Make Your Next Meeting a Green Meeting

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. As experts in the digital printing business, we’ve been living the three R’s for years. Recent client requests have shown us that we’re all stepping up our game to meet the challenges of producing more by using less. There’s no difference when it comes to meeting signage. With the latest trends in inks, printers, materials and digital technology, there are plenty of ways to reduce your carbon footprint without breaking the bank. Here are some of our suggestions.

Reduce

The best way to reduce your carbon footprint is to go digital. After all, you can’t waste what you don’t print. The most popular digital resources for meetings today revolve around your event registration website. Many are expanding their sites to use as a platform for easy access to enduring meeting materials.

Registration websites are being used by all of the meeting experts to streamline the pre-meeting communication process. Invites, travel arrangements, hotel accommodations, and meeting logistics can all be communicated online. So why not keep it going with your welcome packets, attendee and participant lists, agendas, and contact sheets? You can also include the presentation from the meeting and any additional resources that your participants may find useful.

Provide the URL to your meeting attendees during your PowerPoint presentation or place a QR code on a poster or business card so participants can scan and go. Just make sure your site is mobile friendly with responsive web design. Your program participants are going to want to look at everything on their mobile devices prior, during or immediately after the meeting.

Reuse

Reusing materials is a great way to cut costs and eliminate waste. Meeting materials like lanyards, pens and writing pads are an easy win. So are whiteboards instead of flipcharts and reusable nameplates instead of tent cards. But what about signage? With a clear strategy, the money you invest in sustainable signage can pay off. Not just for your budget, but for the environment as well.

Many of our clients request to mount their signs on foam core because of the low cost. But lately we’ve been steering them toward natural gator board or Sintra PVC. Foam core has a tendency to warp after a few hours, so it can only be used once effectively. But if you’re running hundreds of meetings per year, why not create signage that can be used over and over again? The key is to use sturdier materials that don’t lose their shape and look just as new at your 10th conference as they do at your first. Velcro, magnetics, or dry erase elements can be incorporated to customize meeting titles, dates, times or locations.

When selecting the materials that are right for your next project, ask yourself these questions:

  1. What other events/purposes can I use this poster for?

  2. What is my budget for reusable signage?

  3. How many times do I intend to re-use my sign or poster and how long do they need to last – a week, a month, a year?

  4. How do the signs need to be maintained to enhance their longevity?

  5. Where will they need to be stored and do I have the space to store them?

  6. Should I purchase a sturdy shipping container to maintain the quality of the poster?

Recycle

Your efforts to reduce your carbon footprint should extend way beyond yourself and your company. Pay close attention to the vendors you use. Here at CMW, we use Energy Star compliant wide-format printers. We’re a member of the HP Take-Back program which recycles print heads, ink cartridges, and cleaning supplies. We also use water-based latex inks that are non-flammable, non-combustible and non-hazardous.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to let your clients know about your efforts. They may be interested in ways they can help!

Parting Thoughts

Although going green may require giving some green up front, in most cases it will result in a cost-savings at the end of the line. Think about LED light bulbs. They may cost more than a regular light bulb, but each bulb can last up to 22 years! It just makes sense right? Reusable signage and digital meeting platforms are an initial upfront investment for the build. But once you have them, you’ll be happy with the savings you accrue over time.

Creative MediaWorks has been designing and printing meeting signage for 25 years. We use eco-friendly wide-format printers and short run digital printers that yield quality products with speed and accuracy. Call us at (800) 737-1123 or email us at info@creativemediaworks.com to learn more. And if you haven’t joined our newsletter list, click here to sign up.