Successful Meetings - November 2008 - (Page 144) Best Practices > MiGurus experts’ blogs from www.successfulmeetings.com Words from the Wise When considering decor items for meetings and events, remember to choose environmentally friendly options and minimize or eliminate waste by choosing products that are biodegradable or recyclable. fabric and have used some in my home to stash away bed sheets. Fellow ISES (International Special Events Society) member Dulany Noble of Gala Cloths by Dulany in Reisterstown, MD is thinking of launching a rewards program for clients who return linen hangers. For fabric, Noble says, “I try not to put too much in the dumpster.” She holds an annual sale of leftover products that are snatched up by church groups, the general public, and painters who use them for drop cloths. When making linens, leftover fabric is used to create fancy cocktail napkins and table runners which are then provided as gifts to clients, for meetings, and at silent auctions for charities. Similarly, to get the most out of every bit of fabric, Barbara Grazzini of Washington, DCbased Perfect Settings doesn’t throw away linen. Staff members take home fabric samples to make pillows; other unused or damaged linen is put up for auction to churches or sold to smaller caterers. CANDLES Most candles are made with paraffin, a petroleum by-product. They are not natural and are unhealthy because burning paraffin emits black soot and pollutes the air. Beeswax candles with cotton wicks are 100 percent natural and a renewable resource. They burn cleaner and produce less soot. FLORAL Use local, seasonal, and/or organic flowers that minimize damBy Lori Hill age to ecosystems and Lori Hill Event Productions, Inc. conserve biodiversity. Burtonsville, MD. Choose centerpieces and decorations that can be reused, such as living plants or silk flowers. Give away centerpieces as gifts or table prizes. Be sure to compost any that remain. LIGHTING Lighting vendors should use LED (light-emitting diode) lights. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, an LED uses approximately 0.04 watt of electricity, compared with 0.45 watt for a mini incandescent light bulb and seven watts for a C-7 incandescent bulb. LEDs also stay cool to the touch, which makes them less of a fire hazard than traditional lights. They are less likely to break due to their small size and solid construction. Finally, they can last up to 100,000 hours or more. LINENS When I’m bagging up my linens after an event, I make a point to pack the hangers they come on and return them to the rental company. I’ve also taken hangers back to my office to store decorative PLANTS Foliage and trees make your venue look polished while cleaning up dirty air and sending out oxygen. Rent potted plants and/or trees or, if you purchase plants, replant what you don’t use. My plant vendor, fellow ISES member Plants Alive! in Silver Spring, MD takes flowering plants that aren’t re-rentable to children’s hospitals or soldiers homes. Later, they are picked up and recycled for mulch. That truly applies the practice of ReduceReuse-Recycle. PROPS When creating props, choose materials that are made of recycled material, can be reused, and/or are environmentally friendly such as bamboo, recycled plastic, seaweed, organic cotton, soy, corn, and hemp. As I like to say, “Hemp: It’s not just for smoking anymore!” But seriously, it is a great alternative since it produces more paper per acre than trees do and it can be recycled more times. Inquire at local schools or charitable organizations prior to the event to see if they would like to receive used decor items. NOVEMBER 2008 SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS 144 successfulmeetings.com http://www.successfulmeetings.com http://www.successfulmeetings.com
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