Like death and taxes, meetings seem to be an inevitable part of life. But whether you're hosting a large annual banquet or facilitating a small on-site business conference, MeetGreen co-founder Amy Spatrisano says that going green may be one of the most cost-effective strategies for planning any event.

MeetGreen, which started out as a conference-management company based in Portland, Ore., now offers a multitude of services nationwide. These include planning, implementation and reporting, as well as consulting and training.

Going green was never a conscious decision, Spatrisano says. It was just the way she and co-founder Nancy Wilson have always done things. "In Portland, recycling has been around for a long time. It's just habit for us to recycle. We're not allowed to use Styrofoam, so we just don't." It wasn't until the company started to grow and plan events outside of Oregon that the founders noticed other organizations "didn't have that same type of infrastructure or practices."

As the two certified meeting professionals began collecting data to build a business case for sustainable meetings and events, they discovered that most green products and services are either cost-neutral or even cost-saving. For example, they encountered one client who wanted to use black plasticware for an event. The MeetGreen team felt it could do better by going with eco-ware instead. "Our client cared nothing for sustainability, but it was $2,500 cheaper to go with the eco-ware," Spatrisano says. Another example of sustainable savings: One conference saved $25,000 by simply replacing plastic water bottles with pitchers of water. "Sometimes, these things are cheaper. Sometimes not, but you look at your overall budget."

For Spatrisano, cost savings are not the only benefit of conducting sustainable meetings and events. The overall quality of the occasion is better as well. "Think about it this way," Spatrisano says. "Wouldn't you rather be served on a China dish than a Styrofoam plate? It presents better. When you get local, organic foods, the food tastes better . . . It actually enhances the experience." The 20-year veteran of the meetings and hospitality industry is emphatic: "If it's done well, a green event really doesn't look any different. If anything, it's better."

One of the things Spatrisano cautions against is an all-or-nothing mentality. She recommends her clients pick one thing and then add on to that as they go. For example, if a client wants a tasty and eco-friendly alternative to foods that have been shipped thousands of miles but can't afford to buy 100 percent local, organic produce, then she recommends buying 25 percent local, organic and getting the rest from traditional venues. "Don't fall into the trap of thinking if you can't do it all, then you can't do anything. If everyone who conducted meetings took on one thing--I don't think it even matters which thing--that would have a huge impact on the Earth."

To help clients, MeetGreen has a variety of resources on its website, including articles, a glossary, links to other information sources, and a forum for questions and for sharing best practices within the industry. The two founders have also written a book, Simple Steps to Green Meetings and Events, which examines nine categories within the green meeting process: audio-visual and production, communications and marketing, destination selection, exhibits, food and beverage, meeting venue, accommodations, transportation and on-site office facilities.

For Spatrisano, measuring and recording the economic, environmental and social impacts of an event from planning to post-event are among the most crucial components of success. "If you're not measuring, at the end of the day, you're not going to know how successful you were or what you need to change to make things better." MeetGreen helps clients measure such things as total energy usage, water usage, waste output and estimated carbon footprint for attendees. They also guide clients toward adopting more sustainable behaviors, such as reducing the use of paper and printing, and donating leftover supplies and gift bags to nonprofit organizations after the event.

In addition to their work at MeetGreen, Spatrisano and Wilson are co-founders of the Green Meeting Industry Council. The 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization promotes green practices in the industry, provides resources to 600 member companies and supports environmentally responsible standards, such as the Convention Industry Council's upcoming Accepted Practices Exchange Green Meetings and Events Standards. Spatrisano says MeetGreen was the first North American meeting management company certified by the British Standard 8901 for sustainable events, and she looks forward to a time when "brown" meetings are a thing of the past.

In the meantime, Spatrisano sees many younger players getting into the green meetings industry and says there are lots of opportunities for entrepreneurs who want to manufacture sustainable products--eco-bags, for instance--that are made locally or at least in the United States.

"If you think about the practices that are truly sustainable, we're really going back to what we were taught by our parents," Spatrisano says. "We didn't call it green back then, but that's what it was."