Charter Cities: Radical New Ideas for Better Cities?

Stanford economist Paul Romer believes in the power of ideas. He first studied how to speed up the discovery and implementation of new technologies. But to address the big problems we'll face this century -- insecurity, harm to the environment, global poverty -- new technologies will not be enough. We must also speed up the discovery and implementation of new rules, of new ideas about how people interact.

Throughout human history, big improvements in systems of rules took place when new governments entered the scene. In today's world, this process has been largely shut down. To bring it back to life, Romer proposes that we create new cities where people can go to escape from bad rules and opt in to new and better ones. With better rules, people can be safe, self-interest can protect the environment, and investment can bring families all the resources that the modern world has to offer.

Green Meeting Standards - Have your Say!

The complete draft of the APEX Green Meeting and Event Standards were launched yesterday including specifications in 9 different areas of meeting management, including destinations. This is YOUR opportunity to weigh in - so go online, give your feedback!

The registration site for the City Discussion Groups is up, and three in Atlanta, Denver and Baltimore are accepting registrations. We expect San Antonio to be up soon and others to follow shortly thereafter as dates/locations are confirmed. This link below will take you directly to the registration site.

Also, the Word Press Blog is up and ready to accept your comments online.

For those of you who are ASTM members the standards were posted there as well. This comment period is open for 30 days (ending September 11, 2009).

Berlin Green

Berlin has recently launched a green micro-site for meetings and events. Berlin Green Meetings provides a sustainability facts about the destination and a directory of service providers that feature green offerings.

Have your Say: Green Destination Standards

So, what exactly should a destination city have in order to be considered a 'green' destination for meetings?

• Should it have commercial recycling?
• Must it have minimum amount of hotels providing green guest rooms?
• Should it have a LEED certified convention centre?
• A convenient transit link between the convention core and the airport?

Well, now is the time to have your say! Agree, disagree, but at least participate. APEX-ASTM Green Meeting and Event Standards for Destinations give direction to CVB's wanting to be green, help planners communicate the services they expect for their meetings and, at the end of the day, make the cities we call home more livable.

Contact smckinley@meetgreen.com if you would like to receive a copy of the current draft standard. Comment period is open until June 3, 2009.

Seven Deadly Sins

98% of consumer products marketed as green are greenwashing, according to TerraChoice in their newly revised report The Seven Sins of Greenwashing. With a 79% increase in green products available in North American retail stores since their 2007 report, TerraChoice advises consumers are becoming rather distrustful of environmental claims.

TerraChoice has added a new sin in this report: the worshipping of false labels. Companies committing this create the impression third-party endorsement exists when the opposite is true.

Several years ago I was conducting a site inspection at a convention centre which indicated it had achieved an energy efficiency certification. As part of my due diligence I requested the facility produce the latest proof of the certification. Having not received the certificate a few weeks following the visit I nudged them again. After a third reminder I was informed by an operations manager that the certificate had expired. Possibly an honest mistake, but still, a false label.

The lesson for planners: request verification of any and all environmental claims made, especially ecolabels.

The lesson for destinations: ensure all certifications are up to date and able to be produced on demand. And if honest errors in representing labels are made ensure they are addressed right away to help restore buyer confidence.

Sonoran Sustainability, Scottsdale Style

Happy to welcome Scottsdale, AZ to the list of CVB's with notable sustainability initiatives. In addition to featuring a Green Vendor Directory, Green Meetings portal and Green by Design Awards for their members Scottsdale is innovating by researching and developing a sustainability toolkit.

The Scottsdale Green by Design Tool Kit is now available for purchase and offers ideas and tips for local businesses, schools and non-profits that are seeking to make decisions that are not only socially responsible but also good for the bottom line. Cost is $15 and 100 percent of the purchase price is donated to the Desert Discovery Center Fund, which is dedicated to creating a public access center at the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Please contact Kelly Tope at ktope@scottsdalecvb.com or 480-889-2711 to order.

Green Destinations Featured on New Green Meetings Portal

In a first for the global meetings industry, the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) has announced the upcoming launch of the Green Meetings Portal, an online knowledge center that will bring together knowledge and breaking news from multiple face-to-face meetings on a single website.

Included on the portal is a special section for green destinations. The portal feeds and files articles and conference proceedings of interest - check it out!

Three cheers to the GMIC and The Conference Publishers for their work on the Portal!