Posted by

Barry Siskind

Community Manager

 

On February 23, 2011 the UFI Focus Meeting on Sustainable Development convenes in Bangkok, Thailand.

 

I asked the speakers to share some of their experiences with me prior to the meeting in order to encourage our global exhibition community to begin a dialogue on this important topic. I posed four questions to them. Over the next few weeks I will be sharing their response.

 

Michael Duck, Chair of the UFI Committee on Sustainable Development, had the following to say:

 

Barry: Sustainability has been an area of focus for the past decade. Why do you think it has taken so long for the exhibition industry to adopt more green technologies?

 

Michael: I believe that it really is due to many companies in our industry not believing that there are elements in our industry that are wasteful; and that we do not have a big carbon footprint because we do not actually physically process anything. When actually we do: We do use many paper flyers, manuals, promotional materials etc. We do throw away many thousand of square meters of carpeting and  we do encourage people to travel. But its only now as our children and governments ask ”What are we doing?” that we are engaging in this subject

 

Barry: Do you see an increase or decrease in interest in green technologies?

 

Michael: No doubt an increase…in everything we do, clean, green and sustainable are words most used in exhibitors’ marketing materials.

 

 

Barry: What affect did the recession have on the industry’s ability to embrace green?

 

Michael: I believe it slowed it down. No doubt people were and possibly still are scared of the ramifications of the recession. In fact by using some sustainable measures there are cost savings in our company for example; eliminating carpets  cut costs and  the carbon footprint!

 

Barry: Are green initiatives something the industry should adopt for altruistic reasons (it’s the right thing to do) or is there a business case?

 

Michael: Of course it’s the right thing to do, for those of us living in highly polluted atmospheres and seeing waste, it’s only sensible and the only way forward. We have to set an example. There is and has to be a business case as well, there is no alternative.