From lists to directories, to informational articles, the following 7 resources will help any planner make their next event more environmentally-friendly:

1. A 10-step checklist to a more environmentally-friendly destination event from Blue Green Meetings.
2. Three reasons why green meetings are a good idea from the Association for Green Meetings and Events. Not only are green meetings good for the environment, but there are also economic and social benefits that come with it.
3. Article: Green Meetings Are Free from Meeting Professionals International. Going green does not have to cost you a lot of money. By reducing and reusing, you can save money that you could invest in other green expenses.
4. Information on environmentally-friendly cuisine from MeetingsNet.com Look for organic, local foods and foods that can be reused if not eaten at that meal.
5. A list of GreenHotel.com members by state, so you can be sure the hotel you are using is truly environmentally-friendly.
6. How to calculate your meeting’s carbon footprint from http://www.greeneventsource.com/. Being aware of your carbon footprint can help you see how much you are affecting the environment, where your problem areas are, and how you could improve.
7. Don’t forget to use eco-friendly name badges, luggage tags, folders and ring bindersthat are reusable and recyclable! All of these eco-friendly products can be created to match and coordinate with each other and with your meeting or event. Then you can just send them back to us to recycle when you are finished.

Bonus Resource: The Meeting Planner Survival Guidefrom MeetingsNet.com

Imagine Christmas morning. If you are like many families, there will be mounds of gift-wrap and packaging taking over your living room. There are countless amounts of decorations and unused gifts. Then think about the meal. Some resort to prepackaged food or paper products if there are not enough dishes or to make cleaning easier. It is an eco-friendly nightmare. The holidays can increase waste by 25 percent. Amazon.com provided a few ideas to make your holidays a little “greener” this year:

• Gift Selection. Try to pick out a gift that you know the recipient will use. Handmade gifts are always thoughtful, as well as spending time with the person or performing a service for them. Amazon allows you to search for eco-friendly gifts, as well as has the option of “Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging”, which features recyclable boxes that are easy to open and free of excess materials such as hard plastic clamshell cases, plastic bindings, and wire ties. If you don’t know what to get, try a gift certificate. Then the recipient can get a gift they know they will use, and it uses less packaging.

• Gift Wrapping. Gift wrapping makes up a large portion of the waste during the holidays. Much of it is not recycled or is not recyclable. Reuse gift wrapping or consider buying or making reusable cloth gift bags. You can use materials from around the house for gift wrapping, or even try wrapping the gift in another gift, such as a t-shirt, pillowcase, or towels.
• Decorating. Some people do go overboard with their holiday decorations, but you do not have to give up festivity for eco-friendly. Find decorations that you will reuse for years to come. Think of things around your home that remind you of the holidays. You could even create a collage of photos or string photos on yarn in place of streamers.
• Preparing the Meal. Prepackaged food may be more convenient, but think of the benefits of a home-made meal. Not only would it use less packaging, but home-cooked foods are generally more healthy and flavorful. Also, try to stay away from disposable dinnerware. If you do not have enough dishes, you could ask guests to bring extras, or you could purchase reusable dinnerware for special occasions. Cloth napkins are also an eco-friendly option. These options bring a little extra work of washing, but it is worth it to know you are helping the environment.

The holidays do not have to be an environmental disaster. You can still be eco-friendly without giving up your traditions and festivities. Try some of these helpful tips to make your holidays a little “greener” this year.

It’s been a while since we’ve featured a post on eco-friendly products, so I thought I’d tell you about one of our newest clients who are very passionate about our environment – Green Earth Construction Group out of Tampa, Florida.

Their name says it all. They build residential and commercial buildings using environmentally-friendly methods and materials.

Don’t forget: Sunrise offers a recycling “take-back” program for all products that we make. Once you are done using it, you can send any product we make back to us and we will break it down to its component parts to be recycled.

These environmentally-friendly name tags made from cardboard are beautiful!

Recently, they hosted a symposium on green construction and they wanted their event to be as environmentally friendly as possible. That’s why they decided to use our eco-friendly name badges

The name tags are made from recycled chipboard and steel magnets. The name badges are beautifully printed using dry toner on a digital printer which is part of Sunrise’s vibrant recycling program. The name tags can be taken home and re-used, kept as a memento, or both parts can be detached from each other and recycled.

For more information on Green Earth Construction Group or for dates of upcoming symposiums, contact Virginia Grabowski at 813.241.0222

• On the web: greenearthgroup.net
• On the phone: 813-241-0222
• Direct phone: 813 579-0018 direct