Bloomington, IN – Tradeshows can have an enormous impact on the environment. Just think about it. Invariably, a big show means packed hotels with guest using lots of water, energy, fuel, and other resources.
Fortunately, according to Stephen Ashkin, the professional cleaning industry’s leading advocate for sustainability, there are ways we can minimize that impact.
To help us, Ashkin offers the following suggestions on reducing our environmental impact at tradeshows:
- Energy: When leaving your hotel room, turn off or at least turn down the thermostat. There is no need to heat or cool the room (and waste energy) while you’re at the convention. Also, don’t forget to turn off the lights, TV, radio and other electronic devices.
- Water: Consider taking a refillable, insulated bottle, which saves water, materials/packaging, and money – and it keeps the water cold. Also, change hotel towels and bed linens only as needed. And be conscious about water-use during showering, brushing teeth, shaving, etc.
- Support Housekeepers: Include a tip and a note thanking them for keeping your room clean and healthy. Housekeepers tend to be under appreciated.
- Food: One of the biggest environmental impacts is the food choices we make. Eat greens, which have a lower environmental footprint compared to meat, and it’s good for you.
- Transportation: Walk and use public transportation as much as possible. Most tradeshows offer shuttle buses to the convention center or provide public transportation. And if you have to drive or take a cab, share it with others.
- Dematerialize (source reduction): Try to minimize the number of brochures that you take from the exhibitors. Instead, ask them to email the information to you which will save a lot of trees.
- Ask: Ask exhibitors what they are doing that is green and sustainable. We need to get the message out that people care about these issues.
You might also like How to Make the Most of a Tradeshow
About Stephen Ashkin
Stephen P. Ashkin is president of The Ashkin Group, a consulting firm specializing in Greening the cleaning industry, and CEO of Sustainability Dashboard Tools, which helps facilities monitor and measure their use of natural resources. He is known as the “father of Green Cleaning” and the professional cleaning industries leading advocate promoting sustainability. He is also coauthor of both The Business of Green Cleaning and Green Cleaning for Dummies
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