Does a "green" F&B event bring to mind tofu, sprouts, granola, and other weeds and seeds? Think again.

Portland, OR's hospitality partners hosted a dinner for the Green Meeting Industry Council's board of directors in September that would make etiquette experts cringe.

They gathered on the third-floor deck of the Ecotrust Building and were immediately sent shopping. Divided into three groups, they were given lists of ingredients they had to buy for the meal.

"They gave us shopping bags and lists, and sent us to the farmers market, where we had to buy fruit, vegetables, nuts, and cheeses that the chef used to prepare our dinner," explains Nancy J. Wilson, a founder of Meeting Strategies Worldwide, and a Green Meeting Industry Council board member. "I've been in this industry for 28 years, and that was the most fun I've had at a dinner. It was an incredibly creative idea."

The Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center was an appropriate venue for this group, as it has been awarded gold-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. This 1895 warehouse is the first restoration of a historic building to reap the gold rating nationwide.

"It was great to see the things we bought incorporated into the meal before our eyes created by Chef Steven Ward from the Doubletree Portland," says Michael Smith, vice president of convention sales for Travel Portland. "This is a group that is very attuned to sustainability. They are focused on fresh produce without additives that is grown locally, so this was perfect. Plus, there is very little transportation that is necessary to ship these ingredients, so very little fossil fuel is being burned." This was the first time Travel Portland ever arranged an event like this, and Smith is quick to say, "I can guarantee you we will be doing it again."

Today's attendees are demanding fresh, healthy food. Organic food, which is food grown without pesticides or artificial fertilizers; hormone- and antibiotic-free dairy; and food grown regionally are being requested. Call it green, organic, or sustainable, no matter what label it wears, this is a burgeoning trend in today's food and beverage functions. The emphasis is on farm to table.

Go Green and Save Green

Meeting Strategies Worldwide's Wilson is a Portland girl at heart. As far as she was concerned, Styrofoam was a thing of the past. Her hometown banned containers made from this non-biodegradable material in 1990.

Planning a conference in another part of the country, she was horrified to learn that the convention center had nothing but Styrofoam cups in which to serve beverages.

"If I wanted to use something else, I would have to ship them in myself, I was told." So she went back to her office and calculated how many paper cups she would need. Horror turned to disbelief when she realized it would be at least 75,000.

"I'm just one meeting planner who saved 75,000 Styrofoam cups from ending up in a landfill during this one conference I was planning," she says. "I realized what an impact we could have if we all started making an effort, because as planners, we are not ordering for just one, we are ordering for hundreds, even thousands."

Since then, Meeting Strategies Worldwide's focus has been on producing sustainable meetings, conferences, and events. If a planner doesn't want to green an F&B function for environmental reasons, then there are economical ones. "Plastic water bottles should be the first thing to go, because they make such a huge economic impact," explains Wilson.

She planned a weeklong conference in Washington DC last August for Agile Alliance that was attended by 1,200. "We eliminated the use of plastic water bottles during this conference, and the company saved $48,000. Plus, we saved all those plastic bottles from getting into the waste stream," says Wilson.

The Container Recycling Institute (CRI) estimates that more than 80 percent of the 28 billion plastic water containers sold each year in the United States end up in landfills or incinerators. Hundreds of millions of plastic bottles litter roads, beaches, streams, and other waterways, according to CRI, and taxpayers spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year for their disposal and for the cleanup of the landscape.

"We have gotten used to the idea that water comes in bottles, although this hasn't been a very long phenomenon," Wilson says. "We just have to change the learning curve." Plus, Wilson estimates that serving water from large pitchers or containers can save from $5 to $10 per guest per day, depending on the venue. She also recommends not pre-filling water glasses; it should be poured when requested, on an individual basis.

How Far Did Your Meal Travel?

Choosing food in season from the local area is one of the easiest ways to make an F&B function more environmentally friendly. Not only will this produce be fresher, but it will be a great way to incorporate the flavor of the region into your event. It also minimizes the transportation impact on the environment. Let guests know where the ingredients came from, including how many miles they traveled. This type of signage also becomes a great conversation starter.

A staggering statistic is that the typical meal has traveled between 1,500 and 2,500 miles from farm to table, according to a study by Worldwatch Institute, an environmental and social policy research institute based in Washington DC that details the lengthy journeys much of the nation's food supply takes.

If your dinner or luncheon function is going to include fish, Wilson recommends choosing seafood from sustainable fisheries. An invaluable resource in choosing the best fish for your functions is the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch, a buying guide. A free pocket guide can be downloaded from the site at www.montereybayaquarium.org. Since 1999, the aquarium has distributed more than 24 million of these guides nationwide to help individuals make seafood choices that protect the long-term health of ocean ecosystems. It has partnered with the two largest food service companies in North America, Compass Group and ARAMARK, which have made commitments to shift their purchases of millions of pounds of seafood annually to sustainable sources.

Fish farming can be done responsibly but not all fish farms are created equal. Take salmon farmers—many use pesticides, antibiotics, and artificial pink coloring, because without, the fillets would be an unappetizing gray. The guide will help you choose the best seafood.

One Step At a Time

This September, BACnet International/BNP Media's Green Sustainable Building Controls Conference (GSBC Conference) in Dallas incorporated various green elements into its meal functions. For example, condiments were served in bulk. "We had sugar bowls with spoons, rather than packets. We used spoons to stir coffee, instead of plastic stir sticks. Additionally, we utilized cloth napkins as opposed to paper napkins. No Styrofoam cups were offered as to-go cups, either in the meeting rooms or guest rooms," says Natalie Nardone, association manager for BACnet International, who is based in Marietta, GA.

Iced tea and water were not preset during the conference. "Some attendees will drink water; others will drink tea. Rather than putting these on the table, we set up water and tea stations. Attendees had the ability to select their beverage and quantity, eliminating waste of both," adds Nardone. "Taking these small steps added nothing to our bottom line, but did much to help the environment. The attendees appreciated our efforts in this area of the conference. They saw no inconvenience and did not feel slighted by any of these decisions. Rather, they found these steps commonsense and left us wondering why we hadn't done this sooner."

Sugar and Potatoes Replace Plastic and Styrofoam

We've all heard about the harm Styrofoam and plastic cause to the environment. They are made from petroleum-based chemicals and additives, and petroleum is not only becoming an increasingly scarce resource, but it causes pollution and toxicity in every step of its use. Plus, these products do not degrade, but persist in the environment for hundreds of years, causing further pollution and toxicity. Paper disposables are made from "virgin" wood fiber, which comes from steadily depleting forests.

Biodegradable and compostable tableware provides a sustainable alternative to Styrofoam, plastic, and paper products, as they are made from readily renewable sources like sugarcane fiber, corn, and potato, take less energy to manufacture, are not made from toxic or pollution-causing sources, and can be composted to reduce the amount of waste generated.

There is a whole new generation of such products in the marketplace. One company, Panama City, FL-based Sugar Cane Paper Co., offers "treeless" paper goods, which are produced from bagasse, a fibrous residue left over in the sugar-making process. There is also "treeless tableware," including bagasse bowls, boxes, cups, and plates. Excellent Packaging & Supply sells forks, spoons, and knives that feel like high-quality plastic but are actually made from a biodegradable blend of potato starch and soy oil.

In addition, an eco-friendly food-and-beverage function has a first-class feel. "Think about the differences of flying first class and coach. Doesn't that cup of tea taste better when it is being sipped out of china instead of a Styrofoam cup?" asks Wilson.

When you use less and reuse more, you're helping the environment both upstream, which is when products are manufactured, and downstream, when they're disposed of. Cloth napkins instead of paper are classier and more environmentally friendly as well. If it's not possible to use cloth, at least request compostable napkins or those that are made from recycled material. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, using 1,000 throwaway plastic teaspoons consumes more than 10 times more energy and natural resources than making one stainless steel teaspoon and washing it 1,000 times.

Tablecloths and Invitations with Second Lives

A living tablecloth? That is exactly what B-Concept Media Entertainment Group, a Bangkok, Thailand-based media, event, and entertainment agency, is experimenting with for an event it is producing for Ericsson, the Swedish telecommunications systems supplier.

"What we are planning to use instead of normal, standard tablecloths are natural grass mats on each table that we will plant back after the event," explains William Kuipers, B-Concept's managing director. The invitations and gift boxes will have a living aspect to them as well. They are made from paper with seeds embedded in it. The paper, made from 100 percent natural, bio-degradable and recycled fibers, decomposes, and the seeds bloom into beautiful flowers, vegetables, trees, or herbs.

This Ericsson event, to be held this month for approximately 400, will also have a philanthropic aspect. B-Concept is in the process of making arrangements to donate all leftover food. "This is a pilot program for us. It's quite exciting, and we plan to offer this to groups in the future," says Kuipers.

Centerpieces are becoming more eco-friendly as well. Many groups are shying away from cut flowers, and instead are using candles, plants, and even edible arrangements that feature ethnic breads like pita, focaccia, tortillas, olive bread, ciabatta, breadsticks, and flatbread.

Although organic food can be a bit more costly, if you manage the entire event correctly, the increase will not be substantial. There will be areas where you'll save money, such as by eliminating water bottles. The catering manager and chefs you are working with are your partners. Be sure to address your concerns up front, and give them a realistic budget they must adhere to. Remember, they want your event to be as successful as you do.

Toronto-based Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is one hotel company that has become focused on sustainability with its Eco-Meet program. The Eco-Service component of the program provides "disposable-free" F&B services and recycling stations in the meeting rooms. This includes china and cutlery instead of disposable items, linen napkins instead of paper, and centerpieces that are edible or organic or made from reusable items such as silk flowers. Eco-Cuisine menus incorporate local, seasonal, and organically grown foods whenever possible. Special menus for Eco-Meet can also include a 50-percent reduction in animal proteins, using vegetable proteins in their place at meal functions.

Sustainable functions are healthier for the attendee as well as the environment and can even have a positive effect on your budget. Don't get overwhelmed by the concept. Incorporate one change at a time, and remember that a sustainable F&B event will have all the spice and flavor of other events.

Originally published Nov. 1, 2008

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