Fresh floral wilts in face of green events Due in part to the demand for "green events" that create less waste and consume fewer resources, 30 percent of respondents to a recent online poll from Special Events say their clients are cutting back "somewhat" on their use of fresh floral at events. Five percent say their clients are "sharply cutting back or eliminating" fresh floral. However, 50 percent of respondents say their clients have shown no change in the amount of fresh floral they like, and 10 percent say their clients want even more fresh floral. Five percent don't know or have no opinion. This trend has given new life to artificial floral. These products are no longer dismissed as "fake flowers" but now are referred to as "permanent botanicals" ...

UNITE HERE starts to divide Our sister media group MeetingsNet reports that some 150,000 members of the hotel workers' union UNITE HERE split off from the group last month so they could affiliate with the Service Employees International Union, cutting by a third UNITE HERE's former strength. Read more here ...

What you're reading The five most popular stories online at specialevents.com in March were:

1. Event Pros Predict Turnaround in 2010, Survey Says
2. Galas Change Game Plans to Raise Funds in Sour Economy
3. PRA's Patti Roscoe on the Tough New Climate for DMCs
4. Successful Fundraising in a Tight Economy
5. Anne Dunsmore on Fundraising in Tough Times

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Photo by iStockphoto.com/ © Lanica Klein