To apply for the Charlotte Green Team Team stamp
of approval for your event, contact Robert Krumbine
at rkrumbine@charlottecentercity.org.
If approved, you will be licensed to use the Charlotte
Green Team logo on your event signage and collateral.
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Alternative energy, greening businesses and engaging in eco-friendly practices are no longer fringe ideas. They are mainstream, more relevant than ever and demanded by a growing number of consumers and the general public. If you still think this has no relevancy to Charlotte - think again. Besides improving the quality of life, adhering to more environmentally sound practices can provide a competitive advantage for the city.
In a recent survey, 67 percent of meeting and incentive planners said they have taken environmental considerations into account when making program decisions. This should come as no surprise, as there is growing evidence that more organizations are making intentional decisions to select green cities when choosing their convention destinations.
Annually, the Charlotte Convention Center and other facilities managed by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority host more than 600 events, attended by nearly 2 million people. Additionally, just last year, the convention and travel industry contributed $3.8 billion to our region's economy and added 44,500 jobs. If we want to continue benefiting economically from this important industry, we must stay ahead of the "greening" trend.
Certainly, it's not like Charlotte to follow; we've built our reputation on leading and setting the standard for positive change.
Of course, we do not want to forget the staggering statistics that illustrate the environmental impact as a result of the event and hospitality industry. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the meeting industry is the second leading waste producer behind the construction industry.
Just one five-day conference for 2,500 attendees will use 90,000 cans or bottles. When not recycled, each bottle takes up to 450 years to decompose. The average conference attendee uses 864 gallons of water, equating to more than 8,266,500 gallons of water each year.
With this in mind, we co-founded the Charlotte Green Team. Launched in July 2007, our first meeting convened more than 30 individuals representing major corporations, the city and county, nonprofit organizations, convention and event facilities, and other hospitality related organizations. The overall goal of the group is to pave the way for improving the environment through sustainable events and business practices. A Web site (www.charlottegreenteam.org) is under development and should be live in the next couple of months.
We are making great progress. The Charlotte Convention Center has initiated multiple eco-friendly practices including using bio-degradable cups, offering sustainable menus and providing recycling stations. The North Carolina Conference for Women at its October 2007 event took steps to reduce its footprint through adhering to ecofriendly printing policies, selecting products for the conference that could be re-used or recycled, and contributing to offset the energy used at the conference. Charlotte Shout unveiled a host of initiatives including waste reduction efforts, using local organically grown food and composting leftover food. Even the airport is using recycled concrete for the new runway it is building.
When we all start thinking green, it can be easy to make a difference. A hotel's linen and towel reuse program can conserve enough oil each year to run a family's car for 180,000 miles. If a convention center recycled 124,000 pounds of paper, we could save more than 1,000 trees, 434,000 gallons of water and 682 barrels of oil.
As the Charlotte Green Team continues to grow, we hope it becomes a model for change. A Standards Committee is being formed to serve as the central resource for those in the industry to green their events. Using most of the practices set forth by the Convention Industry Council's Green Meeting Report, the Charlotte Green Team will help set minimal and preferred standards among suppliers and planners as they seek environment-friendly policies.
Whether your motivation is purely economics or simply for the good of the environment, addressing this issue is a win for everyone. Our hope is to make Charlotte a more enticing destination and a better place to live.
Mary Tribble and Tim Newman are the reigning queen and king of partying green as founders and co-chairs of the Charlotte Green Team. Mary Tribble, CSEP, is president of Tribble Creative Group, and Tim Newman is chief executive officer of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.
