Green Initiatives
RSA Conference will review all areas of the Conference with our staff and vendor partners with the aim to make better, greener choices. We are fortunate to host our event in San Francisco at the Moscone Center which leads the country in its green efforts and is an example to other convention centers.
Here are some highlights of our progress so far:
What Moscone’s doing:
Recycling Program 1998-2007:
- Nearly 2 million pounds is diverted annually from the city’s landfill.
- Nearly 20% of that total is comprised of donations to local area nonprofits.
Food & Beverage:
- Composting Program 2007
- Over 25,000 meals served in look-alike, clear compostable containers made of a special kind of cornstarch instead of plastic – straws too!
- “Disposable” bowls and plates are made from sugarcane pulp and utensils from potato starch. Using renewable resources allows these items to be composted when discarded instead of ending up in a landfill.
- Over 12 tons of food scraps composted to date
- Food donations made via Food Runners to local charities
- Bottles, cans and glass separated for recycling.
Energy Efficiency:
- Photovoltaic system atop Moscone South’s Esplanade Ballroom and South lobby roof consists of the 675kW rooftop solar system.
- Together the building’s lighting retrofit and the solar system displace 1,933 tons of carbon dioxide annually.
For a look at all that Moscone does, go to www.moscone.com. For information on San Francisco’s green plans, see www.sfenvironment.org.
What we’re doing:
Marketing:
- For RSA Conference 2009, we reduced printing overall by 20%. We strive to continue reducing our reliance on printed material for communication and will direct our delegates to our website for detailed information about the Conference.
- On-site signage will be produced on recyclable cardboard. We will reduce and try to eliminate the use of foam core.
Production:
- Replace all printed Sponsor Keynote "seat drops" with video clips playing in the keynote room
- Request all Keynote media be delivered digitally rather than on videotape
- Utilize LED lighting where possible
- Minimize stageset fabrication, donate/re-purpose set and stage post event
Transportation:
- Utilize alternative fuel vehicles where possible
- Reduce number of pick up times
- Keeping it local: All conference events are within the downtown area and require minimum transportation as a general rule
Merchandise:
- Look at using recycled materials for notebooks, pens and bags wherever possible
- Set up area for people to drop off unwanted conference materials- bags, shirts, giveaways. These will then be donated to local schools and organizations. Saving on multiple shipping and waste.
Exposition:
- Continue to promote the "Leave No Trace" program to Exhibitors, encouraging them to ship out all booth properties, literature and giveaways that they shipped in, thereby minimizing Moscone dumpster waste.
- Encourage less printing and more digital information sharing when it comes to booth literature, fulfilling requests via email and website referral.)
- Label “trash” “recycling” or “items for donation” during tear down, again with the goal of minimizing dumpster waste.
As planning progresses, we will continue to strive to minimize our impact on the Earth while providing delegates with the world-class education, training and networking event.
What YOU can do:
Transportation:
- Walk to your destination.
- Be understanding when we wait a few extra minutes to fill shuttles before leaving.
- If you use a taxi, consider sharing it with others from your hotel who are also heading to the convention center.
- Consider using local transit like BART http://www.bart.gov/, MUNI http://www.sfmta.com/cms/home/sfmta.php,or CalTrain http://www.caltrain.com/ to get to San Francisco and Moscone Center.
Collateral & Gifts:
- Take only what you will use. When taking brochures, collateral or gifts, take only what you know you’ll use.
- Stop by our donation counter in the North Lobby of Moscone to donate items you don’t want to bring home. We’ll make sure that items are donated to local schools.
Carbon Offsets:
- Consider offsetting your flight to and from San Francisco. There are several reputable companies that can do this for you. A simple Google search will show you the way.
- Check out www.begreennow.com and use the carbon calculator to see your footprint. Also see www.lighterfootstep.com for tips on living a more planet friendly lifestyle.
These small steps can help as we all we strive to make smarter and more environmentally sound decisions. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions at information@rsaconference.com.