Category Archives: best practices

Doing more with less: Measure what matters for better results

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We’ve advanced enough in our understanding of sustainable events to have learned that this stuff can be complex. Regardless of event size or location, there exists sustainability impacts enough to create a list long enough to be daunting to the most intrepid of environmentalists, much less an event team who does not yet have a fully developed sustainable event management system.

When faced with such complexity, what are event organizers to do? How shall they proceed when resources are limited? How shall they create a meaningful effort toward better, more sustainable outcomes? A possible recommendation: Simplify.  simplify

 

More with less

The premise here is that it’s more effective to do a few things well than lots of things poorly. When beginning a sustainability initiative in an organization or event planning team, don’t hold perfection as the objective. It is better to focus on a few, relevant and material sustainability aspects than to try to track and measure many things.  By having fewer things in focus, we’re more likely to see progress. With progress comes confidence and, with confidence, momentum.  In this way, we start with few things to accomplish many things.

 

It’s natural to resist this idea because, well, if a little effort toward sustainable practice is good then certainly more is better! Too often, however, we bite off more than we can chew.  We get excited by new ideas and an interest to make a difference, and we initiate actions without a plan to follow up over the long haul.  If we don’t consider the time it takes to clarify goals, educate stakeholders and measure the effectiveness of our effort, we can have an unpleasant outcome. Instead of a business that integrates the principles of sustainable development as fundamental to success and a part of planning, we get a bunch of people all confused and fussy and ready to drop the whole thing.

 

It’s about improvement, not measurement

The last few years have seen industry movement toward the measurement and reporting of sustainability in events and organizations.  Consultants are hired and workshops are attended. Suppliers are challenged and computations are made and, sometimes, even communicated.  

“We emitted ‘X’ tonnes of Carbon Dioxide and we diverted ‘Y’ pounds from the landfill!”. That’s fantastic, now what? We too seldom use such measurements to inform improvements.  The point of measuring isn’t for the measurement .. it’s to understand and improve performance.  All that investment in measurement should be applied to informing goals and creating system changes that help drive improvement.  Indeed, the measurements we take should help us to re- define success and inspire us to work toward better results.

 

Pick 3 things

Measure accurately. Improve over time.

1. Consider your organization.  For what does your brand stand? How are you known to your public? Create a sustainability policy that reflects a commitment to live up to this image.

 

2. What are your biggest impacts? Just because you can measure the post-consumer recycled content of the office bathroom tissue doesn’t mean that it should necessarily be on the list of things to track. Consider the things that are “material” and put those on the list to measure and improve

 

3. Create a culture that supports improvement. Involve the team in a process to identify the material impacts and get ‘buy in’ that these things are worth measuring. Create a plan to measure these things and work to improve them over time.

 

Creating a sustainability initiative for your organization can be exciting and, dare we say, fun.  Find the fun by reducing the fuss.  Measure what matters. Do more by doing less.

Dispatch: Las Vegas

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Dateline Las Vegas

20130328-073040.jpg

Project findings (Bullets for brevity)

- Supplier engagement: When suppliers understand your clear and measurable goals and expectations for sustainability, they can help you achieve them. When they don’t have this information, or when sustainability is not part of the preliminary meetings, they will not include sustainability in designing their solution for you.

  • Exhibit A: The Venetian / Sands will customize a waste management plan for your    event and help you find options to donate items left after the show. They can produce impact statements that reflect energy use, CO2 emissions, waste diversion and water consumption of your event.
  • Exhibit B: A General Service Contractor ordered signage based on color quality (“Gatorboard” a slick polystyrene substrate) and not sustainability (“Falconboard” a corrugated paper solution), even though the more sustainable option was less expensive.

- APEX standards: not all the criteria for planners of large events are helpful or meaningful to delivering a more sustainable event. The central philosophy behind the planner criteria is that planners must require (in RFP and subsequent contracts) expectations for sustainability. For example, the planner must stipulate in the contracted agreement with the caterer that a vegetarian option be served at each meal, yet it is the planner who makes these selections. Similarly, the standard requires that the planner have a solution to collect name badges but does not require that these badges be re-purposed in any way.

- CO2 emissions: the parameters for measurement vary from event to event. How many planners consider the freight miles experienced by AV supplies, for example? Some events look at electricity use at the venue but not the hotel rooms. Planners can track their progress by establishing a uniform way to track emissions and then “normalize” the measurement by calculating emissions per event participant (which also needs to be defined and treated the same each event)

- “Local food”: even in the desert, it’s possible to be intentional in your menu design and purchasing to reduce the amount of transport required to deliver food to your event. Large events pose a unique problem given the sheer volume of product they require. Consider allowing yourself a ‘carbon budget’ from transport emissions and strive to stay within it. While this may limit the organic apples from New Zealand, it could mean your delegates can enjoy watermelon instead.

- show floor recycle stations: still a great idea, still require post event sorting. Event delegates remain stubbornly unable to discern what waste goes where. “(Plastic milk jug in the compost receptacle? Don’t mind if I do!”). Different kinds of waste make it confusing for delegates. One clear plastic cup is made from recycled content, a different one is compostable, both have similar markings. Now you’ve just about guaranteed contamination of two,waste streams. The current best solution? Enthusiastic volunteer ‘green teams’ that stand by the receptacles and guide delegates in how to use them.

More findings, more dispatches to follow. Time now to go fight good fights.

Sustainability and events: FAQ’s from Associations

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Recently, I had the opportunity to share some thoughts with Alison Ledger from Association Event Planner magazine in response to some FAQ’s from the world of Association Management.  What would you like to see added (or removed) from these responses?

I know many say they haven’t time or money to consider sustainability, what would you say in response to this?
This is not an untypical sentiment but I push back a bit because such perceptions are often changed with a bit of understanding. That is, when associations consider sustainability, they may not be thinking about innovation, smart design, better returns or more engaged members.  If we position sustainability not as a theoretical concept that will require great difficulty to understand and great expense to implement, but instead a framework to deliver business performance improvement, then the conversation often changes.

For associations, most of what’s needed is a commitment to support sustainable practices: a few policies, a bit of goal setting and, importantly a willingness to engage with supplier groups.  Associations have a tremendous opportunity to influence change in destinations and among suppliers.  So, a well integrated sustainability plan needn’t be resource intensive.

If associations implement a sustainable strategy, what are the potential benefits  for their members?
Many associations are working hard to be relevant and valuable to their members.  In an age where so much industry-specific information is instantly available from a wide variety of free resources, associations are challenged to be the best source of current information and professional development and often need to re-think their strategies.   Associations that engage in sustainable practices discover new ways to engage their communities and connect with members in new ways.

If we consider that members want to be part of respected organisations that are financially sound and which offer a vibrant community, then it’s not hard to connect the dots to making a case for an organisation which has good systems, transparent communication, high standards of ethics and a skill with building a community.  All these features are possible when associations engage sustainability in a strategic way and see sustainable practices and principles not as ad hoc and peripheral but as fundamental to organisational success.

For a bit more about the benefits of such a plan, check out this earlier post.

Is it worth them communicating what they are doing to members? Why?
Communication is important but, as always, it’s important to communicate effectively.  It’s not about shouting to the world what wonderful citizens we are, it’s about engaging in a conversation about our shared challenges and what we’ve experienced along the journey.  Further, many organisations communicate before they have a plan in place.  It’s important to create an understanding of the internal team and membership what is meant by sustainability and how that relates to the organisation.

Goals and measures should be in place as an important foundation for communicating action toward sustainability in a concrete way.  It’s important to be sincere and transparent. Don’t tell the members what the associations is doing, invite the members to share their story and let that be part of how the organisation builds community.

And how can they communicate/market their sustainable activities?
There have never been more platforms to engage communities.  Organisations can sponsor industry studies or invite student groups to review an industry issue and report on findings.  Social media channels are rarely used to effect.  There are now smart newsletter formats which are fast reads on mobile devices.  I’m a big fan of Instagram, a photo driven social network that is an ideal forum for organisations to invite engagement from members.  For anybody that doesn’t think it fits their brand, have a look at brands as diverse as Jamie Oliver, Kate Spade or Bon Iver, all of whom successfully create community by sharing their activities and inviting others on the ride.  Collaborate with other associations to address issues of mutual interest and share the results through industry journals.
The important thing is to have an understanding of why you have a sustainability plan and how it aligns with your central mission.  After that, communicating sustainability is just part of communicating your story and brand.

How can associations measure the success or benefits of their sustainable activity?
An important place to start is to identify a scope for your sustainability engagement and create a short list of specific goals around that.  Measure these goals and share performance results with members and, importantly, communicate what actions are planned to improve on any results. These are basic approaches to system improvement and are time tested, business friendly approaches to tracking steps toward success.

The trick, again, is to recognise sustainability not as an abstract, Byzantine concept unrelated to your core business but as a framework around which to create a strategic plan for growing revenue and delivering value in a responsible way.

I’ve seen a number of associations address sustainability in meaningful ways, most of them quite disparate, as each organisation’s initiative reflects their unique membership and mission.  One example could be Universal Unitarian Association, who have integrated sustainability expectations in there tenders and supplier selection criteria for their annual event.  Another example might be the Green Meeting Industry Council, who creates a specific set of goals and key performance indicators before each event and shares that with their potential suppliers.  In this way, they make clear their desired outcomes and invite their supplier partners to collaborate and be a part of the trek to success.

These were the whole enchilada of unedited responses.  For the final, snazzier version, check out / follow Association Event Planner magazine not only to see the full article when it comes out but also for great info on a wide array of relevant topics not only to associations, but any planner.  http://www.associationeventplanner.com/home/

What did I miss? Do you have different, or additional perspectives?  Please share your thoughts, tips and insights here and we’ll add them to the list!

Crowdsourcing Inspiration: Sharing best practices for sustainable events

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During the recent IMEX America show, MeetGreen invited booth visitors to share favorite tips, both practical and inspirational, for starting and improving a journey to more sustainable events.  The thoughtfulness with which people shared their responses, was matched only by the great variety of people revealed to be engaged in sustainable event management.

Students, consultants, seasoned planners and suppliers all enthusiastically shared ideas. Their electric energy and clever input is inspiration to anybody who thinks sustainability is:

-waning

-difficult

-expensive

-unnecessary

Once planners and suppliers understand the ‘why and how’ of sustainability, practical steps like these can be a spark to creating more innovative, more effective events.

Have a look and share your ideas here (comments, anyone?), the MeetGreen site
or via Twitter (@michaelluehrs and/or @MeetGreen) with hashtag #GMIC.

What happens in Vegas shouldn’t stay in Vegas

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Let’s forget for a moment that people built an entertainment fantasy land in the middle of the desert.  And let us forget for a moment that the monies that fund construction and operation of the multiplex resorts come from gambling (“gaming”).
Instead, let’s focus on the fact that this amazing city of stark contrasts is populated by some of the most energetic, engaged people in the sustainable events industry.  What’s more, by virtue of being the world’s busiest conferencing destination, they have developed efficiencies that can benefit the international events industry.

Short quiz:
The mega resorts of Las Vegas demand a great deal of fresh water.  The amount of the Las Vegas municipal water supply consumed by all the resorts annually equate to what percent of the total city water supply?
A: 15%
B: 32%
C: 4%
D: 21%

Joanna Haugen wrote a great article highlighting sustainability in action at some of the largest Las Vegas  resorts. What’s notable is how strategic and holistic are the sustainability plans. At the Venetian, the focus has been on building an internal culture through education and engagement.  Communication of the strategy only came this year with a GRI C Level report. Caesar’s Entertainment can claim some of the earliest engagement in sustainable practices in Las Vegas. Their GRI report was the first for the Las Vegas industry.  In, addition, they were instrumental in bringing Clean the World to Las Vegas with their early commitment to the program.

Worth sharing

These Las Vegas hotels are making the planner’s job easier. By having systems in place, and familiarity with industry standards, these properties can provide measurements to help planners deliver more sustainable events. For example, for IMEX America 2012, The Venetian will produce a custom impact report to identify energy, water and waste statistics. This report will be an important part of the goal setting process for the 2013 event.

Public-private partnerships

The ISO 20121 Event Sustainability Management System asks planners to consider needs of local stakeholders.  Many planners are investing time to create projects which give back to community.    In Las Vegas, event planners can benefit from a collaboration with a number of great charitable organizations including Shade Tree, Clean the World and Opportunity Village.

waste management:  Many Las Vegas resorts and venues have aggressive recycling and, for organic waste, composting programs which are supported by a number of waste management partners.  Hotels and venues are increasing diversion rates by collaborating with waste management companies to sort all waste at the dock. In a city that has a 19% recycling rate, resorts are averaging 30%.  Sands Expo routinely sees diversion rates of 80%. This is in part due to an engaged team and collaborations with local waste haulers, but also innovators like RePurpose America who accept ‘waste’ materials from exhibitions and give them new and improved lives on playgrounds and trade shows.

Opportunities:
Local food: Supplying locally harvested food (250 miles or less from source to plate) at great scale in the middle of the desert is not currently feasible.  Although Las Vegas produces some local product (honey, cucumbers and, wait for it  .. shrimp), they cannot currently supply the amounts of sustainable product. Resorts rely on large food service suppliers who may or may not source products from the nearest producer.  Greater collaboration with Californian growers can help to build more regional capacity and reduce transport required.

Outreach and education: Most planners who bring business to Las Vegas don’t ask for sustainable practices.  With greater outreach by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, planners could gain better understanding of the options to organize events in a sustainable way.

Many will be surprised by the levels of engagement in sustainable practices at a number of the Las Vegas resorts.  The investments they are making in researching and developing innovations in operational practices (energy efficiency) smart infrastructure (water savings) and reporting can inform the international events industry.

These practices need to be shared.  If you’re planning an event and considering Las Vegas, ask about how your event can take advantage of the programs in place.  But when you leave, don’t keep it to yourself.  When it comes to sustainable practices, what happens in Vegas shouldn’t stay in Vegas.

The answer to quiz above? As a direct result of investment in efficient water systems and, in many cases, an ability to reclaim water for secondary use, mega resorts in Las Vegas collectively consume just 4% of the city water supply.

What to expect when you’re expecting.. a sustainable event

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They start as a gleam in someone’s eye.  Months, sometimes years, of uncertainty follow (‘Do we have enough money?’ ‘Do we have enough support?’) and frequent glimmers of excitement (“It’s going to be so wonderful!”) and moments of terror (“It’s all going to go horribly wrong!).  Events, or pregnancies?

For many, the idea of integrating sustainability adds complication and tension to the planning cycle.  What’s needed is a guidebook to build confidence and to reduce uncertainty! A ‘What to Expect‘ type guide:

Chapter 1: Before you conceive

Ask yourself “Why do we want this?”. Get clear about the desired outcomes and allow that to provide motivation and direction for the plan.   Any difficult times ahead can be managed when you have conviction and direction.

Chapter 2:  Review your history

Are there things in your past that might require any special consideration? Risks which need to be mitigated or a need to manage expectations others may have?  Are there financial aspect that need to be evaluated to ensure you’re on stable footing?

Chapter 3: Create a plan

Budget, timing, logistics, support, of course, but also goals and targets to keep you on track.  Make sure your support team is well aware of the goals and their role in supporting a successful outcome. Check periodically to verify if you’re on track to achieve your goals and make needed adjustments (more support, etc) to position you for success.

Chapter 4: Selecting and collaborating with experts

Nobody is an island.  These occasions make everybody richer for the collaboration you’re able to develop.  A positive, happy outcome is important for all who are affected by it.  Think about what you’re trying to accomplish and the principles you hold most dear.  Screen the experts and select only those that reflect your commitment and standards.

Chapter 5: The big day

You’re prepared.  You have a great team.  Make sure everybody knows their role and.. let them do their thing.  Don’t forget to push and breathe.  It’s ok to cry.

Chapter 6: Sharing

Details matter.  Photos matter.  Plan to organize your thoughts and how you want to share it.  Invite a two-way dialogue with your circle of influence to ensure that everybody gets the same message and has the same opportunity to share their thoughts and wishes with you.  Did achieve the goals you wrote?  Are there helpful tips you’d like to share with others or do you have guidance about what they should expect?

Preparing for, and giving birth to your sustainable event is one of those life-altering occasions that make you a better person and give your life meaning.  And anything worth doing is worth doing well. Since sustainable practices build better events, a commitment to proven fundamental practices can save time, reduce costs and deliver (deliver! more on the theme!) better events.

Thoughts welcome!

State of the Union: what’s an event planner to do?

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Recent lawsuits against hotel companies have elevated visibility for aggressive unions. The rhetoric on both sides of the argument is jagged and fierce, full of sharp talking points that, after years of bitter fighting have been forged into something more like bloody spear tips. Event planners are getting mixed messages. Should planners book only union hotels? Does a planner risk a strike by booking a non-union hotel? Or vice versa?

I have some experience with hotels, having worked for 17 years in different markets across the United States. In terms of labor policy, hotel companies—no question– could improve. A former manager once remarked “Well, the thing with hotel work is that the hours are long but the pay sucks”. She said it with love but it’s a fair point. But, does it go too far to characterize big hotel chains of having unfair labor practice, or being abusive to the largest section of their hourly workforce? Perhaps.

The victories that unions won for us all were needed and important. The regulations and protections and equal opportunities available to workers at big hotels are the result of hard fought battles. But, when I compare unions in the United States, with how they work in Sweden, I’m struck by what I see as an unsustainable model.

Where does that leave the planner?

Event planners are challenged to support social responsibility while finding suppliers who can deliver great service. Planners need to be vocal, and active, in their pursuit of the best experience for their delegates. What can a planner do?

1. Ask. Planners should ask the hotel directly about labor policy and systems in place to ensure longevity of good workers. On a site tour, ask for the General Manager and have them explain their policies.

2. Look for engagement. Is the manager helping work the floor of the restaurant? Are members of the team helping each other? How is communication between the staff and the manager? Good interactions are often the indicator of good management.

3. Go back of house. Is the hotel happy to share such a tour? Is there an indication of employee spirit and pride in place? Are the communication board current and positive? Such clues reveal a lot about the style and spirit of the property management. Think about your group and what kind of fit these styles make for your delegates.

4. Have a policy and a plan. Don’t go unarmed into a battle. By having a clear stance as documented in a well-crafted policy, you’ll sooner find suppliers who align with your values.

Sustainability is about collaboration and engaging others to help find solutions to difficult problems. By engaging suppliers and asking tough questions and working toward solutions, planners can not only reduce risk for their own event but can help to transform industry practices toward sustainability.

This is a provocative topic. I welcome your ideas and considered input.

Pay it forward: donating event ‘waste’

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Consider for a moment that, by some reports, (here, too) the U.S. wastes 40% of it’s food.  The USDA figures that if just 5% of the US scraps were recovered they would represent one day’s food for 4 million people. The cost to deal with that waste is estimated to be 1 billion dollars annually. Then, ponder the U.N. reports on food waste which record one-third of all food produced goes to waste while 925 million people experience chronic hunger.

Catering teams serving event venues see food waste every day.  Some see cost, others see opportunity.  Thankfully, both types of people are creating collaborations with event planners and charitable organizations to create a movement to reduce event waste by ‘paying it forward’.

In San Francisco, Food Runners has created a network of 250 organizations who now receive food to help feed the 160,000 locals in need each day.  In Portland, Oregon, city leadership created the Fork it Over program designed to get safe, un-served food ‘waste’ to people instead of the garbage can. Las Vegas, a city that knows a thing or two about excess, has a number of initiatives, including the Las Vegas Rescue Mission. Most cities have systems in place, but a surprising number of event planners and suppliers don’t take steps to pay it forward and reduce waste.  Here’s my guess why few do it, along with reasons they should start:

1.  “It’s illegal/against city ordinance/risky.”  ‘What if somebody gets sick from food we sent?’:  All donors are protected from liability under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donor Act of 1996

2.  “We’re busy” / “It’s a hassle”.  Don’t assume it’s difficult, ask your caterer.  If they don’t know, have them contact the city.  Food Bank networks are creative in helping you look good with food donations, often to the point of collecting the donation themselves.

3. ‘We just don’t have much waste’.  Being prepared is not a crime.  Simply by asking the caterer to help identify a recipient for donated food, you’re helping to create a system where less food goes to waste.

Get started with paying it forward

1.  Start early, ask often.  Initial emails, Request for proposals to caterers, site visits to cities and contracts with venues are all perfect places to include expectations for food donations.  Ask about options. Have suppliers explain how it works.  Show interest and support for the idea of donating safe, un-served food from the outset of the event plan.

2. Design the registration site so people commit to meals they want to attend.  This has long been the practice for gala events, but planners still rely on ‘gut’ to predict how many people will eat a breakfast.

3. Explain the initiative to event participants.  Don’t think that donating food needs to be a dirty secret.  Explain the plan and showcase the charitable organization(s) receiving food.

4.  Get and provide accurate counts.  Follow up with registered delegates. Collaborate closely with caterers to identify the right amount to prepare.

5. Track and reduce.  The goal isn’t to have lots to donate.  In an ideal world, the amount of food purchased and prepared would equal the amount consumed by event participants.  Here’s hoping that can happen. Until it does, and perhaps to help get us all closer, keep records of how much food was left from your event.  Note any unusual factors that influenced the result.  Set goals to shave that amount.  Share your solutions so others can waste less, too.

Help us create a list of organizations internationally who help facilitate food donations by sharing your comments here and/or share a link to their site on Twitter with the hashtag #GMICDonation.

Interested in more? Check out Shawna McKinley’s post on event-related food waste here

Waste as cost: who’s the biggest loser?

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This interesting analysis shows the correlation of the US economy to trainloads of trash headed for the landfill.  Upvote for novel perspectives of complex economic modelling.

Waste = cost
Paradoxically, the railroad study aligns a healthy economy with an increase of trash produced.  Meanwhile, In the world of business and events, the more you waste, the more you pay.

Example:  If an event attracts 15000 people, as happened a few months ago in Orlando, its possible to produce 470 tons of waste. Waste hauling rates vary widely but even if the waste collection and disposal costs were a very low $43 per ton, it represents an expense of $20,000 US.  But most of that waste doesn’t go to the landfill.. it goes to recycling, right?  Well, likely not.

This study figures that venues could easily divert (recycle, compost or donate) 38% of waste going to landfill.

One way to interpret that statistic is to say that event planners pay 38% more for waste hauling costs than is necessary. In the above example, that’s $7,700 which could be otherwise allocated.

Why pay more?
So, does measuring waste matter? To get an understanding of the size of the problem (or size of the opportunity) planners should conduct an aggressive study of the waste at their events.  Because it represents a cost, waste is a risk and a liability.  Planners should develop strategies and select great suppliers in pursuit of better, more profitable event.  A focus on waste is one plank of a smart plan.

1.  Conduct a study of the waste produced at your event

2.  Identify the cost of waste produced by your event at that location

3.  Review results of the waste study with venues to create strategies to reduce waste and cost

4.  Measure results of the new waste management plan and tie a value to the amount of waste reduced

5.  Share findings.  The Green Meeting Industry Council, as one ready example, will share your case study to help others.

Toot! All Aboard the improvement express! Please share your thoughts, examples, studies and experiences here! The faster we improve, the faster we reduce cost, both financial and environmental, for every body.

Destinations: Sustainability and Prosperity

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Stockholm, Sweden is, unquestionably, a leader in sustainable development for municipalities. In Sweden, environmental and social responsibility are hallmarks of a stable and prosperous economy.  One measure: 90% of the 523 kilograms of waste (or 655,000 metric tons) generated annually per person is used for energy to heat homes and businesses or is composted for bio fuel or is recycled.

A photo taken on a day off infers ‘Which way to sustainability?’ Signpost.  Husarö, Stockholm archipelago

Meanwhile, Copenhagen, Denmark is successfully integrating sustainability, with industry awards to prove their success (they were just named the European Green Capital 2014, beating 17 other cities).

The successes seen in Scandinavia are an example of cities ‘getting it right’ by balancing the needs of people and economy.

What if there was a convenient list of all the cities getting it right?  What if we could develop such a list that would save meeting planning time by identifying cities where sustainable events come easy?  As it happens, such a list can exist.  Here’s one opinion of cities getting it right (and a few powerful event destination cities that, thus far..  not so much):

Cities getting it right by helping sustainable event planners (a non-exhaustive list)

1. Copenhagen, Denmark

2. Whistler, BC

3. Amsterdam, the Netherlands see also RAI

4. Melbourne, Australia

Unsung heroes: Cities doing heavy lifting for sustainability that you might not know about

1.  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania  and, importantly, this amazing report

2. Gothenburg, Sweden and here (They’re friends, yes, but they merit attention. Nobody is doing more)

3. Bangkok and TCEB

Opportunity for Leadership: Cities too quiet in promoting sustainable practices

1. Vienna, Austria

2. Paris, France

3. Barcelona, Spain

4. Beijing, China

5. Sydney, Australia

In my day to day work here, we’re actively developing what is already a very cool site focused on providing planners a simple way to find cities which are ‘sustainable event friendly’.  Check it out here and then share your thoughts on what cities are missing, either from my lists above or from the list of scored cities on the Best Places to Meet Green site.