Why We Do It
Green Meetings Benefit Host Communities
Many meetings, events and conferences are moving beyond the significant economic contributions their activities make to destinations to consider additional legacies they might leave with host communities.
Contributions to host communities may include:
- Donation of un-served food to soup kitchens, homeless shelters or other community service organizations.
- Collection and distribution of leftover exhibit materials to charitable organizations.
- Delegate participation in a volunteer activity, such as a tree planting or construction of community housing.
- Providing un-used office supplies and equipment to local schools or charitable organizations.
- Setting aside free exhibit space for local non-profit organizations.
Coordination of and participation in such community service activities give delegates and exhibitors a 'feel-good' factor, but also present other benefits. By donating leftover re-useable materials exhibitors and organizers can avoid costs and waste associated with shipping materials to landfills or expensive return freight charges. In some situations charitable donations might also present tax deduction benefits.
Following are examples of how green meetings benefit host communities:
- In May 2004 over 50 exhibitors from the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas donated more that $30,000 in demonstration goods to Opportunity Village, a local charity for disabled individuals (Successful Meetings, July 2004).
- Under One Roof, a non-profit organization based in San Francisco, raises more than $125,000 annually from goods recovered from exhibitions at the Moscone Convention Center (Association Meetings, 2004).
Find out how you can join us in contributing to host communities through green meetings.
