We are all a little green when it comes to the environment hat can we say, Green is the way. Already, governments and associations are selecting hotels, venues and suppliers by their green commitments. So our guide is one which hotels, venues and CVBs were all given the same opportunity to let you know their commitment by what they are doing now, what they plan to do in the future and what they plan to do in the long term. Ours is not clever marketing, but a guide which will provide concrete information. We are now way past the use-your-towel-for-the-second-day stage, which was in fact started by hotels as a way to save money and not at all because they were concerned about the environment, according to Steve Pinetti, senior vice-president for marketing at Kimpton Hotels, a San Francisco-based company that operates 43 luxury hotels. Had they truly been committed to the environment they could have offered rebates, say $2 a day off your room rate if you re-used your towels, $5 if you re-used your bed sheets, $3 if they didn’t give you a new shampoo, and so on. It wouldn’t have cost them anything and they would have created the incentive to encourage their guests to help the environment, similar to the rebates Air Canada gives when you book your plane ticket online, although theirs doesn’t help the environment, but can save you a few dollars anyway. But it’s not too late; hotels can still pass on these savings and show their commitment at no cost to them. Imagine – people could save well over $10 per day on their room rate while helping the environment... just a thought! For hotels and venues to now go further they will have to spend money, and in this day and age of hotels being more about real estate than anything else, it will be interesting to see if the princes, the Reits and the Chips are willing to spend. What you will find on the following pages is what was sent to us, verbatim, by each supplier. All were given the same opportunity, and we even extended our deadline by two weeks to accommodate some of them. You will also find various tidbits and articles of interest, including two from our avant-garde future generation. This project is a humble beginning, but everything has to have a first step so this is ours. We hope that you find the guide useful and that it will provide you with information that will help you take up the green cause. By telling hotels, venues and suppliers that you are/are not considering their property or service because of their commitment to the environment, you are sending the message that they will have to get on the bandwagon or lose business. Economics should do the rest. The more pressure, the sooner things will get done. In the words of Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
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Proposing paperless evaluations Drake Hotel creates an urban garden Toronto’s Drake Hotel knows the importance of local produce, especially its own — they are using a part of their property to grow fresh, organic vegetables and herbs. By cultivating and cooking their own crops, they offer diners a homegrown gastronomic adventure and help the environment too. On the Web: www.thedrakehotel.com
Montréal recognized for Geotourism Tourisme Montréal was the first city in the world to sign the Geotourism Charter of the renowned National Geographic Society last October. As a signatory, Montréal agrees to respect the 13 main principles of the Charter. The Geotourism Charters are a key program element of the National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations (CSD), which aims to protect the world’s distinctive places through wisely managed tourism and enlightened destination stewardship. According to the Society’s Web site, geotourism is defined as “tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents.” Given the tremendous scale of urban tourism worldwide, the CSD wanted to bring urban centers into its geotourism approach. On the Web: www.nationalgeographic.com www.tourisme-montreal.org
The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and MeetingMetrics want planners to save some trees – and they are going to the root of the problem to do it. They recently announced the launch of a new online, on-site survey tool for meeting professionals that will help them color their meetings green. Part of MeetingMetrics' online meeting results measurement system, the new On-site Session Evaluation Tool, is designed to automate and streamline the collection of on-site session feedback – without the use of paper evaluations. “This new MeetingMetrics software is extremely useful on so many levels,” PCMA President and CEO Deborah Sexton said in a statement. “Meeting professionals will be freed from distributing paper-based surveys, receive immediate attendee feedback and make their meetings more environmentally friendly by substantially reducing paper waste.” Because it's paperless, the new On-site Session Evaluation Tool promises to save event organizers both time and money. It does not require special hardware and works by connecting attendees with session questionnaires via their own PDAs or laptops. Once surveys are submitted, meeting organizers can access the results in real time and create a variety of custom reports with which to analyze and summarize attendee feedback. A limited number of complimentary MeetingMetrics trial licenses are available for PCMA members. On the Web: www.meetingmetrics.com. •••
Toshiba lights the way to being green Toshiba Corp. has a bold plan: It wants to more than triple its sales at its lighting operations in 12 years by phasing out incandescent lights and switching to energy-saving LEDs as power costs and concerns about greenhouse gas emissions rise. Japan-based Toshiba competes in the lighting business against General Electric Co., Philips and Osram and is betting on its light-emitting diode fixtures for homes, offices and public facilities to fuel growth in Europe, the United States, Russia and China, President Atsutoshi Nishida said recently. Sales of LED lights would make up approximately $9.5 billion of sales in 2020, providing Toshiba 20 percent of the global share for such low-power lights. LED lights last longer and cut greenhouse gas emissions to one-sixth of those of incandescent bulbs, but are more expensive. According to Toshiba, which developed Japan’s first light bulb, switching 60 percent of the world’s incandescent lights to LED lights would slash greenhouse gas emissions by 125.5 million tons in 2025 compared with in 2000. The Japanese government has instructed manufacturers to end incandescent light production by 2012, while Australia and France have made similar demands. Toshiba is phasing out production of most of its incandescent lights by 2010. 6
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Sooner or later, we sit down to a banquet of consequences. Robert Louis Stevenson
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The Green Key Eco-Rating Program ith the environment on everyone’s mind these days it is only natural that the energy-saving and recycling practices we implement at home would begin to emerge in our places of work and even in how we conduct business. The meeting and convention industry is experiencing this movement first-hand. Hotels and planners alike receive frequent inquiries about the “greenness” of their facilities and events. The challenge for both lies in determining just what does make their event facility green. The Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) is assisting hotels with this challenge, helping them define a starting point on their path to becoming green. Developed specifically for the lodging industry, the HAC’s Green Key Eco-Rating program is a graduated rating system recognizing properties committed to improving their environmental performance. The comprehensive audit, designed to provide a property with an overview of where they stand with respect to their current environmental practices, explores the five main sections of a property’s operations: Corporate Environmental Management; Housekeeping; Conference & Meeting Facilities; Food & Beverage; and Engineering. The audit questions delve into sustainable practices such as energy and water conservation, waste management, food service, air quality, infrastructure, staff training, guest awareness, etc. Based on the property’s final results they are awarded a 1 to 5 Green Key rating (5 is the highest). For a hotelier the benefits of participating are numerous. The Green Key program provides tips, tricks and resources to assist the property in creating a more environmentally conscious facility and ensure that staff and management are active participants in any green initiative.
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Meeting Planners will benefit from knowing that the facility they’ve chosen has taken steps to lessen the environmental demands that come from hosting events. A facility that offers a range of environmentally friendly options will go a long way to reducing the eco-footprint of an event: whiteboards vs. flipcharts, food & beverage served in reusable dishes, recycling readily available, leftover food disposal plan, a guest awareness program, and more. By demanding these practices of hotels meeting planners will help to keep the industry green. There is always more that can be done to reduce one’s environmental footprint but the Green Key Eco-Rating Program provides hotels and even meeting planners with a solid base on which to build bigger, greener practices. With almost 900 Canadian Lodging properties participating in the program at this time, finding greener meeting space is easy. To find a Green Key hotel simply visit www.hacgreenhotels.com and click the “Find Green Hotels” link on the home page or contact the Hotel Association of Canada directly at info@hotelassociation.ca.
Idling is a waste of gas Computer myth debunked Heard the one about how to save more power by leaving your computer on than by shutting it down and restarting it? Well it’s bull. Computers use about two seconds worth of power to start up according to the US Office for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Turn off your electrical equipment when you leave the office. In addition, many computers, faxes and photocopiers have energy saving modes, so be sure to use them. Finally, ask your suppliers about lower-energy use models when making new purchases for the office or home. July-August ’08
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Idling a vehicle for just five minutes creates more than a quarter-kilogram of gases. If every Canadian driver cut back on five minutes of idling a day, we’d save 1.6 million tons of carbon monoxide from burning up our atmosphere and 1.8 million litres of fuel! But it takes more gas to turn a car on and off than it does to leave it running, right? Wrong. If you’re going to be waiting more than 10 seconds, it’s smarter to turn it off. And if you’re still not sure that idling is costing money, check your car’s gas consumption and take a closer look at your next gasoline bill at the pump!
The key word to being green is awareness.
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LHW launches a major green initiative World’s leader in luxury travel is among the first to support carbon neutral efforts on a corporate level he Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd., the largest global luxury hotel brand launched its Leading Green Initiative in April 2007. This innovative program enables and encourages guests – both individuals and groups – to make a conscious decision toward greener travel by actively supporting Sustainable Travel International (STI), the foremost non-profit organization in responsible tourism. The Leading Green Initiative is a carbon neutral program whereby The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. will directly absorb the cost to offset guests’ energy consumption for stays at any of its 450 hotels worldwide. “We are extremely proud to be the first luxury hotel brand to provide a carbon offset program with STI. While many companies offer the opportunity for customers to voluntarily make donations, we feel strongly about taking a leadership position in environmental responsibility and setting the example. We are, therefore, delighted to be making the financial contribution on our guests’ behalf,” said Paul M. McManus, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. For every night of a guest’s stay when their reservation is made through www.lhwgreen.com, or when ‘Leading Green’ is mentioned to any one of our worldwide voice reservations centers, The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. will make a donation of 50¢ to STI. The same holds true for meeting planners and groups booking business through Leading Group Sales, a division of The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. The investment per guest represents 29.3 kilowatt-hours of electricity supplied by new wind and solar power, which equates to 33.7 pounds of greenhouse gas emission reductions. The Leading Green Initiative is entirely underwritten by The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. corporate entity; prices have not been augmented to support this effort. Brian T. Mullis, President of Sustainable Travel International stated, “We are excited to be partnering with The Leading Hotels of the World to educate their guests and hotels to reduce their environmental footprint by the efficient
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use of energy and minimization of waste.” “We are most pleased to see how seriously Leading Hotels executives have taken this partnership as last year alone, they committed to offsetting the energy consumption of their annual Sales & Marketing Conference in Stockholm, as well as their Annual Convention in Monte Carlo. A corporate donation was made to STI to offset the energy consumption of all attendees, not only for the accommodations, but also air transportation, meeting rooms and common areas,” Mullis concluded. Leading Group Sales has experienced no shortage of client inquiries hoping to adopt greener practices and make a resounding difference. “We receive barrages of requests for sustainable meeting travel these days,” says Thorsten Meier, managing director of Leading Group Sales. “The mindset is definitely changing around the world and meeting planners are without a doubt aware of the repercussions facing our environment.” With Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. financing the donation, meeting planners need only mention Leading Green at the time of booking to partake in the philanthropic and environmentally-friendly initiative. Reservations and inquiries can be made by calling a Leading Group Sales Meeting Professional at (1-877) 751-8430. The Leading Hotels of the World and STI are currently evaluating a number of other programs, including sustainable tourism certification, travel philanthropy, and the potential implementation of environmental management systems by Leading Hotels. On the Web: www.sustainabletravelinternational.org www.lhwgreen.com ••• The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. is the prestigious luxury hospitality organization representing more than 430 of the world’s finest hotels, resorts and spas, and is the operator of www.lhw.com – the online source for your luxury lifestyle. As the largest international luxury hotel brand, the firm maintains offices in 24 major markets across the globe.Since 1928, the company’s reputation for excellence derives from the exacting levels of quality it demands of its members, each of which must pass a rigorous, anonymous inspection covering 1,500 separate criteria.
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Hilton sets impressive eco-goals BY CHRISTOPHER NASSETTA, PRESIDENT CEO
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ilton Hotels Corporation recently announced its short and long term goals and objectives towards building sustainability into the core fabric of its businesses worldwide. By 2014, goals for the Hilton Family of Hotels are to:
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energy consumption from direct operations by 20% Co2 emissions by 20% output of waste by 20% and water consumption by 10%.
As a global business serving more than a quarter billion guests a year in more than 3000 hotels across 74 countries, the Hilton family of Hotels, including Hilton, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hampton Inn and Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations, Homewood Suites by Hilton and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection, are well-positioned to make a difference
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environmentally, socially, culturally and economically. Population growth and global industrialization are accelerating the depletion of natural resources. Demand for energy continues to grow and fresh water scarcity is becoming a global reality. How we respond to these challenges will determine the sustainability of our future lifestyles, our communities as we know them, and ultimately the sustainability of our planet. To meet the growing demand of increased travel around the world, we must be able to do so in a sustainable fashion while still delivering unsurpassed levels of hospitality, including a better night’s sleep, an enhanced dining experience and a more productive meeting. We must operate our business in ways that provide for our current needs while allowing future generations to meet their own needs. This is the essence of sustainability and the path we must follow. Not only is it the right thing to do as responsible global citizens, it's the right thing to do for our business.
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CURRENT PRACTICES
Hilton uses multiple approaches CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
LONG-TERM, HIGH-IMPACT GOALS In addition to the stated measurable short-term targets, the company also has committed to focus on several high-impact areas that offer significant long-term benefits. Sustainable buildings and operations, including the advancement of sustainable design and construction, operations, chemical management and purchasing will be one key area. The company is also committed to the advancement of renewable energy as a source of power for its operations, not only to reduce its carbon footprint but to develop a viable commercial infrastructure for powering hotels and corporate offices.
SUPPORT STRATEGY Hilton Hotels Corporation is supporting its portfolio of commitments in a number of ways, by: • Building out educational and engagement programs for all brands and team members, including online learning, centralized web content, and various training modules. • Measuring and reporting on our progress. The internal environmental management tool used within company-managed hotels will be extended to all properties, allowing us to track and report on our commitments and design processes and programs that identify areas of opportunity to drive innovation and efficiencies. • Revising brand operational, and design and construction standards for 2009 to ensure both internal and external best practices are shared, adopted and transparent around the globe. • Evaluating all current and future purchasing policies and practices across the brands to ensure that the range of products placed in hotels not only enhance the guest experience but drive value for owners while supporting the company’s overall sustainability efforts.
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Hilton Hotels Corporation has demonstrated its commitment to sustainability with several projects that currently are underway. In the European region, energy and water consumption already have been reduced by 10% during the last two years. In the U.K. and Ireland, the introduction of carbon-free electricity has reduced CO2 emissions in participating Hilton hotels by more than 64,000 tons, or 56% of our carbon footprint. In the United States, Hilton was the first in the industry to complete the installation of a commercial fuel cell power system, atop the Hilton New York, delivering one of the cleanest power generating technologies available today. Galvanizing the spirit demonstrated by its recent and past successes together with its current commitments, Hilton Hotels Corporation has created a Mission Statement that will carry forward throughout its business practices.
MISSION STATEMENT The Hilton Family of Hotels will manage our business through a lens of sustainability to benefit this generation and those that follow. Through action and innovation, we will lead our industry in products and programs that: • Enhance the guest experience • Engage our employees • Improve operational efficiency • Advance building design • Strengthen our partnerships • Serve our communities • Protect our global environment • Enrich our Family of Brands We can use the lens of sustainability and find ways to innovate our products and offerings in ways we never imagined. We will create better experiences for our guests, better business opportunities for our partners and investors, better work facilities for our colleagues, and better serve our communities, giving back in ways that actually restore resources instead of removing them, and improving the well-being of all involved. On the Web: www.hilton.com
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Fairmont Hotels & Resorts gives “Green” light to expand Eco-Meet program usinesses are embracing Fairmont Hotel and Resorts’ respect for the environment and promotion of sustainable tourism by rallying behind its EcoMeet program now available at all of its properties. A staunch advocate of environmental stewardship within the travel and tourism industry, Fairmont was the first major hotel company in North America to include green business practices as an intrinsic part of its operations. Another major milestone as the pioneer of going green is the brand-wide launch of the Eco-Meet program – an environmentally friendly conferencing program, intended to minimize harm to the environment during meetings, conferences and similar events. Eco-Meet was developed as a "green meeting" and conference planning option. In this way, meeting planners can organize conferences and events that consider the environment, result in reduced waste, and also conserve valuable resources. Michelle White, Director, Environmental Affairs, states, "We recognize that many corporations, including Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, have adopted a mandate of environmental responsibility." She continues, "When selecting a venue for a green event, meeting planners will consider all aspects of the hotel or resort's accommodation, operations, programs and policies as part of our Eco-Meet initiative." Meeting planners wanting to "green" their events can work with Fairmont's knowledgeable staff to tailor aspects of this unique program, which consists of four key components, to suit their needs: • Eco-service provides "disposable-free" food and beverage services and recycling stations in the meeting rooms. This service is an important element to a greener meeting and, for example, includes china and cutlery used instead of disposal items, linen napkins instead of paper, and centerpieces that are edible/organic or made from reusable items such as silk flowers. White boards are used rather than paper flip charts. • Eco-accommodation offers in-room information, recycling bins, optional sheet and towel replacement at select properties, energy-efficient lighting, and water-conserving showerheads, toilets and tap aerators. • Eco-cuisine menus incorporate local, seasonal and organically grown foods wherever possible. Special menus for Eco-Meet can also include a 50-percent reduction in animal proteins, supplemented by vegetable proteins at meal functions.
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Fairmont properties having their own herb gardens or the availability of the seasonings locally feature dishes with those ingredients. The emphasis is on healthy, environmentally friendly and delicious food. • Eco-programming provides activities and guest-speakers to complement the Eco-Meet experience. Whether it's a keynote address, a full-day team building eco-experience or something in-between, Fairmont's eco-programming educates and informs meeting delegates, while providing innovative and exceptional meeting services. There are also paperless services available for events including a dedicated TV channel to provide information and updates to delegates, electronic paperless check-in/checkout and e-mailed contracts and information used where possible. Fairmont will also assist meeting planners to offset their event’s greenhouse gas emissions by purchasing green tags/energy certificates. Eco-Meet is available at all Fairmont properties. Meeting planners can also download a copy of Fairmont’s new green meeting checklist at www.fairmont.com/ecomeet. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is a leader in sustainable tourism and was the first major hotel chain in North America to embrace environmental stewardship in its daily operations through the implementation of its own Green Partnership Program. The program focuses on improvements in the areas of waste management, energy and water conservation, as well as a strong element of community outreach through local groups and partnerships. On the Web: www.fairmont.com/environment.
A very good policy The Québec City Convention Centre has developed a Sustainable Development Policy that guides actions in accordance with current laws and regulations, and deals with everything from recycling paper and food scraps to serving food in bulk containers. They also have three eco-friendly event packages for planners. The innovative QCCC won the Apex Award for the World’s Best Congress Centre in 2006. On the Web: www.convention.qc.ca (click on sustainable development)
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Go green in the heart of the new west C algary is a destination of over one million people who have chosen to build a life in the Heart of the New West. With a healthy economy, growing population and developing ecological footprint, Calgary is working towards a sustainable future. Acknowledging the need for action, stakeholders with foresight are embracing opportunities to improve the environmental viability of their businesses.
FOSTERING ECO-CONSCIOUSNESS IN CANADA’S FASTEST GROWING CITY The City of Calgary was recognized in 2006 for taking a leading role in its environmental management towards sustainable development when Mayor Dave Bronconnier accepted the prestigious World Leadership Forum award in the environment category. Calgary continues to champion sustainable action and work with local, national and international organizations on their environmental vision. To reduce the environmental impact of urban travel on the ground, Calgary’s Light Rail Transit provides a public transit alternative. Powered 100% by wind-generated electricity, it is the only transit system in North America registered with the ISO I1400, an environmental standard that aims to minimize the impact of services on the environment. Having already met Kyoto targets, the City of Calgary strives to work alongside its urban partners to ensure more sustainable forms of urban community development in the areas of land use and traffic mobility. With heightened interest in eco-conscious destinations, more facility owners/operators are considering environmentally-friendly practices for their upgrades and expansion projects. Also taking a leadership role with these initiatives are Calgary facilities and attractions. Calgary’s International Airport was the first airport in Canada to be certified green by the Building Owners Management Association (BOMA) of Canada. This significant achievement saluted best practices like reduced resource consumption through temperature-control design, motion-sensor plumping units and a recycling program that diverted 15 per cent of waste (the equivalent of 6,400 truck loads)from the landfill. The first building in Calgary to be awarded Go Green™ certification was the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre. 12
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With 122,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space in the heart of downtown Calgary, this state-of-the-art, multi-purpose complex features environmental and energy-efficient assets such as compact fluorescent lighting, variable-speed escalators and sophisticated computer-controlled heating and cooling systems. They have also hosted their first
“waste less” conference. Heritage Park Historical Village, Canada’s largest living historical village, is working towards eco-logo certification. The park has aggressive composting and recycling programs, runs its replica sternwheeler, the S.S. Moyie, on canola oil, uses horse-drawn wagons and is developing an interpretive wetland. The Calgary Zoo is undertaking a challenge with the remodeling of its ENMAX Conservatory. The all-glass building in being designed with the goal to be the greenest building in Calgary – working towards a LEED NC Gold rating. The Calgary Stampede, which bills itself as the greatest outdoor show on earth, is home to 389,000 sq. ft. of public space, making for the potential to leave a heavy carbon footprint. Yet in 2007, this world-renowned attraction won top honours from the Recycling Council of Alberta for its commendable recycling program. Elements include everything from integrating more bio fuels into its fleet, heating water with solar panels, and recycling almost 184 tonnes of paper and cardboard (saving approximately 2,3233 trees); to composting 9,632.90 tonnes of organic and bedding waste materials, and using a bulb eater to crush up to 3,500 fluorescent bulbs each year to remove the mercury. With hotels playing a large role in the green scheme of any city, the Hotel Association of Canada offers a Green Key EcoRating Program. It recognizes hotels, motels and resorts that are committed to improving their environmental performance. The Green Key audit covers all areas from corporate environmental management, housekeeping, food & beverage, to operations, engineering and meeting facilities. Green Key-certified hotel members include 18 Calgary and area properties. Calgary is the destination of choice for many business and leisure travelers. Tourism Calgary will continue to work alongside its industry partners as they develop and build sustainability strategies to accommodate the needs of the environmentally conscious meeting industry. For more information, visit www.tourismcalgary.com or call 1-800661-1678.
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CN Tower cuisine caters to environmentally-conscious planners hen it comes to spectacular events, the CN Tower tops the list. A Canadian icon, engineering wonder and Toronto landmark – it’s a venue like no other. From receptions, galas and parties to meetings, film screenings and press launches, the CN Tower combines breathtaking settings and award-winning cuisine to create memorable events. And if all that doesn’t put it at the top of every planners list – environmentally conscious planners are finding more reasons to appreciate this unique iconic venue. “Event planners are always impressed to learn that the awardwinning food and wine selection at the CN Tower is in a class with a select few - and with growing attention to corporate greening practices, planners are very pleased to learn that the cuisine at 360 The Restaurant at the CN Tower is regional Canadian, uses seasonal ingredients, showcases local suppliers and draws from an extensive Herb Garden right on the CN Tower grounds,” says Jack Robinson, Chief Operating Officer for the CN Tower. Located atop Canada’s National Tower, 360 provides one of the country’s finest dining experiences showcasing Canadian cuisine. Plus, with a fresh market approach, 360 uses ingredients in season at their freshest. The menu offers something for every palate with an incredible selection that strives to focus on locally sourced regional ingredients. 360 Restaurant has been a longstanding supporter of the incredible talent of specialized suppliers. From outstanding regional and Canadian cheesemakers, the finest cured meats from the Niagara region and delicious Ontario freshwater pickerel, to Ontario farmed tomatoes, leeks and fiddleheads - Chef Peter George’s shopping area can literally be seen from his ‘sky kitchen’ at the top of the CN Tower. Recent developments at the CN Tower include a Chef’s Herb Garden at the base of the Tower. Each year the CN Tower Gardens bloom as part of Communities in Bloom, a nationwide greening and beautification initiative. The Chef’s Herb Garden is part of this effort where two 85’ x 7’ beds include a mix of over two dozen varieties of annual and perennial herbs supplying all the herbs for 360 – as many as 1,000+ meals served daily throughout the summer. In season, a variety of thyme, oregano, fennel, sage, varieties of basils, edible flowers such as nasturtiums plus a growing assortment of vegetables provide a daily harvest. Another exciting recent development involves a technological upgrade at the CN Tower which took place earlier this year to great public acclaim. With the installation of innovative programmable LED exterior lighting, the CN Tower now
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literally lights up the Toronto skyline each night vividly illuminating this architectural icon elegantly in red and white with a light effect at the top of each hour. This new technology features 1,330 fixtures that are both energy efficient and cost effective to maintain- using 60% less energy that the conventionally lit Tower of 10 years ago and even 10% less than the more recently dimly lit Tower. For more information, contact the CN Tower at: (416) 601-4718 or sales@cntower.ca On the Web: www.cntower.ca
Greenbelt Walks Walking relieves stress and increases energy, refreshing the mind and body while you enjoy time with friends and family. Trails protect our natural heritage and history, and provide life-giving habitat for all creatures, including humans! Ontario’s greenbelt is 1.8 million acres of protected green space, farmland, and vibrant communities surrounding the Golden Horseshoe. It includes the Niagara Escarpment, the Oak Ridge Moraine and Rouge Park. Contact any of the organizations listed below to get informed, get involved and get on your way. Bruce Trail – Niagara Escarpment – www.brucetrail.org or 1-800-665-HIKE (4453) Oak Ridges Trail – Oak Ridges Moraine – www.oakridgestrail.org or 1-877-319-0285 Trans Canada Trail – Across Canada – www.transcanadatrail.com or 1-800-465-3636 On the Web: www.ourgreenbelt.ca
Think Inside The Box If you know of someone beginning to go green, point them in the right direction of Change: a Starter Kit ($40, www.starterkitforchange.com). This simple brown box contains all the materials necessary to get anyone on the path to sustainability. There’s a handmade shopping tote, a seedling to plant, an energy-efficient lightbulb, and a pre-stamped envelope to a reliable charity. There’s also a journal made from treeless paper, Sudoku puzzles to jump-start the brain, and “Be Grateful” tokens to bestow to those deserving of appreciation.
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Greening your Edmonton conference rganizers of meetings and conventions in Alberta can offer their guests a new option when they book their event at Edmonton’s Shaw Conference Centre (SCC) – the opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of their event. SCC has recently unveiled a green meetings initiative called Simple Steps. The innovative program puts environmental consideration into every aspect of the event, starting with the planning and continuing through to the cleanup afterwards, says Cliff Higuchi, SCC’s Assistant General Manager and leader of the initiative. The need for Simple Steps became clear three years ago after the Shaw Conference Centre was the host venue for a large, international event that attracted 22,000 participants. The centre took on the task of stuffing 22,000 delegate kits. “You can only imagine how much cardboard came out of this process,” Higuchi recalls. “We ended up filling five dumpster bins with cardboard for disposal.” Some employees of the centre realized there had to be a better way, so they started an informal group to evaluate the environmental footprint of the centre and its activities. “We talked about things that we as Edmontonians were already doing at home – whether it was composting, recycling, changing light bulbs, or becoming more energy-efficient. And then we looked at how we could bring those processes with us to work,” Higuchi recalls. The first issue to be tackled was recycling cardboard that otherwise would have gone into landfills. The centre now has a compactor for cardboard, which is picked up and recycled. A more difficult question was what could be done about waste from the Shaw Conference Centre’s award-winning kitchen? Conference centre staff needed a feasible way to sort kitchen and dining room waste into organic and non-organic streams, and then store it until it could be removed. So SCC partnered with a local environmental services contractor to pilot a system using custom-designed plastic bins to collect food waste. The bins are then hauled to the City of Edmonton’s 25-hectare composting facility — the largest of its kind in North America — and returned clean for reuse. The innovative system worked! About 3,400 pounds (1,542 kg.) of food waste are now collected each week for composting that
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would otherwise have ended up in landfills. Next, the group looked at the building itself. With the bulk of its structure embedded in a hillside, the centre uses less energy for heating and cooling than a conventional building. But the group found room for improvements such as efficient, motion-detector-activated lighting. The new Hall D expansion, opened in 2006, incorporates new technologies that reduce water and energy consumption. All of these environmental enhancements allowed the Shaw Conference Centre to receive BOMA Go Green certification from the Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada in 2007. With its own environmental house in order, the group then looked at ways to help Shaw Conference Centre customers “green” their events. In line with the Green Meeting Industry Council, which is working toward the goal of zero-impact meetings, the group developed the Simple Steps program, a series of strategies and services for sustainable meetings. In the pre-meeting stage, organizations can dramatically reduce paper use through a dedicated website that publicizes the event, publishes conference materials and agendas, and handles delegate registration and accommodation. During the event, paper recycling stations and digital conference materials further reduce paper waste. Choosing hotels in walking distance of the meeting site, a “100-mile menu” for meals, bulk water instead of bottled water and eco-friendly takeaway items for delegates also help reduce the environmental footprint of an event. Shaw Conference Centre’s Simple Steps program even includes the option of leaving an environmental legacy to the community, such as donating leftover equipment and supplies to an inner-city school. “People are very interested in ways to ‘green up’ their events,” Higuchi says. “Our conference centre takes great pride in offering a series of practical steps that any conference organizer could effectively use.” Conferences in Edmonton are now greatly enhanced by the city’s many environmental programs — some of the best in the world. It’s a big savings for our planet … and all it takes is a sincere commitment to Simple Steps.
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We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. – Native American Proverb
The next generation of green speaks Ed. Note: Last year, these two young students gave us their take on the environment. Now, a year later, their green ideas have evolved and we want to share them with you.
Help China = Help the world China is the most populated country on Earth, with 1,3 billion people and it just keeps growing. But economically, it’s just ‘waking up’. As you already know, most things are made in China and when you do see something made in another country, it is usually Japan or the Philippines! So when you do see something that is made in your country, it is most likely to take you by surprise. But tell me what is wrong with that picture? Why can’t we offer products made here not from half the way around the world? Well, when it comes to China’s environment, it’s not waking up, it’s choking up! Over 100 of its cities suffer from BIG water shortages, 75% of china’s urban cities breathe air that is not up to the country’s air standards and the bad news keeps on coming! Two thirds of the country’s fresh water comes from groundwater and that resource is quickly getting polluted. They burn coal for energy, their ocean is suffering from oil spills and toxic waste and over 6,000 workers die each year (plus those workers don’t get paid enough). So, China is in a real mess!
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Tips for a greener conference 1. Announce intentions to have a green event from the get-go in order to get delegates to buy in. 2. Use e-mail and a conference website to promote the event and move conference registration and hotel booking online. 3. Publish conference materials on the website. 4. Ask venue to provide recycling stations. 5. Choose hotels in walking distance of the event site if possible. 6. Provide bulk water instead of bottled water. 7. Order banquet meals from the ‘100-mile menu.’ July-August ’08
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But how does this affect us, you ask? Well other than stirring your conscience and making you want to help, China causes dust storms that affect countries around them. Some even make their way to us! So my advice may seem absurd but its 100% true. By boycotting China you’re helping it! Stop buying completely or at least buy fewer Chinese goods. Emily Dias-Geoffroy Trafalgar School for Girls
What does the environment mean to you? What does the environment mean to you? Does it mean trees, birds, fresh air or even a forest? Do you come into that picture, are you even in that large list of words that mean the environment to you? Because when everything’s said and done, you are part of it. I could go on and on with thousands of facts about the way we’re wasting our environment but what really matters is the way that we live our everyday lives. For example, when you are finished with batteries do you throw them out or do you give them to a factory that can dispose of them properly? In the end, I can’t say how important it is to do the little things that you think don’t matter because those are the things that sometimes matter the most. Jeremy E. Murray Heritage Regional High School, International Program
8. Choose eco-friendly delegate gifts and nametag holders. 9. Turn off lights and shut down equipment when not needed. 10. Leave an environmental legacy to the host community or consider donating leftover equipment and supplies to innercity schools.
The Shaw Conference Centre – Greater Edmonton's flagship hospitality venue and one of Canada's largest convention centres – celebrates 25 years as Edmonton's 'Centre of Attention' in 2008. Managed by Edmonton Economic Development Corp., SCC provides high standards of customer service and award-winning culinary excellence while contributing an estimated annual economic impact of $48 million to the region. On the Web: www.shawconferencecentre.com
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MTCC: Committed to environmental sustainability and stewardship he environment and the importance of being environmentally responsible is a hot topic these days. At the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) in downtown Toronto, environmental stewardship is a fundamental commitment. “Sustainability, recycling and conservation are among the MTCC’s core values,” explains Vince Quattrociocchi, Vice President of Operations. “These values are being embraced in many different ways at the MTCC.” The Centre’s commitment to being “green” is rooted in its desire to be a socially conscious organization and a good corporate citizen. As Canada’s largest meeting venue, the MTCC has over 2 million sq. feet of space and hosts more than 2 million people annually. When this many people get together, there is the potential to consume a lot of natural resources and to produce a lot of waste. “We wanted not only to be responsible when it comes to all things environmental, but also to be ahead of the curve,” Vince adds, noting that the MTCC’s thinking in this area evolved at a time well before environmental policies were the norm in corporate Canada. “We wanted to provide true leadership in this area. We wanted to show what can and should be done, so that others in the industry and even Canada’s business community as whole would be encouraged to follow our lead.” From this inspired beginning, the MTCC set about finding strategies to reduce its carbon footprint as much as possible, emerging as one of the country’s best models of a green building today. For meeting planners who are keen to host their events at a facility as committed to environmental sustainability as they are, the MTCC offers many “green” features and benefits. The Centre’s South Building, for example, is home to an enormous seven-acre green roof. It comes complete with a park and benches for the public to enjoy. A green roof of this size offers many environmental benefits. In the summer it helps to cool the building, and in the winter it keeps the building well insulated and the heat in, helping to reduce overall energy consumption. The City of Toronto benefits too – having such a large green space helps to decrease the city’s temperature, while beautifying the overall cityscape.
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The Centre has also worked hard to become as energy efficient as possible. MTCC staff implemented a variety of upgrades designed to save on energy use, including scheduling air-handling and lighting systems, retrofitting older lighting to more efficient lamps, and, where appropriate, implementing motion detectors in meeting rooms. Recently, the Centre signed an agreement with Bullfrog Power, the leading supplier of clean renewable electricity, to power its administrative and corporate facilities while also making this carbon neutral option available to the MTCC’s event clients. The Centre also replaced and modernized its old natural gas boilers, and was the first facility in Toronto to be on Enwave Energy’s Deep Lake Water Cooling system. This system uses extremely cold water extracted from the depths of nearby Lake Ontario to cool the entire facility, resulting in a significant reduction in electricity consumption, fewer carbon dioxide emissions, and a reduction in ozone depleting refrigerants. Over the past five years, these steps have helped to reduce the building’s total energy consumption by an astonishing 40 percent. The MTCC has also placed major emphasis on recycling, and today recycles fully 72% of all the waste generated on site. This represents a 21% waste reduction over the past three years. The Centre also recycles more than 2,000 pounds of food (8 to 12,000 meals) annually by donating leftovers to local food banks. The MTCC pioneered as well the concept of holding largescale Zero Waste Events. These are events that successfully avoid adding to the existing landfill burden by preventing, eliminating or recycling virtually everything they generate. “We have a responsibility as an industry, and as a corporation, to try and reduce our energy load, increase our recycling efforts, and create a zero footprint, as much as possible,” Vince says. “That is something that we truly believe in as an organization, from our President to our front line staff.” The MTCC’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. The Centre was awarded the 2007 AIPC Innovation Award in recognition of the importance of green issues to congress centres, as well as the 2007 Green Toronto Award in the Market Transformation category.
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Add some green to your events for a shade of uniqueness! Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA). The program recognizes the environmental protection efforts of owners and managers
lanning a green event can be an enjoyable task when you work together with likeminded allies.
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The Palais des congrès de Montréal is proud to offer a support program designed to encourage and promote the staging of ecoresponsible events. We use proven methods inspired by some of the best sustainability practices anywhere. Also, we enjoy a special bond with our clients that has been our trademark for 25 years.
A HANDY GUIDE We developed a practical guide titled “Organizing a green event” to support planners through every stage of the planning process. It is a comprehensive guide, outlining the environmental steps to consider as you organize, hold and review your event. The options are offered À la carte, because every action counts. The guide helps you address your environmental concerns and those of your clients in a credible and coherent fashion. You can view the guide on our website at: www.congresmtl.com.
MEETING THE GREEN CHALLENGE In 2005, the Palais hosted the 11th United Nations Convention on Climate Change, a major event that drew 10,000 delegates and visitors. It was a green, carbon neutral conference, i.e. pollution prevention and resource conservation were factored into all aspects of the event, such as location, food services, transportation and the supply of materials, with a view to reducing the environmental impact. This flagship event proved a seminal test for our methods, which we have since used for other events, such as the 30th World Congress of the International Society of Limnology, the MPI World Education Congress, and the RONA Spring Show.
of existing properties. The Palais has since been recognized twice more for its energy performance: • Énergia award (2006) from the Association québécoise de la maîtrise de l’Énergie •Member of the Hydro-Québec Energy Savers' Circle (2008), grouping together large corporations recognized for their leadership and outstanding performance in the area of energy efficiency
PARTNERING THE WAY TO A RESPONSIBLE TOURISM INDUSTRY The Palais is a member of the Montréal tourism industry Green Committee mandated to develop a plan to help curb the environmental footprint of tourism activities that will make businesses individually and collectively accountable for their actions. The world’s first major city to sign the National Geographic Society’s Geotourism Charter, and also quality accredited by Destination Marketing Association International, Montréal is a leading ecoresponsible destination for associations and organizations that value the environmental impact of their events. On the Web: www.congresmtl.com •••
A GREEN BUILDING LIVING UP TO EXPECTATIONS Green is beautiful at the Palais, and it has been for some time. Environmental measures to reduce energy consumption were integrated to the building during its expansion phase in 2000-2002. In 2005, the Palais was Go Green certified by the
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Don’t it always seem to go That you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone They paved paradise and put up a parking lot. Joni Mitchell “Big Yellow Taxi” 17
WTCC has become very eco-friendly n Halifax, with our dramatic coastline and refreshing salt-sea air, the environment is so important to who we are as people, that as meeting and event hosts we really want to ensure we’re doing our very best to take care if it. The World Trade and Convention Centre Halifax has implemented an array of eco-friendly programs to minimize our impact on the environment while providing the best meetings, conferences, trade shows and events on Canada’s East Coast. Meeting planners will literally experience a breath of fresh air in our facilities thanks to its increased number of outdoor air intakes; these complement a state-of-the-art digital system that automatically controls ventilation and keeps temperatures comfortable. Water-conserving fixtures and equipment help to reduce our water consumption levels, and occupancy sensors in every meeting and banquet room ensure that lights remain on only when rooms are actually in use. We adhere to a strict environmental policy for the purchase of products and equipment. Our cleaning products, for example, are either Eco Logo or Green Seal-certified, all light bulbs are free of mercury, and our stationery is printed on FSC-certified paper stock. We also follow a stringent protocol for safely disposing of any hazardous or chemical waste.
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Behind the scenes in our kitchen and operational offices, we separate all of our paper and blue-bag recyclables from regular refuse, and compost all organic materials in accordance with our Solid Waste Management Program. We encourage our visitors to do the same, and provide appropriate waste-separation containers in all public areas of the facility. Our award-winning catering team offers a delectable choice of menus crafted from regionally available, seasonal and organic products, all free of trans-fats. Meals and snacks are beautifully presented on porcelain rather than disposable dishware, and refillable water jugs are offered to meeting attendees instead of bottled water. Finally, the World Trade and Convention Centre is located in the heart of downtown Halifax, just a leisurely stroll to major hotels, shopping and tourist attractions – so no commute is required to get you where you need to be. That’s a double bonus: we’re happy about the reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and we’re thrilled to show you our vibrant seaside culture and lifestyle. Where else can you squeeze in a whale-watching eco-tour between a lunchtime meeting and an evening convention banquet? Visit www.wtcchalifax.com to find out. WTCC Halifax. How refreshing.
MTCC has a lot to celebrate, to do even more Could you cut out 1 in 5 business trips? but it wants C 16
The World Wildlife Federation’s UK arm has published a report entitled Travelling Light as part of their new campaign called One in Five Challenge, which encourages business travellers to reduce the number of flights they take on business by 20%. The report includes the findings of research carried out among 100 FTSE350 companies earlier this year. Among the key findings were: • 89% of companies surveyed expect they will want to fly less over the next ten years • 70% of companies either have or are developing an environmental policy • 85% of companies believe that videoconferencing has the potential to reduce their business flying • 77% of companies expect they will travel more by rail 18 16
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In 2006, the MTCC was awarded the Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada GO Green designation, as well as the Gold Award in the Ontario Waste Minimization competition held by the Recycling Council of Ontario. Clearly, the MTCC has lots to celebrate. But it is not sitting on its laurels. The Centre continues to pursue new ideas aggressively and is already exploring its options with regard to a comprehensive high quality carbon offsets program. Located in Toronto, the MTCC is Canada's #1 convention and trade show facility with over 600,000 square feet of exhibit and meeting space including 64 meeting rooms and a world-class 1,330-seat theatre. On the Web: www.mtccc.com
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Direct Energy Center is an uncompromising green leader imes are changing and the need to think on a deeper level about environmental responsibility is certainly upon us, no longer are organizations simply focusing on the 3 “R”s (reduce, reuse, recycle) regarding environmental responsibility, but are starting to apply consciousness to all aspects of work and production. The meeting & event industry is especially focused on this issue as it understands the impact large events have on the environment and its role in mass consumption. Exhibition Place has established itself as a world leader in energy-efficient technologies and has implemented environmental initiatives resulting in award winning recognition across North America. Exhibition Place has recently commenced construction to renovate the historical Automotive Building into a new Conference Centre, which will be the first in Canada to target LEED Silver designation (Leadership in Energy Efficiency & Design). The Conference Centre, connected to Direct Energy Centre will feature unique environmental aspects including: natural light in corridors and meeting rooms, low energy dimmable lighting, low VOC paint and carpet, and FSC wood finishes. The venue will feature the largest divisible ballroom in Toronto, and will be complimented by 20 state of the art meeting rooms. Opening in June 2009, it will offer a turn-key, green meeting venue to meeting planners and event organizers. Since 2004, Exhibition Place, the home of the Direct Energy Centre, has undertaken an environmental stewardship initiative with a program that includes the promotion of sustainable development, environmental initiatives and leading edge green technologies and practices across the 192-acre site. Exhibition Place is committed to a goal of environmental responsibility, in terms of energy production and waste reduction, by 2010, and has adopted a number of innovative green projects, which include: • Construction of the new LEED Silver Conference Centre, opening June 2009. • Compostable Food Packaging Recycling Program. a compostable disposable packaging program for cups, lids, plates, napkins, utensils, and food packaging– all of which are composed in the green-bin.
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• Perishable food donations and organic recycling. We work with local agencies to donate perishable foods to local shelters and food banks. Food waste is collected and donated to local farmers. • Linen-free meeting rooms. Standard classroom sets feature linen-free tables to conserve water, and reduce environmentally harmful drycleaning of table linens • Lighting retrofits to decrease energy consumption and improve exhibit halls' overall light levels results in an annual reduction of 2.3 million kilowatt hours of energy use. Meeting rooms are equipped with lighting movement sensors. • Venue Naming Rights fees of $7M for the 10-year sponsorship of Direct Energy Centre are earmarked exclusively for environmental initiatives. • Energy programs include: the first urban wind turbine, which generates 1 million kilowatt hours of power annually; a photovoltaic plant to collect solar energy; a geothermal installation; and a green roof, and an urban reforestation and lakewater irrigation program.. • With such innovative thinking in place it is easy to understand how Direct Energy Centre, and the new Conference Centre continues to gain recognition in being an environmental leader and how it is committed to being proactive in its efforts to introduce green initiatives, improving the environment in Toronto and throughout Canada. Exhibition Place plays host to over 250 exhibitions, meetings, conventions, sporting events and special events each year.
Become a locavore Locavores are people who pay attention to where their food comes from and commit to eating local foods as much as possible. The great thing about eating local is that it’s not an all-or-nothing venture; any small step you take helps the environment, protects your family’s health and supports small farmers in your area.
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Dry cleaning industry is set to clean up BY DR. JOE SCHWARTZ ry cleaning isn’t dry, and when it comes to environmental concerns, it isn’t clean either. But the industry is set to bring some “greening” to cleaning. To appreciate what the future may hold, a bit of history is in order. And it all starts with a clumsy maid and an alert dye manufacturer. As the story goes, one day in 1855, JeanBaptiste Jolly’s maid knocked over a kerosene lamp on a dinner table and proceeded to mop up the spilled liquid with a cloth. When the man of the house sat down to dinner, he made a startling discovery. A segment of the table cloth was much cleaner than the rest of the fabric and stains that had defied laundering with water had now vanished! Asked about what had happened, the maid sheepishly admitted accidentally soaking the tablecloth with kerosene. Far from being angry Jolly was elated. He had long struggled in his dye business with unwanted stains and now immediately recognized the potential of using kerosene as a cleaning agent. It didn’t take long for Jolly to capitalize on his observation and launch a business, inventing the term “nettoyage a sec” or “dry cleaning” to describe the novel venture. “Dry” refers to the absence of water, not the absence of liquid. Essentially the clothes were washed in kerosene instead of water. Kerosene, a mixture of compounds containing chains of 12 to 15 carbon atoms was readily available from the fractional distillation of petroleum. Unfortunately it was highly flammable, as were other petroleum distillates, such as gasoline, which was also used in the early days of dry cleaning. Fires in dry cleaning establishments were common place and something had to be done. W.J. Stoddard, an Atlanta dry cleaner, tackled the problem by trying different fractions of petroleum. He found that a fraction that distilled at lower temperatures than kerosene, composed of over 200 compounds having from five and 12 atoms, joined together in chains or rings, did not ignite as readily. In 1928 the “Stoddard solvent” made its entry into the dry cleaning business. But it wasn’t ideal. It was still flammable and smelly. And then along came the “chlorinated hydrocarbons,” synthetic compounds that were not flammable and were more effective cleaning agents than the petroleum distillates. Carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethylene were the first ones used, but were quickly replaced by the superior perchloroethylene, or “perc” which is still the mainstay of the dry cleaning industry.
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Clothes are placed into a machine that looks much like an ordinary washing machine but is filled with perc instead of water. Actually, it isn’t only perc. While this solvent is excellent for removing greasy stains, it is not as good at removing water soluble stains or insoluble soils. So small amounts of “co-solvents” such as butoxyethanol and isopropyl alcohol are added along with a variety of detergents. These are similar to, but not identical with the detergents used in regular laundering. They are molecules that have distinct water-soluble and perc-soluble regions and help remove stains that would normally not be soluble in perc by forming a link between the stain and the solvent. In general, one end of a detergent molecule bears a charge and is attracted to insoluble soils, the particles of which then become charged and repel each other. The end result is that dirt is lifted from the surface. There is no doubt that perc cleans well and is quite kind to fabrics. But it is not so kind with the people that work with it. Various studies have shown an increased incidence of cancer among workers in the dry cleaning industry, and there have been episodes of escaping solvent sickening people. In one instance, in Holland, the accidental release of 80 litres of perc caused 15 people living in an apartment building above a dry cleaning establishment to be hospitalized with respiratory problems. Given that 70 percent of all perc used eventually ends up in the environment, and that there are some 180,000 dry cleaning shops around the world that use perc, there is a legitimate concern about the future of this technology. Even the trace amounts of solvent that may escape from drycleaned clothes stored in closets have raised eyebrows of some toxicologists, but the main issue is about safety of workers in the industry. Modern perc systems minimize, but do not eliminate the escape of the solvent, so “greener” alternatives are desirable. Four possibilities have emerged. An improved version of the Stoddard solvent made by isolating a very specific mixture of compounds containing 10-13 carbons from petroleum is used by some dry cleaners, and a silicone solvent with the foreboding name of decamethylcyclopentasiloxane is also available. This compound is non-toxic and biodegradable readily to sand, water and carbon dioxide.
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Ask the A/V expert... In this series of articles, InfoComm AV instructor Philippe Kwon (Inland AV; Winnipeg) addresses audio visual questions sent in by event planners. To submit a question on a particular issue, email Philippe at: pkwon@inlandav.ca. Dallas Ballance from Goodwin Ballance Communications in Winnipeg recently asked us: “Today’s meeting planners are increasingly looking for ways to make their meetings and events ‘greener’. When it comes to AV, are there any options available to help us do this?” Today’s audiovisual technologies do provide options that contribute to helping make events greener. There are four areas in which AV can assist in this effort: by reducing travel, paper, plastic, and electrical consumption. Reducing travel to meetings results in considerable environmental benefits. Not only does it reduce fuel consumption, but it also results in less air pollution due to a reduction in gas emissions. The benefits increase with the distance that people would have travelled. However, if people don’t travel to a meeting, how do they benefit from the content or the ability to participate in the meeting? Webcasting and videoconferencing technologies provide the solution by bringing the meeting to the person. These technologies continue to evolve and are becoming common methods of communication and presentation. The main benefit of webcasting and videoconferencing is that they extend the reach of a presentation. They allow individuals unable to attend the meeting to observe or participate in it from anywhere in the world. Reducing the use of paper is another green objective. While it is unlikely that we can eradicate the use of paper completely, AV technologies can reduce the amount of paper used at events. One instance where the use of AV technology and creative system design helped to reduce the use of paper was in the case of the Milgard wrongful conviction inquiry in Saskatchewan. Instead of copying reams of paper documents for all the participants, they were shared electronically. Most of the documents were scanned into a computer prior to the inquiry. A visual presenter (or document camera) displayed information that had not been previously scanned. The leaders of the inquiry used three touch screens to manage the documents. Sixteen 19” computer monitors and one large projection screen were positioned so that people in the room could see the information being referenced. Not only did this system save on paper, it also saved time. Rather than stopping to give people time to find a particular July-August ’08
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document, the document was displayed instantly on all screens. Conferences can also reduce the amount of paper distributed by providing delegates with a website or ftp site from which to view or download presentations at a later date. If a conference has 15 presenters (keynote and breakout), each presentation is 30 slides long and 300 delegates attend, we can save 135,000 pieces of paper by using the internet-based option. Another great idea being implemented in the meeting industry is to use whiteboards instead of flipcharts. While this change seems small, it saves on huge amounts of paper and provides a considerable benefit to the environment in the long run. The use of plastic is a significant issue and can be minimized by reducing the consumption of compact discs for events. Leading edge AV companies provide services that allow conference and event presenters to upload their presentation files to an ftp site prior to the event. The files are then installed on the presentation laptops by the AV company. This solution can potentially provide a duel benefit since it does away with the need for compact discs and reduces the transportation required to deliver the disc to the AV company. Lighting fixtures in our homes, workplaces and meeting venues contribute to a major consumption of electricity. Traditional incandescent bulbs are relatively inefficient and give off a lot of heat. Today, we have more efficient lighting options. One of these is the CFL or compact fluorescent bulb. A household CFL uses 13 watts to provide a light output similar to that of a 60 watt incandescent bulb. The added benefit is that these bulbs don’t get as hot as their incandescent counterparts. LED lighting provides a similar AV option that reduces energy consumption by 75-90 percent. As with the CFL, the LED light gives off very little heat. However, unlike the CFL, the LED fixtures are dimmable; thus enabling us to adjust the brightness of the light. Another interesting feature of LED technology is that some LED fixtures allow the user to adjust the colour of the light via a control panel. Many of these fixtures can also be programmed to change colour automatically. Event planners should consult with their AV firm for ideas on how to make their next meeting a little more green.
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Being green It ain’t easy being green! requires an investment T of green
he Winnipeg Convention Centre has been awarded a Go Green Certificate by the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA). This national environmental certification recognizes responsible practices in building operations. The Go Green program honours commercial buildings which are committed to “best practices” in waste reduction and recycling, interior environment, building materials and resource consumption. Ten minimum requirements are identified in these key environmental areas for a building to be granted the three year recognition ranging from energy and water use to indoor air quality and HVAC maintenance. “All of us at the Centre have been dedicated to finding and implementing environmentally friendly innovations for a long time”, notes Winnipeg Convention Centre’s General Manager, Klaus Lahr. “It’s an honour to be recognized by this Canadawide organization.” As our society becomes more environmentally conscious, there is a need to develop appropriate, practical performance standards that optimize our use of finite resources. A building's environmental friendliness is becoming a more significant factor in the overall selection process. The efforts of BOMA have had a significant impact in helping commercial building owners who care about our future environmental challenges to get involved as leaders in this important movement.
HOW TO BE A BETTER HOTEL TRAVELLER Are you interested in preserving our environment for future generations,? Here are some things you can do as a travelling planner: • Tell hotel managers to adjust the air conditioning (summer) or heat (winter) in the public areas, such as the lobby and banquet rooms, according to comfort levels. Experience shows that most hotel public spaces wasting huge amounts of energy in both seasons. • When ordering room service, tell them not to send any extra food items or condiments you dont need such as butter, which is particularly wasteful to produce. Or if you drink your coffee black tell them to hold the cream. • If you happen upon a hotel making Green effort, reward them with comment cards and feedback. If you are at a hotel that shows no effort, take a moment to fill out the comment card and let them know this cause is important enough for you to change your future travel buying habits. • If your hotel is one of the few that have already implemented a guest recycling program, be sure to not only use it but to thank management for their efforts in person and/or on their comment cards. If recycling is not available in your guest room, mention the lack thereof to the hotel management in person or on your comment card. 22
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Propylene glycol ethers are another class of solvents that can be used to remove stains but its environmental consequences are not clear. And then there is liquid carbon dioxide.
CARBON DIOXIDE AND CLIMATE CHANGE The same carbon dioxide that is raising all those questions about climate change may be the answer to dry cleaning problems. The gas can be compressed into a liquid and used as a solvent in specially designed machines. Liquid carbon dioxide is a very good solvent, but like water, it requires the addition of a detergent for maximum cleaning. But until the 1990s nobody had come up with a detergent molecule that had a carbon dioxide-soluble end. That’s when University of North Carolina chemistry professor Joe DiSimone discovered that detergents containing a fluorocarbon grouping on one end worked well in liquid carbon dioxide. That’s why in the future we may not have to worry about toxic, environmentally unfriendly dry cleaning solvents. But carbon dioxide systems may do more than clean clothes. They may clean out wallets, too. The systems are expensive. Being green requires an investment of green. ••• Joe Schwarcz is director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society (www.oss.mcgill.ca). He has also published numerous books, including the recent An Apple A Day published by Harper Collins Canada. He can be reached at joe.schwarcz@mcgill.ca. This article first appeared in The Gazette on March 29, 2008 and was reproduced with kind permission of the author. July-August ’08
White Oaks leads the green crusade BY JULIE LEPP AND KATHLEEN ROBBINS
s a planner, there are many ways to participate in the greening of your industry and contribute to the betterment of our environment. The number one, most positive thing you can do is to choose a venue that is as environmentally conscious as possible. Sounds easy? Well unfortunately, it is much harder than it sounds because, many hotels, conference and convention centres are talking the green talk, but how can you know if they really walk that green walk? The hospitality industry as a whole, is making great strides to “clean up” the way they do business however, a recycling bin out front does not necessarily mean that recycling is truly happening at that property. There is much more to being green and an environmentally responsible property. The clearest way to establish if the property is environmentally responsible is to ask for their green rating. Just like diamond ratings and star ratings, a property can qualify for a Green Key or a Green Leaf recognition and a green rating is becoming more important everyday. There are two recognized rating organizations for green initiatives. The Audobon Green Leaf Program is an international association working with companies all over the world and the The Green Key program is our national program in Canada. The rating results are very similar, with one leaf or key for a minimum of committing to a set of environmental principles and then 2 through 5 leaf or keys for actual results in applying those principles. When searching for a property and reviewing their CAA/AAA Diamond rating, and their Canada Select Star rating, consider reviewing their Leaf or Key rating. Ask for it if you don’t see it listed and if a property is not rated, consider what that says about that company’s dedication or commitment to green initiatives. Here are a few simple items you can jot down to look for and ask about when you are touring venues for your clients, besides their green rating:
possible, do they have tags for the bottles to indicate they are still in use to ensure that the bottles are not cleared at breaks?). Gone are the days of Styrofoam coffee cups!
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• Do they reduce waste in conference rooms? For example, all meeting rooms generally have water supplied but look to see how it is supplied (i.e. is the water supplied from a reusable container instead of plastic bottles or if not July-August ’08
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• Did the hotel provide you with an electronic proposal? Do they use recycled paper for their documents? Do they offer online registration? Encourage presenters to use PowerPoint presentations and electronic handouts instead of hard copies • Take a look at the grounds surrounding the hotel. Gardens should feature local vegetation and native plants and ask if they are chemical and pesticide free. • In the guestrooms look for programs that promote linen and towel reuse. Do the bathrooms have low flow showerheads and low flush toilets to conserve water? • In the meeting room or event room, do they offer power alternatives to offset the carbon footprint? Be aware of energy saving polices in the guest and meeting rooms (i.e. lights out when not occupied, a/c on low, high efficiency light bulbs) • Ask if their menus are designed to centre around locally grown ingredients and produce. Everyone is aware of our changing world and in an effort to reduce the impact on the environment; individuals and industries are putting plans in place and making changes in their daily lives to make a difference. Corporations will be looking for green suppliers in every aspect of business. In the hotel and meeting industry, it’s certainly not perfect and there is no property out there that gets it right everyday in every single way however, look for those properties that are making a genuine effort and you’ll do well for yourself, for your client and of course, for our world! The White Oaks Conference Resort and Spa is located in NiagaraOn-the-Lake, Ontario and is the only resort in Niagara to receive the prestigious Four Leaf rating from the Audobon Green Leaf TM Program. On the Web: www.whiteoaksresort.com
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Eco-consciousness is second nature TRANSPORTATION KEEP MOVING AHEAD 4. Get It Together Alert attendees to environmentally preferable transportation choices such as mass transit and carpooling for getting to their destination or arrange for group shuttles. 5. Switch Off Ask your coach drivers not to idle their engines when waiting to collect attendees. 6. Stay On Board Promote and purchase carbon offset credits for flights and other greenhouse gas producing transportation through organizations like Zerofootprint, Drive Neutral and Offsetters.
MEETING EXPECTATIONS Green has gone mainstream. And companies everywhere are striving toward environmental sustainability. But just how do time-starved planners with their eye on the bottom line fit saving the planet into an already packed event agenda? Here are 14 top-ranked tips. Try implementing one a day for the next two weeks, until they start to become a habit. Stick with the ones that work and continue adapting and adding with each event you organize. “Going green it’s important to think big, but it’s okay to start small,” says Anne White of Muskoka’s Deerhurst Resort. “Get educated, be practical, balance things out, collaborate with your suppliers and just strive to be a bit more eco-friendly with every meeting.”
PLANNING START SMART 1. Go Surfing The Internet is an excellent, paper-free resource. Environment Canada offers a downloadable Green Meetings Manual as well as checklists and other tools. BlueGreen Meetings and the Canada Green Meeting Guide are just two other good places to start. 2. Check for Ratings Look for the increasing number of venues and hotels who are getting their efforts certified. Examples include the Hotel Association of Canada’s Green Key Program, the U.S. Energy Star program and LEED building certification. 3. Share Your Strategy Inform potential suppliers of your event’s green goals, ask them about their environmental practices and how they can help, particularly with acting locally. For example they can help you source environmental innovations like electricity from renewable energy sources like Bullfrog Power.
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VENUES & ACCOMMODATIONS WORK WITH YOUR LOCATION 7. Sleep Well Select facilities that offer features and services like multi-stream recycling; staff that is educated to close blinds, turn off lights and turn clown the heat/air conditioning when rooms are vacant; a bedding and towel re-use program and energy efficient lighting. 8. Support a Clause Include specifics of environmental commitments, such as recycling facilities in every meeting room, in your contracts or letters of agreement. 9. Head Outside Depending on your location, finding a way to incorporate outdoor activities in your meeting, whether it’s an outing to an eco-friendly golf course, a teambuilding session or a fresh air meeting break, is a prime way to encourage close-up environmental awareness. 10. Eat Local Serve regional beer and wine and menus featuring seasonal specials, local, organic and sustainable ingredients. You’ll be supporting area producers, minimizing the impacts of transport and introducing your delegates to the flavours of the destination.
MATERIALS CHOOSE GIFTS AND HAND-OUTS WITH CARE 11. Carry On Almost every meeting comes with a bag of some sort. Choose totes made from earth-friendly and recycled materials and don’t imprint dates so you can reuse any leftovers at another event. 12. Supply and Demand Cost-effective green options are now available for everything from lanyards to pens, so make use of them.
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Deerhurst’s restaurants and kitchens are also going green COMMUNICATION TALK IT UP 13. Go Digital Set up on-line registration and provide electronic copies of notes and presentation hand-outs. Instead of CDs consider giving out reusable USB keys. 14. Spread the Word Incorporate green messaging throughout your event in places like signage and menus. And get everyone involved with reminders, like to turn out guest room lights, during daily housekeeping announcements.
REDUCING THE FOOTPRINT BY INNOVATING Like many hotels, Muskoka’s landmark Deerhurst Resort is hard at work reducing its environmental footprint through recycling, lighting and bathroom retrofits, other usage reductions and employee education. But making green changes at a 780acre property that encompasses two golf courses, a large stretch of waterfront and more than 30 different buildings constructed over a century, including several privately owned condos comes with plenty of challenges – and many opportunities. One of the fastest-growing aspects of Deerhurst’s green strategy starts in its restaurants and kitchens. A founding member of the Savour Muskoka culinary trail, the resort already harvests
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maple syrup, honey, apples, herbs, wild leeks and cat tails for a crunchy signature salad on-site. They are growing their own shiitake mushrooms on recycled logs and have worked with a local farmer to start raising their own brand of organic beef. Meeting guests can get up close and personal with some of these efforts too. Sugaring off events add a sweet and green flavour to March meetings. And a demonstration beehive adds real buzz to one of the resort’s many themed events. Deerhurst’s kitchens now composts 100 percent of their green food preparation waste, from lettuce trimmings to banquets’ used coffee grounds. And to continue driving eco-innovation by example, Executive Chef Rory Golden has collaborated with their on-site provider of year-round Hummer tours to bio refuel the emissions-heavy vehicle with recycled cooking oil. Aside from another good excuse to order those house-made kettle chips, Deerhurst also offers delegates a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with nature through their acclaimed Adventures in Excellence teambuilding program, which includes two ropes courses and a climbing wall, and “Fresh Air, Fresh Ideas” meeting breaks. According to Deerhurst Director of Sports Mark O’Dell, “Getting people outside in Muskoka is a real eye-opener on how and why we all need to strive to be more sustainable and earth friendly, every day. It’s an incredible experience and we want to make it even better.” On the Web: www.deerhurstresort.com
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Sandals has a love for Mother Nature andals Resorts appreciates the environment can be very important for many guests who know that their travel decisions can actually stimulate positive change in the places they visit. This desire for socially-responsible tourism - the idea that travel can serve as a tool to build understanding across different cultures and physical boundaries – is ultimately influencing their choice of destination. Long before the market began demanding socially-responsible travel experiences, Sandals Resorts was quietly but actively endorsing community-based tourism. The company’s commitment to nurturing relationships, of every sort, has always extended well beyond the entrances to the resorts. Indeed, Sandals stands among the pioneers in the tourism industry for its forward-thinking policies and demonstrated commitment to environmental initiatives and community work. Each of resorts in the chain has achieved Green Globe 21 standard, the stringent, worldwide certification program for sustainable travel and tourism. Environmental managers at each location oversee programs that reduce energy and water consumption, diminish air pollution, protect marine life and develop strong connections with the local communities. Sandals is completely committed to preserving the viability and the natural beauty of its resorts’ surroundings.
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The flourishing gardens, replete with indigenous plantings, envelope guests in a relaxing world of rich greens, pinks, purples and reds. Sandals exclusively uses natural fertilizers to enhance these spectacular tropical settings so guests can meander through a garden so lush it’s literally breathtaking …then swim in an ocean uncontaminated by chemical run-off. Every product used at Sandals is thoroughly evaluated to ensure that it’s safe for both the guest and the environment. At Sandals Resorts, going green also involves the equallyimportant mission of enhancing the quality of life and the social environment of local communities in which they operate. By engaging staff and local residents alike, the message of environmental concern and responsibility filters through entire communities and everyone benefits. Sandals Resorts absolutely delivers a totally luxurious experience but concerned guests can rest assured that its operations are in harmony with the splendid tropical surroundings they’ve come to enjoy. Sandals goal is to ensure that their guests enjoy the rich beauty of the Caribbean and leave knowing the only thing they have left behind is a footprint in the sand. On the Web: www.sandals.com
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