting other water efficient devices. Eco-certified chemicals for cleaning are used in the premises.
I Feel Green Vivo Catering has been awarded the first eco-certificate among caterers, verifying the conformity of regulations concerning the preparation of dishes using organically produced ingredients. Vivo Catering has made a step further by using organic table settings to complement the organic food served on such occasions. www.vivo.si I Feel Green In line with sustainable strategy of JezerĹĄek Catering, all waste produced during catering is collected separately according to appropriate fractions. In cooperation with Biotera company, organic waste and waste oils are used to produce biofuel. JezerĹĄek Catering furthermore implements various energy and water efficient measures (e.g. use of energy from refrigeration units to heat sanitary water, reuse of water from dishwashing etc.). www.jezersek.si
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 Communications and Marketing Printed Material
Green Registration
Use electronic means of communication (e.g. email, newsletters, website, social media), if they are appropriate and available, rather than printed materials.
Set up an electronic registration system that allows participants to register online.
Make all relevant information, presentations and papers available electronically for download. Use paper products which have a high post-consumer recycled content, preferably chlorine free. Adhere to green printing principles (double-sided printing, lightest-possible-weight paper, standard paper sizes, reduce margins and white space, minimise the use of colour copies etc). Strive to design printed materials (banners, posters, signs, place cards, lanyards etc.) in a generic way to allow them to be reused for future meetings. Use vegetable based inks for printing materials and avoid excessive ink coverage. Accurately estimate quantities required and do not over order.
Conference Material Send all relevant conference materials by email before the meeting and have either a restricted number of spare copies of documents available or printing/ copying facilities available on request at the venue. Only strictly necessary conference material should be included in participants’ packs. If conference bags are needed, prefer bags from reusable or recycled material.
Computerize the registration process at the opening of the meeting. Use office supplies that are made of recycled materials and/ or are biodegradable or recyclable. Provide reusable and/ or recyclable name badges and/ or lenyards. At the end of the conference, provide a place for participants to recycle their badges and lanyards. Encourage participants to return the name badges and lanyards.
Giveaways If giveaways are neccessary, prefer giveaways that are unpacked products made of environmentally friendly or natural materials. Consider gifts conveying a green or socially responsible message (e.g. local artisan products). If foods are procured as gifts, give preference to products that are seasonal, organically sourced, fairly traded or transported in ways that avoid transport emissions.
Participant Education Ensure that the information on your greening efforts is provided electronically prior to and after the meeting.
Promotional Material
Communicate green aspects of the meeting to participants at the opening and periodically remind participants of the initiatives at intermissions.
Limit the amount of publications and handouts to the expected number of participants.
Feedback
Make an effort to collect and reuse promotional material discarded by participants.
Ask and encourage attendees to give their opinion about the green event management. Document the greening measures and their success using a standardised reporting / benchmark system.
I Feel Green Go.Mice Congress and Marketing Agency has incorporated sustainable measures in all aspects of congress management, including strategic and financial management of projects, development of marketing & promotion strategy, online registration and on-site management. Go.Mice minimizes its impact on the environment by providing recyclable and reusable name badges, lanyards, pens and other conference materials. It reduces the amount of printed materials by using electronic invitations, online registration and abstract handling system as well as web follow-up procedures. www.go-mice.eu
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 Event Production Onsite Material
Green Activities
Provide for digital signage over paper signage or use reusable signage made from recyclable materials.
Plan to include sessions on relevant environmental issues.
Provide pens and notepads only if requested by participants. If requested, offer pens and notepads with recycled content.
Offer off-site activities that are nature-based with minimal environmental impact and/ or community activities with a positive impact on the local community.
Use dry erase white boards instead of paper flip charts. Provide for recycling containers in various easy-to-access areas with adequate signage, using paper with recycled content.
Decoration
Social Wellbeing Promote gender-neutral written and oral formulations. Provide barrier-free access to meetings for wheelchair users wherever possible.
Minimise the use of decorative elements such as flowers, banners, signatures, placards etc.
Where necessary, implement measures that facilitate the participation of people with disabilities (e.g. visually and hearing-impaired people).
Give preference to decoration elements made of environmentally friendly or natural materials.
Reuse materials or donate them to charities (e.g. used lanyards, promotional materials).
Request centerpieces and decorations that are organic (e.g. flowers) or that can be reused for future meetings. If organic centerpieces are used, encourage participants to take the items with them, thereby eliminating waste. Request that any other design features or dĂŠcor items use materials that are both recycled and recyclable.
Green Purchasing Select businesses with verified environmental accreditations.
Green Team Create a green team comprised of stakeholders from various parties to monitor the implementation of the sustainability guidelines. Ensure staff is effectively trained on appropriate environmental behaviour (e.g. sorting recyclables, minimizing waste). Develop a reward program that encourages green behavior from participants and staff.
Use local talent and products to avoid unnecessary transport emissions. Give preference to products that are easily reused and/ or recycled. Closely evaluate claims of products identified as recyclable, recycled, organic or sustainable. Request that event-related products are purchased in bulk.
I Feel Green Embark on an eco-mission with iDMC agency to save the Ljubljana moor, the southmost moor in Europe and Slovenia’s largest wetland. The endless mosaic of meadows, fields and trenches is a home to many animals and plants hardly seen around Europe. However, human interference and irresponsible behaviour are putting it in danger. Participants are thus invited to become environmental activists, conducting chemical analysis and getting to know the variety of life at the Ljubljana moor. www.idmc.eu
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Audio/Visual Production Audio Visual Equipment
Lighting
Prefer AV/IT suppliers with verified environmental credentials.
Select suppliers using energy efficient lighting.
Use in-house equipment to reduce the need for transportation. Give preference to the most efficient AV equipment based on the requirements and limitations of the venue. Activate sleep mode on the equipment used in the event’s production (e.g. projectors, computers in the registration area, personal computers).
Design a lighting solution that minimises the use of energy and corresponds to the meeting’s needs. Give preference to low energy efficient lighting alternatives (e.g. LED technologies, high efficiency (HID) lighting, lighting controls, occupancy/ motion sensors).
Recycled Components
Consider video conferencing to allow wider access to the meeting via the internet.
Request that recycled print cartridges are used when printing event-related materials. Request they contain vegetable-based inks.
Scenic and Stage Providers
Recycle any electronic waste left behind after the meeting.
Avoid using toxic materials and PVC materials in the design set and set up.
Reuse, recycle or donate materials after the meeting.
Strive to incorporate recycled materials in the set design. Avoid using hazardous materials. If required, ensure hazardous waste procedures are in place.
I Feel Green Alkemist Translation Company, offering an entire spectrum of translation services, including translation into 110 languages as well as consecutive and simultaneous translations using all required equipment, established a non-profit organisation, the Alkemist Foundation. Through the donation of a portion of the value of each order, the Alkemist Foundation endeavours to satisfy the specific needs of those forgotten or overlooked in the state regulatory status in Slovenia and in the world. www.translation-alkemist.com
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 Exhibition Production Management
Waste Management
Communicate to exhibitors and exhibition stand builders in advance about the meeting’s green initiatives. Give preference to environmentally friendly and recycled materials for the exhibition production.
Where separated waste collection systems are in place locally, all waste produced must be collected separately according to the appropriate fractions (e.g. paper, plastic, metal, organic).
Use packaging which is minimal, reusable and/ or recyclable.
Encourage exhibitors and participants to use the recycling facilities.
Arrange stands and/or displays to maximise the use of natural light.
Event Closing Protocol
Display Booths and Exhibit Stands
Develop a pack-in/pack-out policy requiring exhibitors to leave with everything that was brought to the meeting.
Encourage exhibitors to use decorations, carpets and display materials which are made of recycled materials and/ or can be reused for future meetings.
Consider enforcing a fee for exhibitors leaving excessive waste left at the meeting.
Encourage exhibitors to minimise the use of lighting and other energy requirements at the stand.
Reward Green Exhibitors
Exhibitor Promotional Material
Host a competition or provide a discount for most sustainable exhibition stand, recognizing the sustainable endeavours of exhibitors.
Communicate the expected number of participants to exhibitors in order to minimize any additional waste. Encourage exhibitors to bring smaller quantities of promotional materials and advice them to offer access to electronic materials on their websites. Encourage exhibitors to provide promotional items which have been produced using environmentally friendly materials and are reusable. Encourage exhibitors to provide for giveaways made of recyclable materials or reusable items. Request exhibitors not to over-package their giveaways. Advise exhibitors to use paper products which have a high recycled content and are chlorine free.
I Feel Green At the Nature-Health Fair, which offers informed ideas for a healthy way of life and sustainable development, GR - Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre, in a spirit of friendly relation to the environment as regards waste management, introduced the so called alternative entrance fee. In 2009, GR collected 50,000 used batteries, whereas in 2010 GR collected 238 kg used mobile phones. At the Home Fair, which encourages environmentally-friendly construction through free counselling on energy efficiency to the visitors, the Green Mission prize is awarded for environmentally friendly and energy efficient products. For its fair events, GR developed a modern system of waste separation which includes 11 different types of waste. www.ljubljanafair.com
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 Carbon Calculators & Offsetting Emission Minimisation
Information on CO2 Offsetting
Identify the sources of CO2 emissions arising from event organisation.
Inform participants on possible ways of CO2 offsetting and encourage them to use these opportunities, in particular in the case of air transport.
Develop and implement strategies to reduce the emissions to the minimum. Calculate the remaining CO2 emissions that could not be avoided.
Offer reduced attendance fees to participants who purchase emissions offsets.
Emissions Offsets Consider compensating for the CO2 event-related emissions by investing in compensatory projects removing or off-setting emissions in the atmosphere. Give preference to the carbon offset companies accredited or recognised by an environmental agency or other recognised body. Request the selected offset companies to set-up a display booth at the meeting and sell offsets to participants. Consider holding a brief presentation on the importance of offsetting emissions.
I Feel Green Event Carbon Calculator, available at www.slovenia-green-meetings.si, enables meeting planners to identify the main environmental impacts of a meeting and help prioritise actions to avoid and reduce these impacts. The Event Carbon Calculator takes into account emissions from attendee travel, accommodation and the event itself. When planning a meeting in Slovenia, meeting planners are encouraged to enter the details of their meeting to get an estimate how much CO2 the meeting will likely create. www. slovenia-green-meetings.si
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Further Information Sustainable Events Standards APEX/ASTM Green Meeting and Events Voluntary Standards BS 8901:2007 Specification for a Sustainable Event Management System. GRI (Global Reporting initiative) Sector Supplement for Events ISO20121: Sustainability in Event Management.
Green Meetings Literature Bergkist, J.P. 2010. Sustainability in Practice. Sleepwell AB. Green Meetings Task Force. 2004. Green Meetings Report. Convention Industry Council. Jones, Megan. 2010. Sustainable Event Management Practical Guide. Earthscan. Meeting Strategies Worldwide. 2008. The Economy and the Environment: One Solution for Two Meeting and Event Industry Issues. Meeting Strategies Worldwide, Inc. Spatrisano, Amy and Nancy Wilson. 2008. Simple Steps to Green your Meetings. U nited Nations Environment Programme. 2009. Green Meeting Guide. Roll out the Green Carpet for your Participants. UNEP DTIE, ICLEI, IAM LADP.
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Published by: Slovenian Convention Bureau, Go®Mice Editors: Maruša Rosulnik, Go®Mice Design: Andrej Juvan, Premedia Photographs: Archive of Ljubljana Tourism and Slovenian Tourist Board
Please recycle the Road to Green Meetings in Slovenia Manual. As a sign of respect to the environment, we encourage you to recycle the Road to Green Meetings Manual or consider the ways in which it can be reused.