WasteExpo's Continued Commitment to Sustainability
Shaping the Waste Industry for a Sustainable Future.
At WasteExpo we not only talk about sustainability but we've taken the steps to create a more sustainable event by looking for opportunities to improve our impact environmentally, socially and economically in the regions we operate.
We want to continue our efforts to make WasteExpo more responsible and play a role in helping the market improve its own sustainability. We do this through connecting people with networks and knowledge to help solve the big challenges in our industry with a focus on the areas of waste management, energy and water conservation, sustainable procurement, and community engagement.
Our three pledges
Inspiring Sustainable
Development
Environmental
Responsibility
Social
Responsibility
See It In Action - Green Initiatives
WasteExpo continues to partner with GES to procure more sustainable products for the conference.
GES was the first global full-service events provider to earn both APEX/ASTM Level 2 Certification in the U.S. and ISO 20121 in the UK, with the certification renewed every two years.
WASTE REDUCTION
- Pack In And Pack Out Policy
- Waste Diversion Of 65% Or Higher
- Recycling And Repurposing Of Signage, Furniture, Graphics, And Carpet
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- Partner With Community Organizations To Donate Materials
- Provide Labor And In-kind Services To Those In Need
- We Are Committed To Serving The Communities In Which We Live And Work
PROCUREMENT
- Established Criteria For Purchasing Environmentally Preferred Products
- Encourage Sourcing Materials Locally
ENERGY CONSERVATION
- Measurement Of Energy Consumption
- 100% Use Of Led Technology For Custom Builds
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center team is committed to reducing environmental impacts and helping our customers meet their sustainability goals.
RECYCLING
Recycling is provided for attendees in the front of house area and is available in the exhibit space by request. Dedicated areas for cardboard and pallets recycling are provided for exhibitors in the back of house. We diverted over 250,000 lbs. of material from landfills through our recycling programs in 2019.
ENERGY USE
We work to minimize our energy use on a regular basis through practices such as BAS scheduling, reducing light and HVAC requirements for non-occupied spaces and turning off escalators in unoccupied areas. Over 5,000 light fixtures have been upgraded to LED. All Exhibit Hall lighting was upgraded to LEDs in 2021. Combined with other major energy upgrades, we expect an energy reduction of 10-15%.
FOOD DONATIONS
Food donations are made to local partners, such as Bethel Colony, coordinated by Centerplate. Over 64,000 lbs. of food were donated to Bethel Colony in 2019, benefiting both their residents as well as other organizations in the community. An additional 52,000 lbs. of food were donated by Exhibitors to Second Harvest Food Bank. We also turned 24,000 lbs. of grease into bio-fuels.
WATER
Water bottle filling stations were installed in the Convention Center lobbies and next to all bathrooms – more than 60 in total! The new 7 acre Pedestrian Park outside our facility manages storm water in rain gardens planted with native Louisiana wetland plants. Water coolers and pitchers are available to replace bottled water.
COMPOSTING
Our food service provider, Centerplate, practices composting in the back of house and employee cafeteria. Most of the food-ware is made of biodegradable materials. Event-related composting will be processed by Schmelly's Dirt Farm.
METRICS
Tracking of sustainability metrics (such as water, energy, and waste) will be collected by Honeycomb Strategies. Entronix energy meters installed in 2020 will help to facilitate energy tracking for events.
Learn more about Ernest N. Morial Convention Center's Commitment to Sustainability here.
What can you do?
Reduce signage waste by:
- Encourage less printing and provide information digitally when it comes to booth literature. If must print, create reusable non-dated signs that can be used year after year.
- Avoid foamcore signs as they CANNOT be recycled. Instead request recyclable material such as cardboard.
- Ask GES what options they have for sustainable booths.
Reduce booth waste by:
- Requesting sustainable options from GES Break down ALL cardboard boxes and stack for pick up by janitorial staff.
- Eliminate polystyrene (i.e. packing peanuts, #6 or foam plastic) from booth shipping and operations.
- Use the stickers provided at the Exhibitor Services desk to mark your materials for donation.
- Set a goal to leave no trace behind by shipping out all booth properties and packing materials and donating extra giveaways.
- Visit an Eco-Station to compost food and recyclables.
Participate in the Exhibitor Donation Program
- Waste Expo, in conjunction with the convention center and GES, will be coordinating donation services at WasteExpo. Why donate? Because by donating your extra exhibit material, we can work together to prevent goods from going to waste, or entering landfills, while saving money on shipping! Goods donated will be picked up by the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity and Keep Louisiana Beautiful, benefitting the New Orleans community. Acceptable materials include: tables, chairs, bookcases, décor and accessories, and more. Fill out the donation form or contact Corey Clark at cclark@hcsustainability for more information.
DON’T FORGET - Train all booth staff on sustainable booth operations including: waste management, nightly shut-down plans, post-event donations, and the sustainable attributes of the booth.
Travel Sustainably by:
- Offset your own travel by selecting the offset package during registration.
- Choose a SmartWay™-certified hauler at no additional cost to ensure your transportation company is practicing sustainable shipping.
- Bring reusable water bottles to refill at show while onsite.
While onsite: We are working hard to help reduce the impacts WasteExpo has on the environment. But we need your help!
- Make sure to download the WasteExpo mobile app instead of taking a map.
- Remember to turn off lights when leaving your hotel room.
- Participate in your hotels Linen ReUse Program. Did you know that you can often earn Rewards points for participating? Ask your hotel about their specific awards incentives!
- Ask for a recycling bag for your hotel room if one isn’t in place.
- Take advantage of the free hotel shuttle to/from the airport and walk to the convention center if possible!
- Make sure to use the proper Recycling and Compost bins at the convention center. Look before you throw!
- Use a refillable water bottle and coffee cup.
- Take only what you need at events.
- Choose to eat vegetarian or vegan at least one meal per day, or make the commitment eat meat free all week!
- Donate left over conference materials and items at show close.
How Our Commitment Works
This is about the sustainability of the industry that our event serves. With focus on our content and partnerships, we inspire our attendees, exhibitors and event teams to deliver a sustainable event.
The key is considering how we can reduce our carbon footprint through energy efficiency, consideration of our energy use, waste reduction and our procurement choices.
This requires us to think about the impact we have on the local community and whether we are being a good neighbor. It also includes how we consider the welfare of everyone at our events, how we do business in an ethical and safe manner and how we promote equality and accessibility.
