Green is the new black

"Forty may be the new thirty, but green is definitely the new black."  

Loriann White

Co-founder and President

Association for Green Meetings & Events

Loriann White knows what she is talking about.  After serving the hospitality and meetings industry for over 17 years, she is the co-founder, president and chief innovation officer for Association for Green Meetings & Events, Inc. (AGME), as well as co-founder for the Atlanta Green Meetings Council.

Why do you care about what a self proclaimed "tree hugger" thinks? You should care because she is a leader in her industry and respected by her peers.  In 2007-2008, Loriann served the Meeting Professionals International Georgia Chapter (GaMPI) Executive Board of Directors committee as VP, Strategic Events, overseeing all high-end education programs and events.  In 2006-2007, she served as VP, Education overseeing all monthly educational programs.  During her tenure, she implemented new practices to include Blue Ocean methodology, Green Meetings and Emergency Contingency Plan, On-Line Webinars on Technology and Marketing as well as securing first -ever speaker honorarium and AV Sponsorships. Under Loriann's leadership, MPI awarded GaMPI Awards of Excellence in Education at the MPI-PEC program in 2008.

In 2003, Loriann received Meeting Planner of the Year, in 2005 as GaMPI's Sponsor or the Year.  In 2004, Loriann was nominated in Georgia Trend Magazine as Top 40 Under 40 and received Convention South's Top 20 Meeting Professionals to Watch in 2005 and 2007.  Loriann was a finalist as MPI International Meeting Planner of the Year for 2005  and finalist as MPI Marion N. Kershner Memorial Chapter Leader of the Year in 2006.  In June 2007, she received Chapter Leader of the Year award and Special Project of the Year: Green Meetings Initiative for her introduction and implementation of green practices within the chapter - produced a savings of $17,243 in print costs alone.

So Loriann is Super Woman.  What does that mean to you?  Having green meetings has a tremendous impact.  The benefits of implementing green meetings are three-fold.

The Environmental Bottom-Line:  Going green is good for the environment.  By not pre-filling water glasses at each table during a three days of lunches for 2,200 attendees; approximately 510 gallons of water can be saved.

The Economic Bottom-Line:  Going green can save you green.  By utilizing technology for all communications, an event with 250 attendees can save you approximately  $1,100 by using on-line registration; email evaluations and speaker handouts at the conclusion of the program.

The Social Bottom-Line:  Going green enhances your image in the community.  By donating leftover food to a local community food bank or shelter, you give back to the community while diverting waste from landfills.

If you want more information, check out the AGME website at agmeinc.org

Remember that recycling is the key to everyone's future.  In a world of over 23,000 meeting planners, different is good.  Standing out as unique among your peers is a good thing.  Standing out by saving your company and you client money while looking out for the environment is a great thing.