The State of Green Meetings 2008

In a 2006, 3.7% of meeting planners were planning green meetings
In a 2008, 42% of association meeting planners are planning green meetings

Wow, what a change! That pretty well sums up what is happening with the green meetings and events industry. What was once considered fringe behavior is now quickly becoming mainstream practice. Planners, hotels, caterers, transportation companies, visitors bureaus and exhibit decorators are all taking a look at their practices and working towards being more environmentally responsible.

All of these organizations are finding that green meetings provide:
-Reduced environmental impact
-Cost savings
-Promotional benefits
-Networking advantages
-Value-added services
-Competitive advantages
-Delegate and employee satisfaction
-Risk reduction

The 2008 Green Meeting Industry Council Conference http://www.greenmeetings.info/ is promising record attendance with delegates coming from Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, UK, Canada and the US. This is another indicator of how large the hunger for information and networking with others in this industry is right now.

I look forward to using this blog to share more about the business case, trends, ideas, resources and actual case studies of green meetings practices. Stay tuned…