Green, sustainable living and travel is at the top of mind for many young professionals. If you spend time online in event planning spaces, you may already know that creating sustainable meetings and events is a priority.
As Globe Trender states, “Green credentials are no longer a bonus for events – they will be a deciding factor in who secures the business.” Venues have a wide range of options for lowering their carbon footprint and consumption of resources. It can be as simple as installing low flow shower heads in hotels or having a plan in place for composting or recycling food scraps. Using locally sourced food and providing vegetarian options for meals can also go a long way in attracting and retaining environmentally minded clients.
Although initiating green practices to events can be costly, going green is valuable for many reasons. It helps our beautiful planet, brings in guests, and it showcases the plethora of nature (and our love of it) that we have in the Greater St. Cloud community.
4 Ways to Showcase and Incorporate Environmental Sustainability at Conferences and Events:
- Sustainable practices need to be a priority, rather than an afterthought. Providing easily accessible information about the conference’s green practices is one way to help attract and retain environmentally conscious clientele. Include information such as: renewable energy (solar power, etc.) recycling efforts, and any other ways that you are going green.
- Reduce the amount of paper products that are used. For example, instead of paper schedules and informational handouts, Visit Greater St. Cloud offers complimentary access to the Visit St. Cloud App. The CVB can upload schedules, hotel booking information, speaker biographies, sponsorship information and more!
- Offer details about green transportation options. Include information about the locations of charging ports for electric cars or bus stations that guests can use for transport. For event entertainment, utilize buses or vans to transport large groups of people, or keep the entertainment within walking distance. For instance, attendees of conferences held at the River’s Edge Convention Center in downtown St. Cloud can walk to restaurants, bars, and shopping within the downtown area! View a full list of restaurants here.
Munsinger and Clemens Gardens - Showcase your community by including information about nearby parks, walking and biking trails and other greenspaces. Add to this by organizing group walking tours or cycling tours, both are a great way to make space for conversations and networking between conference attendees, all while enjoying the outdoors!
Green spaces and outdoor fun in Greater St. Cloud
Greater St. Cloud has many beautiful trails and green spaces for travelers and locals alike to enjoy. Check out these great opportunities for outdoor fun in Greater St. Cloud! Go for a hike through Quarry Park and Nature Preserve! While you’re there go for a swim and, if you’re feeling brave, jump off one of the cliffs into the cool water (unless it’s winter, then maybe bring your snowshoes instead)! Take a bike ride along the paved Lake Wobegon Trail that stretches just over sixty miles (bike rentals available)! Biking not your thing? Lace up your walking shoes and enjoy a long walk down the Beaver Island trail or a meander through Munsinger Clemens Gardens. Try out Frisbee Golfing at Riverside Park while enjoying views of the Mississippi River.
To see a full list of outdoor adventures click here.