Planner's Workshop: Great Ways to Go Green

I recently conducted a two day poll of hotels in the Naples, FL, area and our meeting planner clients for their best green practices. Here are their responses.

* Use water coolers instead of water bottles

* Use recyclable cups for tea and water

* Donate left over food to charity

* Put presentations on USB sticks not paper

* Keep lights off or lowered in meeting rooms in the daytime

* Adjust the heat or air conditioning by two degrees

* Recycle name badges

* Use foods grown locally in the area

* Use pads made of recycled paper

* No handouts—email upon request

* Add green commitments to RFP requests

* Use glass plates and cups rather than paper or Styrofoam

* Distribute reusable tote bags made of recycled material

* Ask attendees to turn lights off when leaving their hotel rooms

* Ask attendees to turn off the water while they brush their teeth

* Use organic products in the spa

* Ask the hotel to not replace consumable amenities daily unless necessary

* Serve condiments in bulk containers not packets

* Use vegetable inks for printing

* Print on both sides of the paper

* Use buses that run on diesel and turn the engines off when sitting

Debi DeBenedetto is a Certified Hotel Administrator with 20 years of hospitality experience, and currently the sales & marketing manager for Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB. She can be contacted at [email protected].


Originally published March 01, 2008

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