It’s easy to relate to your members with the topic behind your association, but it’s also easy to connect with them when you take current trends and weave them into your association. Whether it’s a trend or a permanent shift in culture, making an effort to be environmentally friendly has gone from just being a buzz to drastically affecting the way people live, work and think about their impact. But, there’s a much greater benefit to going green other than relating to your members or saving money, it is the sense of doing something good.

Associations are continuing their attempt to reduce their environmental footprint at the encouragement of members, partners and sponsors who are also trying to be more socially responsible. The options of going green in your association are numerous and can range from placing recycling bins in your office and using recycled products, to investing in energy-saving office equipment and using online software to conduct virtual meetings. We could easily list over 100 changes you can make in your office and the way you conduct business to help reduce your environmental impact, but instead, let’s focus on one big opportunity to make a difference.

Let’s take a look at how you can go green with one of the most important interactions you have with your members each year:  your association’s annual conference.

Planning & Marketing

• Communicate via e-mail rather than traditional mail or memos.
• Use a strategic e-mail marketing plan instead of direct mail to get the word out.
• Use an online registration system.
• Use online services to conduct virtual meetings for planning.
• Give attendees an online avenue to connect with each other and arrange car-pooling to the conference.

Conference Materials

• Utilize PowerPoint to reduce the number of handouts given to attendees.
• Give attendees access to PowerPoint and interactive PDFs of conference materials either online or with a zip-drive.
• Make two-sided copies, printed on recycled paper with vegetable-based ink.
• Limit speaker handouts.
• If giving a swag bag, make sure it is constructed of recycled materials.
• Utilize social media sites such as Twitter and YouTube to create an online record of the event.

Food and Beverage

• Serve items such as cream and sugar in bulk containers.
• Provide water in pitchers instead of distributing individual bottles.
• Use local and sustainable food products (great sponsorship opportunity).
• Set up recycling bins throughout venue.
• Use cloth napkins, cutlery, and real dishware/coffee mugs to eliminate use of disposable items.

Meeting Location

• Recommend hotels within walking distance of the meeting location.
• Give attendees information about public transportation and walking routes.

Follow-up

• Send out thank-you letters, conference notes/reviews, and event surveys via email or post on website.

Following the best practices for environmentally friendly meetings has many benefits. These recommendations can reduce the cost of the event for the association, the venue and the attendee – which can have many positive ripple effects such as increasing attendance. Also, it’s a conscious effort to be socially aware that will make attendees proud to be a member of your association.