Outdoor Retailer, an outdoor industry trade event, has taken steps to promote sustainable practices at its Winter Market 2007, First Tracks reports.
All Winter Market attendees will receive badges made from recycled paper and printed with soy ink. The recycled paper badges will replace an estimated 20,000 petroleum based badges. Badge holders will additionally be collected and re-used at future trade events.
Winter Market 2007 will also feature recycled aisle carpeting throughout the tradeshow floor. Outdoor Retailer will use a carpet that is made with 25 percent recycled content. Additionally, the carpet will be reused for future VNU-produced shows. GES is also making the carpet available to any interested exhibitors.
VNU Sports Group, the parent company of Outdoor Retailer, will once again offset 100 percent of the electricity used during the show with wind power through the purchase of RECs. The energy-related activities calculated from electricity indicate that an average tradeshow would release over 858,000 pounds of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. This would be equivalent to the environmental benefit of taking nearly 81 cars off the road for an entire year. In 2007, VNU Sports Group will purchase enough renewable energy credits to offset standard electricity usage for seven expositions.
Outdoor Retailer will also continue their partnership with SMG, a leader in conference venue management, to provide biodegradable, vegetable-based food and beverage containers at Salt Palace concession stands for the duration of the show. Attendees will be urged to make use of biodegradable-specific disposal bins placed near concession stands.
