Hi folks, thanks very much for inviting me, really appreciate the forum & opportunity 
I’m a sustainable event manager and had my business Climate Wave Enterprises since 2008. I’m also a volunteer director with Sustainable Event Alliance and Surfrider Foundation.
I live on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
The only work I have going currently is zero waste management for a local farmers market.
From what I can tell I’m not the only one with the problem of getting people/organisers to value SEM above the dollar.
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Hello everyone, thank you for the invitation to this community!
I am from Portugal, the beautiful Lisbon is my home.
I have been working as an event producer for 15 years, specially as a stage manager or doing artistic direction in galas or cultural events. Some years ago I felt the need to make a change in my lifestyle, I became more aware of the sustainable issues and this made me rethink everything about my work. So I gather a group of sustainable warriors and started to dig some solutions into a new project: Green Mind Events (www.greenmindevents.pt).
Besides the cultural events, creating story-telling with performers for corporate companies, Sport Institutions / Federations and so on, directing Galas, we jumped into social events also. Right now I am in a transition period of my life, I took a sabbatical leave and came to the USA, to have the opportunity to work in some community theaters and also to learn as much as possible on the topic of sustainability. With all the pandemic situation I had to reset the goals so I decided also to learn more about online events.
There are several sustainable issues in producing an event in Portugal, mostly regarding the lack of options to recycling materials or finding sustainable venues. We have been developing strategies to achieve zero waste events, even on cultural events, when we have to produce scenery, for example. It is a challenge to spread new sustainable habits, sustainable caterings for example, but these topics are becoming more acceptable by the community.
Hope to learn a lot more from you all.
Thank you!
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Hi @LegacyTheTeam yes of course that would be great! By all means i am not an AI expert but definitely an AI enthusiast
When would you like me to start the forum?
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Shall we create it as an event and try and get people to chat live at a specific time? Just create a new topic - this probably belongs in the “News and Views” area. You can create an event within the new topic just by clicking the cog symbol on the toolbar above and choosing “Create Event”
Hi @GregHowell, welcome to the Green Room! Yes there is definitely an issue with helping organisers understand the long term benefit of sustainable event management. Can you share how you have persuaded people previously?
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Hello @AnaPinheiro, great to see you in the Green Room and to have a voice from beautiful Portugal!
What have you learned about online events so far? Could you share in this conversation?
The only way I’ve found so far and I don’t recommend it and I don’t anymore was to offer my services gratis. I had been trying to convince one organiser of a big event for several years. The event runs over 10 days at various venues, so I planned and executed a zero waste system. The system was a success to which I wrote a report and sent to members of the organising group. Years later at another event the organiser approached me thinking I was just another attendee…Oh what are you doing here?..I’m managing my Eco Angels and our zero waste system. I found out my report wasn’t read back then. Oh wonderful, is this your system? We must get you involved with our future events. My team have been employed for the last 2 events and will be for the future.
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What you do : Founder of Magrada Proyectos, event agency specialized in innovative materials
Where you come from: Based in Barcelona , working all around Europe
What you’re working on: Changing metodology and practises for more circular economy - sustainable events
What challenges you have related to sustainable events : Networking with companies and professionals that want to make a change to a more sustainable events. Learn from good practises,
Lastly partnership with UK companies to be a local platform for their events production and management that are coming to Barcelona.
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Welcome @magrada! We find networking a challenge too, especially in these unusual times. Are there any activities that you’d like us to arrange on this forum, to bring like minded event professionals together?
Hi there. I’m Mark, sales director for Conference Care, a venue finding agency based in the Midlands.
Andrew and Chris, our owners, founded the business 25 years ago and have a real passion for sustainability. we are celebrating being carbon neutral as a business for 10 years this year.
Our focus at the moment is around further education of our customers in making their events more sustainable but also highlighting sustainability to the industry as a whole.
I’m really interested in other peoples views as to how we go about this.
Mark
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Hi !
I’m a sustainable event advisor in Quebec, Canada.
I’ve been doing that for more than 15 years. I work with cities, sport events, corporate events and more.
Right now most of my work are to plan our annual event and contest : Les Vivats. We are doing this event to share content, tools, do networking on Sustainable events.
My challenges ? We have most of our clients who cannot do their events until 2021 so we have less work to do… We are working on a new topic : sustainable webinar and digital sobriety. Pretty challenging 
Caroline Voyer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-voyer-3b382610/
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What you do (please don’t pitch or sell!): Hi, I’m Susan Duncombe Founder of Secret Spaces a hand-picked collection of unique event venues in and around Areas of Oustanding Natural Beauty, many of which have great sustainability credentials.
Where you come from: I’m fortunate enough to be based in Cheltenham, on the edge of the gorgeous Cotswold countryside.
What you’re working on: Supporting our venues in this challenging time.
What challenges you have related to sustainable events (we can probably help!): We’re working hard on getting the message out there about the sustainability credentials of our venues and the benefits of running a sustainable event.
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Hi Everyone
I am Miguel Escribano, from Spain.
I am Business Development Manager at Kunak Technologies; a start-up company; provider of Environmental Technology such as Air Quality networks and Environmental Cloud software. Lots of fun, and some frustrations.
I am two weeks away fom finishing studies in Business Sustainability Management at CISL University of Cambridge.
Since 2018, I am also helping World Athletics (formerly IAAF) with their Air Quality Program, first as a technology partner. Now as an external coordinator. It means more fun, lots of travels, many of them postponed.
Our last mission has been to monitor the Air Quality throughout the track of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics Marathon in Sapporo. More info: https://www.worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/heat-air-quality-conditions-sapporo-tokyo-oly
My main challenge is helping World Athletics advance with the new Sustainability Strategy dated April 2020.
Also, keep on learning, take a big leap in a career focused on Sustainable enabling Technology (greentech).
Best,
Miguel
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Hi everyone!
I’m Nuria and I have been working for the travel and events industry since I can remember! Thanks to my job, I have had the opportunity to travel extensively worldwide and work with and learn from different cultures, which is something I loved!
I am passionate about the environment and making positive social change, and I want to transition to a more sustainable-related position where I can make a real, significant change.
I come from Madrid, Spain, and currently live in London, working on a project to raise awareness among companies to organise more sustainable and eco-friendly events.
One of the biggest challenges I found in this field is to help my client’s to implement sustainable practices in their supply chain…
Any tips?
I am looking forward to becoming an active and engaged member of this community!
Best,
Nuria
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What you do : Sustainability Consultant, Trainer and Auditor looking for ways to support and make a difference Keen to retain and develop my knowledge and experience in ISO 20121, sustainable event management and tourism.
Where you come from : Im from York, UK, but now I have been living in Barcelona, Spain since 2004, now counting Spanish among my other languages of French, German and English (native).
What you’re working on: some teaching, some training and some consulting work with international destinations
What challenges you have related to sustainable events (we can probably help!) : Engagement and lack of awareness is probably the biggest obstacle. Knowledge will support confidence to make the necessary changes to the way we live.
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Hi, I’m Stuart from Eventism. I’m based in Kent and I design and deliver sustainable events. I’m working on a virtual event right now (who isn’t!) and also doing some sustainability consultancy for an exhibition stand designer. The latter is proving to be a little challenging (although really interesting) as we work out what to measure, how to measure and then the strategy for becoming more sustainable.
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Hi
I work officially in Compliance and Management for a boutique financial services firm but carve out as much of my day as possible to develop our sustainable investment strategy and services, as thats my passion. I live (and currently work from home in Paisley) but the offices are in Glasgow and Edinburgh. I’m originally from Bristol.
I’m working on our podcast, on developing communication and branding, training my colleagues, as well as wider company compliance issues.
Our main aims are keeping the language and topics interesting and relatable, an be tricky with financial matters, and having enough hours in the day.
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[quote=“LegacyTheTeam, post:1, topic:19”]
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What you do (please don’t pitch or sell!) - I’m a fourth-year event management student at the University of Stirling (Scotland)! I run events for different extracurricular activities whenever possible.
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Where you come from? - I’m from the Highlands of Scot;and but moved down for university.
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What you’re working on? - I’m currently planning a series of webinars and interactive day for the Scottish Young Greens, as well as various activities for the university UniBoob Society I am the event organiser of.
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What challenges you have related to sustainable events (we can probably help!)? - I’m currently working on a work-based project as an alternative to a dissertation. The company I am meant to be working with isn’t replying right now though. I want to look at how to make vegan events/sustainable events more accessible to people in lower-income areas, and then also whatever the company thinks would benefit this insight. I’d love to get as much experience as possible with companies that care!
[quote=“Karenstenning, post:4, topic:19”]
Hello, I’m Vanessa from Portugal
I’m a master student of International Event Management, and I’m here to raise my knowledge about sustainable events, counting with your collaboration.
Thank you
What you do
From a greeting card to a whole set of wedding stationery or your business marketing material, we print beautiful things onto earth friendly papers. We started out using seed paper which was so popular we decided to look into other exciting options to expand our range, which now includes elephant poo paper and sugarcane paper. We are always looking for new exciting opportunities for our small business that we love so much.
Where are you from
UK and Mexico, but we are based out of Cheshire, UK
What you’re working on
Expanding our business into bigger events
What challenges you have related to sustainable events
Building strategic partnerships