2015 Winter Conference Green Meeting

Protecting our environment and the planet is of fundamental importance to the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and its members.  Our green meeting strategy aims to lighten our environmental impact by:

Meeting Materials

• NACWA has significantly reduced printed materials for conferences, and prints only what is necessary to the success of the conference.  All information on the conference is available at www.nacwa.org/15winter. 

• Materials that are printed for our meetings are printed on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper that is made with a minimum of 10% post-consumer waste.

• NACWA lanyards are made from 100% post-consumer plastic, mostly plastic bottles. 

• The sponsored Key Cards are made from a minimum of 20% post-consumer plastic.

• All NACWA Signage is made from reusable materials.  The NACWA Sponsorship Bio-Banner is made from the new revolutionary biodegradable PVC material.  When placed in a landfill, the Bio-Banner will literally vanish within 3-5 years unlike other vinyl banners that remain unchanged for decades.

• NACWA staff also will be reducing paper usage as much as possible onsite, using ENERGY STAR certified computers and adopting other “green office” practices. 

 

Recycling of Materials

• The Hotel recycles Plastic, Cardboard, Aluminum Cans, Office Paper, Steel Cans, Newspapers, Magazines, Ink Cartridges and Toner, Refrigerators, Hot Water Heaters, Appliances, Rose Hot Water Temperature in Boiler and Lowered Chemical Use as well as kitchen grease.

• Recycling bins are provided throughout guest spaces, such as guest floors and pool area.

• Following the conclusion of the meeting, be sure to stop by NACWA’s registration desk to drop off your badge and lanyard – NACWA strives to recycle and reuse as many meeting materials as possible.

 

Other NACWA Meeting Policies

• NACWA offers tap water at our conferences, so that we can all enjoy the product of our member’s labors and reduce waste.

 

Belmond Charleston Place Environmental Policies

• Hotel staff in the Engineering Department are given an incentive if power consumption is down.

• There is a $500k investment in new cooling towers which work at peak efficiency and lower cooling needs.

• Low power fluorescent bulbs are used throughout hotel saving dramatically on power usage.

• The Hotel has centralized controls for heating and air conditioning in all 440 guestrooms and all public areas which allows the property to reduce power consumption significantly.

• Guestroom bathrooms have low flow toilets and oxygen mixing shower heads that provide a strong shower but are low volume water users.

• The Hotel pays for all collected cardboard to be bailed and recycled in addition to have recycling programs in their Food and Beverage Outlets for cans and bottles and newspapers from guestrooms. 

• The restaurant and catering department highly discourage overfished species

• There is a Linen/Towel Reuse Program.