(Mercer Island, WA - September 3, 2008) One of the nation's first truly "green" expos will take place October 1&2 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place. Produced by SustainCommWorld, The Green Media Show Conference & Expo will create a very low carbon neutral event, especially on the show floor where all exhibit structures will be provided to the exhibitors, developed from either 100% recycled and recyclable materials, reusable metal products and biodegradable bamboo for wall materials.

The event, focusing on all media communications for corporations and government agencies, will look at how companies can lower the carbon footprint of their advertising, websites, printed brochures and materials, email campaigns and all internal and external communication.

KATHLEEN KAISER, EVP OF SUSTAINCOMMWORLD QUOTE

"We made a commitment from the start to utilize as many sustainable green resources as possible to reduce the entire carbon footprint of this event. We analyzed every aspect - pre-show marketing, actual conference production, onsite materials and the biggie, the actual show floor. Being in the tradeshow business for twenty years, I took a hard look at what show management and what exhibitors could do to reduce the overall expo footprint.

"First focus was on the actual booths. Shipping in large booth structures from around the country, takes energy - burns carbon. And many of those booths and their printed graphics are not created sustainably. Lighting could be old fashion incandescent. The only factor I could not control," continued Kaiser, "was the carpeting as this is a hotel event and permanent carpeting was installed. However, we chose Marriott to work with as they have a great corporate program, "Echo," that is refitting and addressing many sustainability issues inside their hotels."

WHAT WAS DONE TO ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS

Working with Champion Exposition Services, Kaiser designed a variety of green booth structures for the exhibitors to use that included:

Next, Kaiser approached Ivan Lazarev, president of ITN International for an innovative solution to materials distribute on the show floor. Aware for years of the mountains of handouts that make it back to an attendee's hotel room and then are tossed into the trash, she wanted a more sustainable solution. ITN will be supplying the lead retrieval for The Green Media Show, tied to a smart chip badge. Each exhibitor will have an iphone type device in their booth preloaded with all of their handouts as pdfs or items to be mailed from their fulfillment houses.

Her biggest challenge was having the paper manufacturers understand that shipping a sample book directly to someone's desk was much more economical, sustainable and saved them money. Once companies like Domtar, Appleton Coated, Finch and New Page understood the advantage of this program, they became enthusiastic supporters of the concept.

Badge lanyards will attach directly to the badge, eliminating plastic holders. The lanyards are 100% biodegradable, created from corn syrup, including the clip. Recycle bins for disposal of badges and lanyards will be placed at all exits.

Another area was the drayage of large pieces of equipment to be shipped to the event, loaded into the show floor and than shipped back. Except for essential equipment, like a printer for a printing manufacturer, exhibitors were encouraged to prepare video demonstrations to have in their booths, illustrating the strengths of their products. Some companies will have one of a kind sample for more tactile products.

All food functions will utilize high quality local products when available, no plastic bottles, 100% recycled paper cups for hot and cold beverages, and designated recycle containers for metal and paper. Excess food will be donated to a local NGO for distribution.

LISA WELLMAN, CEO OF SUSTAINCOMMWORLD, QUOTE

"I believe that what Kathleen has accomplished with our show floor is a first time ever event. She pioneered this approach of supplying the booth structures back with Seybold Seminars 15 years ago. I headed up Apple's participation then and was highly supportive as it created a better show floor, where products, not fancy booths, were the stars. Now we have taken her original concept and updated it for the 21st century when being green and considering your carbon footprint are essential."

MARKETING OF EVENT WENT GREEN TOO

Marketing the event was designed with a critical eye for reducing carbon. Starting by using a solar powered website, they reduced the huge expenditure of energy that the worldwide web consumes. Extensive email campaigns to gain attention of attendees. For a mail piece, they cleaned lists and targeted geographies, selected tested titles and industries. A sponsor, ShipShapes, provided a unique mailer made from post-consumer waste that's recyclable.

The only handout at the event will be the Green Resource Guide, which will be printed locally. The full process of producing this guide will be accomplished using the highest standards for sustainable green printing. Included in the Guide is a colophon detailing environmentally preferable attributes of materials and processes employed and independently verified. social and environmental certifications achieved by the materials suppliers and the selected print service provider. All stock is to be the highest percentage post consumer recycled stock available with FSC or SFI certification and with a preference for stock that can be certified as "carbon neutral" and/or produced with wind power. Inks should be low VOC vegetable inks.

While no one can be 100% carbon neutral, the show producers realize that carbon offsets are a bridge to that future. Working with Community Energy, a wind power developer and offset provider, they will offset:

About the Green Media Show Conference & Expo, October 1&2, Boston Marriott Copley Place

The two day event will focus on bottom-line solutions to address enterprise communication and sustainability including: increased brand equity; growing shareholder value; business risk reduction; supply chain activity; sustainability reporting; carbon foot-printing and more. The conference will offer top executives uniquely valuable perspectives probing every aspect of sustainable communications from initiating a sustainability program, best practices and implementation strategies, to sustainability reports. The Conference brings together thought leaders in sustainability with a focus on the graphic communication industry and marketing communications, their supply chains and relevant enterprise stakeholders.

About SustainCommWorld

SustainCommWorld is focused on educating communication professionals from corporations, institutions and government agencies about how to develop sustainable green workflows and supply chains to lower their carbon footprint. SustainCommWorld currently produces two major events: The Business of Green Media in cooperation with the Cal Poly Graphic Communication Department and the Graphic Communication Institute at Cal Poly, and The Green Media Show Conference & Expo, a conference and expo in Boston. SustainCommWorld staff consults with institutions and enterprises around the world on issues related to sustainable communication - the production of sustainable media and the associated business challenges and opportunities that work with the graphic arts community and those involved in media production.
http://www.sustaincommworld.com/