Green Initiatives 2009
As part of our commitment to the principles of sustainability embodied by Fortune Brainstorm: GREEN, we have developed guidelines to reduce the conference's environmental impact. These measures break new "green" ground for Fortune events, and developing them has been a valuable learning process for us. We welcome feedback from participants and look forward to tracking and improving our efforts over time — at this, and other Fortune events.
2009 Initiatives included:
Venue
Management
- Work with venue management and staff to set benchmarks and ramp up overall green initiatives at the hotel for the Brainstorm: GREEN conference — and beyond.
Guest Arrival/Departure
- Decrease the amount of paper handed to guest at check-in/check-out, with goal of paperless process.
- Recycle key cards and holders.
- Offer hybrid or high-efficiency vehicles for guest ground transportation, whenever possible.
- Discourage idling of ground transport vehicles while waiting for guests.
- Offer guests at check-in the option of e-mailing receipt. Hotel to ask if express check-out required to avoid unnecessary printing and encourage in-room video check-out if available. Use recycled paper to print all hotel receipts.
Guest Rooms
- Offer in-room recycling.
- Offer all guests the option to reuse linens.
- Donate unused room amenities to a local shelter.
- Minimize paper and notepads in the rooms and, where necessary, supply recycled paper goods.
- Deliver newspapers upon request only and with no plastic wrapper.
Meeting Space
- Encourage recycling by providing recycling bins in all meeting space areas.
- Utilize cloth linens, ceramic or glass drinkware and tableware, and metal flatware for all meal functions.
- Prohibit plastic water bottles and replace with reusable water bottles.
- Supply conference with notepads and pens of recycled materials.
- Oxygenate the space with plants.
- Use recyclable and/or biodegradable serving products, instead of plastic or styrofoam for staff (if ceramic/glassware not available).
- Reduce AC and lighting and ensure it is turned off when room is not in use.
Food & Beverage
- Compost food waste or donate to a local food program.
- Create menus using organic produce from sustainable local farmers.
- Coffee will be Rain Forest Alliance-certified.
- Teas will be Organic Fair Trade-certified.
Business Center
- Set all printers in the business center to print 2-sided.
- Utilize recycled printer cartridges.
- Set computers, printers, etc., to go into "sleep" mode after a few minutes.
Awareness
- Add information on hotel's Green initiatives to the hotel website and in guest rooms using closed circuit monitors, if possible.
- Train hotel staff to comply with green standards: reduce, reuse, and recycle.
General
- Use recycled goods only when paper goods are needed.
- Recycle materials whenever possible.
- Use nontoxic cleaning products.
PRODUCTION
Scenic & Set Production
- Use alternative or certified renewable/sustainable building materials for set construction.
- Reuse when possible and/or donate leftover production materials and supplies.
- Use paints, sealants, and lacquers that are low-emission (low VOC) and less toxic
- Use potted plants over cut flowers, compost-cut flowers.
Transportation, Energy, & Fuel
- Optimize venue to use as little electricity as possible.
- Follow sustainable light design principles, as much as possible.
- Use hybrid and/or electric vehicles for the production, when possible.
- Assure that transport vehicles do not idle unnecessarily.
- Buy ultralow sulfur diesel for all production generators (or biofuel generators) and vehicles.
- Direct staff to carpool or use public transit, when possible.
Staff Office
- Recycle production office materials. (paper, plastics, glass, cans, cardboard, wood; VHS, Digital Betacams, DVDs, etc.). Ensure recycling bins are accessible around office.
- Buy unbleached, high recycled-content items for production offices.
- Set all printers in the business center to print 2-sided.
- Utilize recycled printer cartridges.
- Install power strips so turning off all electronics at once is easy.
- Replace incandescent bulbs with CFLs.
- Forward all incoming faxes electronically.
General
- Use local vendors.
- FORTUNE has partnered with EcoSecurities to reduce the carbon footprint of its conferences through internal abatement and the purchase of carbon offsets from renewable energy projects.
Guest Communications / Signage
- Use electronic signage or staff to direct guests.
- E-mail agenda revisions and updates, and distribute a minimum of handouts onsite.
- Utilize electronic credentialing systems or eco-friendly badges with recycled paper.
- Provide electronic conference materials, including program binder and participant list.
MARKETING
Direct Mail
- Reduce all marketing materials to minimum, and utilize website and e-mails to provide program updates.
- Print all marketing materials on FSC- and SFI-certified post-consumer recycled paper.
- Provide the option for participants to receive all communications via e-mail.
If you have questions or comments about these guidelines,
please email us at brainstormgreen@fortune.com or call 212-522-6847.
