With the introduction of the 4th player of the Green Squad, we are right in the middle of the field. Meet Tap Water. Aside from a hot cup of coffee, water is probably the most important drink that your attendees will need.
In the past, most meeting planners purchased large amounts of bottled water are for their events, which has major disadvantages for the environment and for your budget.
Say goodbye to plastic bottles
For the production of plastic bottles, oil is needed, a fossil fuel that cannot be replaced. Typically, only about 20% of the bottles are ever recycled. The rest wander as waste through our ecosystems, polluting our land and oceans. Production, preparation and transportation of bottled water contributes extensively to the emission of greenhouse gases. Bottled water is also much more expensive than ordinary tap water. The additional cost of the bottles for packaging, brand and transportation is also a drain on environmental resources and an event planner's budget. If you want to save money and take good care of the environment, you can see that bottled water is best replaced with plain tap water in the majority of meetings and events. Most hotel catering teams already serve free tap water as part of beverage services, and at the request of guests. Increasingly, attendees and guests prefer tap water, as so many people are carrying their own reusable water bottles these days.
Ask your hotel or meeting venue if they provide water filling stations in meeting rooms or common areas. And don't worry that your guests won’t find tap water fancy enough - have you tried some of the wonderful 'infused' waters that are popping up in meetings everywhere? They are pleasing to both the eye and palette.
In practice: the best tap water in the world
During the last GMIC conference at the Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre, there was no room on the agenda for water bottles. On the tables were just nice glasses and decanters with tap water that were regularly refilled by the hotel staff. Attendees responded positively. The decanters was not only easier to pour, the tables were cleaner and less cluttered without half-full plastic bottles on the tables. Everyone had his or her own glass to be reused throughout the whole day, further reducing energy by not having to wash multiple glasses per person, per day.
GMIC's Dutch Chapter wants you to know that you can safely apply this tip for any meetings in the Netherlands - they have some of the best tap water in the world! And always remember that if you organize events outside your own country, you should inquire whether the water in the region is suitable to drink first.
Read more: The Green Team: 11 Sustainable Measures for Each Event
Source: GMIC
