Are all sustainability solutions effective? In an article for MeetingsNet, sustainable meetings planner Natalie Lowe, CMM, CRL, discusses why this isn't always the case. Sometimes, in the search for eco-friendly solutions, you might get duped by greenwashing and green-wishing. Greenwashing, as she puts it, refers to "deliberately misleading sustainability claims," which can happen when a company deceitfully sells a product claiming it is good for the environment when it is not. Green-wishing, on the other hand, can happen when "meeting pros are overly optimistic when looking for fast, simple solutions."
Lowe suggests being wary of solutions that seem too easy. "Reducing the environmental footprint of our events is not complicated, but this is a newer area of expertise for event professionals and we can be sold flashy promises that don’t deliver," she advises.
Here are three things you can consider to prevent falling prey to greenwashing or green-wishing.
- Ask about data and/or certification
- Downstream versus upstream efforts
- Over-reliance on offsets
To learn more about each tip, head over to MeetingsNet to read the full article.
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