Spotlight on MPI's 2008 World Education Congress

By Michelle Lizak, CMP

The 2008 World Education Congress was an event packed full of education, experience and knowledge. In addition to all the sessions, networking and idea infused café's MPI also provided each attendee with a firsthand look at how events can be not only "green" or sustainable, but socially responsible ... even for such a large and diverse attendance as the World Education Congress.

The city of Las Vegas, MPI and the WEC host committee implemented more than 50 socially responsible steps to make this event as sustainable as possible. These steps were divided into several categories: energy reduction, minimizing waste, practicing environmentally responsible purchasing and community service.

This event implemented all three of the P's when it comes to CSR ... People, Planet, Profit.

Below is a full listing of all the items that were implemented at the 2008 WEC, this listing was provided in the WEC program in Las Vegas:

Energy Reduction

• The buses used for the shuttle transportation to the WEC Opening Reception feature high efficiency engines, special exhaust filters and low sulfur to reduce CO2 emissions. They also use bio-diesel fuel.
• Many exhibitors selected to use a connection spot rather than their own booths during the trade show. This eliminated the shipping of their booths, which in turned saved on the emissions and energy that would have been used in the shipping process.
• Mandalay Bay and THEhotel offer linen reuse programs. In Mandalay Bay guest rooms, housekeeping closes drapes and sets A/C to 72 degrees Fahrenheit after cleaning the room to help conserve energy.
• At Mandalay Bay, more than 70,000 incandescent bulbs have been replaced with fluorescent bulbs. This has led to a 4-percent reduction of electricity usage over last year.
• Lighting in the exhibit halls in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center is reduced to emergency lighting when the halls are not in use.
• During load in, the lighting level will be turned on to 50 percent, increased to 100 percent during show hours and reduced back to 50 percent for load out.

Minimize Waste

• Water coolers will be placed throughout the convention center so attendees can refill their re-usable water bottles compliments of the Las Vegas CVA. This eliminates the extra waste of using individual, single serve water bottles.
• No Styrofoam (polystyrene No. 6 plastic) will be used at WEC food and beverage functions. Juice, ice tea, coffee and water will be served in pitchers or large containers rather than in individual containers.
• The banquet department will not pre-set any beverages at food and beverage functions.
• China service or biodegradable disposable service ware will be used rather than paper or plastic service ware
• Condiments will be served in bulk containers when possible to eliminate wasteful packaging.
• Cloth napkins will be used at food and beverage functions whenever possible. Any paper napkins used will be made of post-consumer recycled paper.
• At Mandalay Bay, all scraps and left over food from food and beverage functions is sent to a composting center.
• Any untouched food is donated to the Mandalay Bay Employee Dining Room.
• Any extra or donated registration bags will be donated to Boys Hope Girls Hope of Nevada after WEC. The bag donation program was made possible by the support of the Mexico Tourism Board.
• The plastic name badge holders will be collected at the end of WEC and recycled, thanks to the support from the Mexico Tourism Board.
• The number of items in the registration bag has been limited to five to reduce the amount of wasted materials.
• At Mandalay Bay, phone books are now on request and are not placed in guest rooms.
• Digital Signage will be used when possible to reduce the use of paper and cardboard.
• Mandalay Bay uses e-Billing for convention groups, which has drastically reduced paper usage.
• Internal paperwork at Mandalay Bay is shredded and used as packing filler in the Business Center.
• In accordance with MPI's commitment to corporate social responsibility and in an effort to reduce paper consumption at WEC, MPI will offer only one print station at WEC, which will be located in the Global Village. The print-on-demand feature of the print station allows attendees to access and print session handouts at their convenience. 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper will be used at the print station and in MPI onsite offices that have printers.
• Mandalay Bay recycles torn and worn guest room linen, by making housekeeping and EVS cleaning rags out of it.
• Mandalay Bay features motion-sensitive, water-saving faucets in more than 80 percent of its restrooms.
• Mandalay Bay features a large, back dock recycling center. All recyclables are sorted on the docks-from the convention center, guest rooms and casino. The total yearly average of commodities that Mandalay Bay recycles is about 3,048 tons or 122 semi-trucks at 50,000 pounds per truck. If the trucks were end-to-end on Las Vegas Boulevard, they would begin at Mandalay Bay and end at Planet Hollywood (approx. 1.6 miles).
• The WEC exhibitor service kit was available online only, significantly reducing paper waste.
• At WEC, donation bins will be placed on the tradeshow floor at end of event for exhibitors to donate extra exhibitor giveaways rather than throw them away. The items will be donated to a local Las Vegas charity. WEC exhibitors were discouraged from bringing printed handouts. They were encouraged to bring other types of giveaways, especially items that are more eco-friendly or can be donated at the end of the trade show. Exhibitors were also encouraged to use Logon and lead retrieval to send virtual brochures.
• Freeman has created a unique manufacturing partnership resulting in the recycling of more than 12,000 yards of aisle carpet for WEC. This successful and innovative industry program recycles used carpet into drainage pipe for septic systems, dramatically reducing landfill waste. This carpet is not only recyclable, but actually is recycled in quantities that have a true impact.
• Freeman uses modular structural systems made of recycled aluminum, which can then be recycled and extruded back into new components after use. The volume of aluminum that is recycled into new components has increased dramatically at WEC due to connection spot concept.

Environmentally Responsible Purchasing

• At food functions during WEC when plastic service ware must be used, we will use biodegradable, disposable service ware. The cutlery is called Spudware and is made from 80-percent vegetable starch and 20-percent soy or other vegetable oils. It is high-heat tolerant, biodegradable and compostable. The cups and plates are made from sugar cane, high-heat tolerant, biodegradable and compostable.
• The Mandalay Bay Convention Center only uses Boyd coffee, which is 100-percent sustainable, organic and certified by the Rainforest Alliance.
• Mandalay Bay banquet menus now feature sustainable menus and sustainable items on the menu marked with an icon. Currently 80 percent or more food is sourced within 500 miles.
• WEC attendees will receive reusable water bottles to use during the conference. The water bottles are 100-percent free of biphenyl-A (BPA) and have been donated by the Las Vegas CVA.
• The plastic badge holders used at WEC are a thin version, which uses less plastic than other badges. The name badge stock used for WEC name badges is all recycled paper.
• The WEC registration bags are made from 100-percent recycled polypropylene and can be re-used after the event. Bags are provided to you by PC nametag, Inc. and supported by the Mexico Tourism Board.
• MPI staff uniform shirts are made from an innovative cotton-bamboo blend. Bamboo naturally adds softness and breathability.
• All paper bathroom supplies in the convention center are a minimum 35-percent post-consumer recycled content paper. If paper napkins are required for any WEC food and beverage events, they will be made from 35-percent post-consumer recycled content paper. The onsite daily paper is printed on paper that contains 10-percent post-consumer recycled content and the ink is soy-based. The printer is Forest Stewardship Council-certified. The conference guide is printed on paper harvested through sustainable forestry practices with 10-percent post-recycled domestic stock. The ink is 100-percent plant-based with no petroleum (mostly soy oil and a little linseed oil) and features a water-based aqueous coating on the cover.
• During the trade show, booths will have a cardboard-style wastebasket made of recycled natural products, instead of plastic wastebaskets.
• Back of house flooring in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center has been replaced with a 100-percent sustainable natural rubber product from the Hevea tree, which is not harmed and continues to grow.
• The carpet and wood floor cleaners used at Mandalay Bay are Green Seal certified. Also all CO2 aerosol products used at the resort are being converted to non-aerosol, and 30 percent of its kitchen and bathroom cleaning supplies are green seal approved.
• The carpet cleaning machines at Mandalay Bay are all Green Seal certified.
• The Las Vegas volunteers will be wearing shirts made from 50-percent recycled polyester150 percent eco-carbon. Eco-carbon is a natural fiber derived from reused coconut shells or bamboo plants. Recycled Polyethylene Terapthalate (R.P.E.T) Polyester is derived from post-industrial and post-consumer resources such as recycled plastic bottles and plastic packaging. Using this type of polyester diminishes the reliance on virgin polyester (derived from petroleum) and keeps plastic bottles out of landfills.

Community Service

• The Community Service project at WEC this year will take place at Opportunity Village, a not-for-profit organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities by providing them with vocational training employment and social recreation services that make their lives more productive and fulfilling. WEC volunteers will help clean up and refurbish the organization's thrift store. With MPI's help to complete this project, Opportunity Village employees will be free to work on more contracts during the week, increasing their pay rates and helping them live more purposeful lives. Additionally, WEC volunteers will help paint a mural on a large wall within the thrift shop.
• Mandalay Bay employees can participate in the MGM MIRAGE Voice Foundation. The Voice Foundation invites employees to give through payroll pledge deductions or one-time contributions. Donations go further because 100-percent of every dollar pledged goes directly to the charitable organization or cause designated. MGM MIRAGE absorbs 100 percent of all administrative costs associated with donations. The employees choose where their donations go. The following are some of the charitable organizations that the Voice Foundation supports:

-         Voice Community Funds

-         Individual charity of choice

-         Local United Way Affiliate

-         Children's Medical Support Fund

-         Employee Emergency Relief Fund

Hat's off to the 2008 host committee, the city of Las Vegas and MPI for providing the meeting and events industry with a solid example of corporate social responsibility in action! The CSR: Spotlight is on you!

NOTE:  Starting with the November/December edition of KCMPI Times, KCMPI CSR Task Force will nominate a different local business for the CSR: Spotlight to showcase their accomplishments in the local community. If you would like to nominate a local business or yourself for this special honor, please contact Michelle Lizak, CMP at michelle.a.lizak@sprint.com.