[Greenbuilding] re: Question about green trade show materials

[Tim Vireo Keating]

I would like to chime in here. While I can see the value of 'showing 
off' in situations like this (thus, supposedly, furthering green 
awareness), I also see the value in showing people that one doesn't 
have to be weird to reduce one's impact. 100% PC paper is a great 
solution.

There's 8.5 x 11" 100% PC photo printer paper available on the web. 
It's certainly not cheap, since it's the first available, but in this 
case, to be able to say that the signs were printed on 100% PC 
recycled paper is worth the added cost, IMHO. One might make sure 
that there's a small statement of that at the bottom of each sign.

How large are the signs you are planning to make?

When larger signs are needed, I've often used Adobe Illustrator to 
create, then tiled the images out onto smaller paper, trimmed the 
edges and taped them together. But this certainly may not satisfy the 
'elegance' factor.

What might, though, is making one's own recycled paper. It's really 
not very difficult. If you've got a large window screen (salvaged, of 
course) you can take waste paper, put it in a blender and, when it's 
the right consistency, spread it over the screen to dry. You can add 
all sorts of things (like flowers) to make it 'elegant'.

The problem is, how does one then get that printed?

Also, think in terms of reuse. Is this an annual event? Can the signs 
be designed to allow for reuse in whole or in part? Can you put a 
deposit on the badge holders so that they get collected at the end of 
the event?

In my experience, people will remember the event as much based on the 
efforts one makes to be green as for the other exhibits. Making it 
easy and fun for people to recycle and compost during the event is 
one way. Perhaps a roving recycling cart? Recycling and compost bins 
everywhere there are trash bins and a volunteer to direct people as 
to how to do it? I know it sounds gross (I'm a veteran dumpster diver 
and show recycler, so I'm quite used to going through 'trash') but 
having someone go through stuff at the end to make sure things are 
separated can make a huge difference. Also, make sure there are 
either reusables or compostable plastic at the least. You'd have to 
assure that any vendors would participate in this.

You can either make up an instruction sheet for everyone (lots of 
extra paper, I know) to direct them to the battery recycling bin, the 
large item recycling area and to tell them what paper is recyclable 
(these days, generally everything but many recyclers don't want to be 
handling used napkins and the like), what types of plastic are 
recyclable (those that my town doesn't take are invariably about the 
only actually 'garbage' I generate), and perhaps why it's so 
important to participate.

One idea I just had is to actually not have 'public' trash bins at 
all but supply each booth with a wastebasket instead. Only actual 
'garbage' (according to your instruction sheet) would go into the 
booth's waste bin. The rest would go into the public recycling and 
composting receptacles. Then folks could weigh their waste bins and 
there could be prizes for the lowest waste/sq. foot. :  )

Then make sure to tell folks after the fact that the show only 
generated two bags of actual trash, collected 100 lbs of compost for 
the local community garden, recycled 200 lbs of paper, etc.

Where is the show? You could just bring me in. :  )

tim keating



At 3:11 PM -0400 4/18/08, Robert Tom wrote:
>On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:37:53 -0400, Racheli Gai 
><racheli at sonoracohousing.com> wrote:
>
>>  this one bothers me.  It's heavy on the sarcasm,and doesn't make it very 
>>  clear what it is that you want to say.
>
>Racheli;
>
>No sarcasm was intended.
>
>I thought that the preliminary ideas were crude (as in undeveloped, not 
>much thought invested) and I thought that the brown paper bag analogy 
>expressed that crudeness to a "T".
>
>The idea of woven willow signage and floral nametags was about using 
>attractive, minimal impact, renewable materials configured with some 
>artistry, something I would hope is the endeavour of Green building.
>
>The dog choir, hey, *I'd* enjoy and remember that!
>
>=== * ===
>Rob Tom
>Kanata, Ontario, Canada
>< A r c h i L o g i c  at chaffY a h o o  dot  c a >
>manually winnow the chaff from my edress in your reply
>
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