Environmentally Friendly Meetings

Fairfax County and Northern Virginia has a number of green-certified hotels and meeting venues. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality's Green Lodging program encourages hotels, resorts, and other hospitality operations to be aware of their impact on the environment and to take steps to reduce these impacts. In Fairfax County, VA, many hotel properties have accepted that challenge and continue to move forward in the spirit of being environmentally friendly.

We know the importance of reducing our carbon footprint, and we want to help you find the easiest way to make your next Northern Virginia meeting as green as it can be. Browse through our green event spaces, or read through some green-planning tips we've outlined below. To get started planning your next meeting or event in the National Capital Region, call us today or submit an RFP.

Dean Miller, National Sales Manager (Groups/Meetings)
703-752-9509 | dmiller@fxva.com 

Eric Kulczycky, National Sales Manager (Corporate/Government)
703-752-9510 | ekulczycky@fxva.com

Go Green at Your Next Meeting

Your clients will not only be thanking you, but Mother Nature will be too.
Joella Hopkins, President of Simply Mumtaz Events, Inc.

1. Use local sources, and know where your food comes from. Purchase from local farmers markets whenever possible. Write menus around seasonal and local produce. Go organic if you can afford to. Best yet - ask your caterer to do all of the legwork and get it done. Same goes for florals - go organic or veriflora certified.

2. Reduce waste. Recycle and compost if possible. Know the rules. Strive for Zero Waste - where nothing ends up in the land fill!

3. If you can't make the leap and go electronic with your event or meeting collateral, print your invites, menus, and programs on high post-consumer recycled content, non-chlorine-bleached papers, using soy or vegetable based inks. Print one and place in a frame on table so everyone can share.

4. For technical production - try to use as little electricity as possible! Ask your team to think about this objective when you begin planning your event. Use LED lighting when possible. Use live entertainment acts that do not require power.

5. Use eco-friendly hotels and venues, room linens (re-use your towel programs), energy efficient rooms with thermostat and energy efficient lighting, recycle wash water, china, linen napkins vs. beverage napkins. Use Aveda shampoos and products or other "Green" brands. Ensure the venues and vendors you use do their "cleaning activities" with eco-friendly products. Use eco-friendly cleaning products. Purchase and use chlorine-free paper products, tree-free products and biodegradable disposables and bamboo plates and platters. Avoid Styrofoam.

6. If you're not into purchasing Carbon Credits as Carbon Offsets, we highly recommend purchasing a tree from the National Arbor Foundation for each guest, or every 3 guests, that gets planted on their behalf. You determine the charity that will serve as your "Carbon Offset."