Greening The Inaugural Ball
Greening The Inaugural Ball
Today is the big day and it is time to C.E.L.E.B.R.A.T.E.!!!!! For DC greenies, that means its time to get gussied up and hit the town for the 2009 Green Inaugural Ball.
Hosted by green guru, Former Vice President Al Gore, The Green Ball is sponsored by a list of eco-organizations a mile long, including The League of Conservation Voters, Natural Resource Defense Fund, National Wildlife Fund, and the Sierra Club.
Last week, I talked to Shelley Cohen, chair of the Green Committee for the 2009 Green Inaugural Ball to find out just how “green” this green ball would be. According to Cohen, the forces behind The Green Ball looked at every possible way that could green the event. “We really wanted to raise the bar for future events,” said Cohen. Here’s how they did it:
- Offsetting 100% of The Green Ball’s carbon footprint through Native Energy.
- Serving locally-sourced, organic and seasonal food.
- Recycling, reusing, and composting as much event waste as possible.
- Using biodegradable trash bags to line waste containers.
- Lighting with LED light bulbs.
- Minimizing paper and signage use.
- Printing using only soy based ink.
- Using biodegradable soap and energy efficient air dryers in bathrooms.
- Cleaning linens without the use of chemicals, and in a manner that uses less water and drying time.
- Using just a few organic floral decorations that will be donated for reuse after the event.
- Encouraging attendees were encouraged to use metro, walk, or drive a hybrid to the event.
- Prohibiting the idling to trucks in the loading bays.
- Using a “green” carpet that is made with 100 percent renewable electrical energy and is made of 10% consumer waste.
- Using reusable numbers instead of paper tags in the coat check.
- Encouraging guests to offset their own carbon footprints through Native Energy.
Cohen admits that there were other things they wanted to do, such as donating all of the leftover food from the event that they could not do because of the limitations set by the security zones for the event. One thing that I thought was really interesting is that a lot of these things are doable for the rest of us…for formal holiday parties, your high schooler’s prom, or the upcoming charity ball. Their list of eco-initiatives serves as a good starting point for planning a green event.
So what do you think? Does The Green Ball meet up to its name? What else could have done to make this event even greener?
Wow, it looks like they really tried to make a real difference, rather than just a political statement. I’m especially impressed that they covered some of the easily-overlooked things like the biodegradable soap and the repurposed organic florals.
Importantly, they focused on behavior as well as consumption by recommending attendees take public transportation.
Many of these optimistic choices won’t have as big an impact until we fix the overall system in which they function — like the biodegradable trash bags that will likely sit compressed and unable to degrade in a landfill. Let’s hope that President Obama spurs these greater victories for the sustainability of the United States and the world!
Well said Asheen…thanks so much for your comment!
Jenn