Tracy Stuckrath 0:02 Hey everybody. This is Tracy Stuckrath with the Eating & Meeting podcast, and I am live in Las Vegas for my second to last trip of the year business trip of the year, but I'm in for here for IMEX in Las Vegas. And this is the biggest ... biggest convention of our industry. Dale Hudson 0:21 It is yeah, Tracy Stuckrath 0:22 we've got what almost 11? Dale Hudson 0:24 Yep, yeah, 10 and a half. I've been hearing the numbers between 10 and 11. So let's go to that. Tracy Stuckrath 0:29 10 and 11. That's fantastic. so just I'm going to be talking to a variety of different people while I'm here in Las Vegas. But today, my first interview is with Dale and Eric who Dale Hudson runs IMAX right. Dale Hudson 0:45 No, no. Tracy Stuckrath 0:49 Okay, so my first interview here at IMEX is with Dale Hudson of IMEX, who is the Dale Hudson 0:58 Knowledge and Events Director Tracy Stuckrath 1:00 Make sure I got that right. And then Eric Wallinger. Right, yeah, so that right. And then Eric Wallinger, who is with Meet Green. And he is also partnered with IMEX to manage the sustainability efforts of the conference. Dale Hudson 1:15 Right, right. I mean, green have been working with us for 10 years now this is our 10th year. It is really, really great to be working with them. Tracy Stuckrath 1:21 Fantastic. And so in this conversation, I want to talk to them about the sustainability efforts that the show has done since the beginning, right? And then 10 years into this, how has it changed? What's What are you seeing? What you're going on? I ran out to the floor today, you working with signage, and trash cans, and you know what those efforts that are being done? So let's just get started. So 10 years in this relationship, Dale Hudson 1:46 10 years. Yes, we started slowly. We never, you know, we want to always work with our, with our partners, you know, what about suppliers to make sure that we do it correctly from the beginning. We're not the sort of company that insists that everything's done overnight, because that's never a good way to start. So I'm going to say with any sustainable effort, pick a few things a year, focus on them and do them really well. And I think that's what we've done from the very beginning. That was in Frankfurt as well, we picked a few things at the beginning, we're going to do these things well this year. And with that sort of mentality, we have built up a really good sustainable product now for IMEX. Again, we are in your property. So we are starting a little bit from the beginning again, with the Venetian used to work with, with with with Chef, we worked literally with everybody from the venue, and with GES, everybody from GES. So we work together to make sure that all partners are talking to each other as well. So it's not just them talking to us. It's them talking to each other to make sure that those initiatives that we're working towards, are implemented. Tracy Stuckrath 2:54 That's amazing. Because you get and yesterday in a session, someone said, "where do I start?" And you think about all the different aspects that go into an event and you have to be sustainable and all those things, but you can't do it. Dale Hudson 3:05 You can't you can't overwhelm yourself, and you'll give up. And I've seen so many people do that. And then they're like, well, it was just too hard. Tracy Stuckrath 3:13 Right? Dale Hudson 3:13 And yes, it is, if you think that you can be 100% Zero overnight, it's too hard it is. So you know, focus on waste, or focus, even if it's just your energy, energy or reduce paper in the office, do something, do something to get you going. And when you get those small wins, it encourages you to think oh, well, if we did that, maybe we can do this and keep pushing the ball a little bit each year. And getting you're getting getting your CEO or your chairman on board. Really important at the beginning as well. Tracy Stuckrath 3:45 And something you just said there was even just reducing paper in your office. I mean, that's not even thinking about your event that's thinking about what you're doing even before you get here. Dale Hudson 3:55 Yes. Tracy Stuckrath 3:55 And did you see a remarkable difference in that from the last? Dale Hudson 3:59 I saw a remarkable difference in in within the office. Okay, so those people that were starting to work on it near the office started to get enthusiastic about it. And now I have a whole green team in IMEX and they run it. I'm not very much involved on the green team Roger does all that. And he has a team and each person from each department and they meet up once or so a month and they work on initiatives as well. So it's it's very much coming from the inside rather than one person trying to push it because it is very difficult. Tracy Stuckrath 4:32 Yeah, it I mean, it's definitely overwhelming and especially when I talk about it from the food perspective, which is what I do and that's even overwhelming too. So alright, Eric, I know you weren't here with Meet Green from 10 years right? You you came on with Meet Green when? Eric Wallinger 4:49 2017 is my first time next. Tracy Stuckrath 4:51 Okay, all right. Awesome on site so you but you would work to to plan out a little bit up for that right? Okay. Dale Hudson 4:57 Yes, I'd say five years Eric Wallinger 4:58 yes, this will be my 5th year working with IMEX Tracy Stuckrath 5:01 So you're ingrained in this whole program as well. So what what tell tell everybody about Meet Green? And then what your how you work with IMEX to do this? Eric Wallinger 5:13 Yeah, green is a sustainable event, consulting and management firms. So we have a manager, we have event managers, the Division I work in is consulting. And so we work with clients like IMEX, and I feel like we work trying to build a bridge between the client, IMEX in this case, and the venue and there's so integration and kind of work that goes on there in terms of the project management, that wouldn't be possible without, like a third party getting involved. One of the things I think so commendable about the way that IMEX has gone about this, I shared this with them, when we all arrived on site is a quote that's been in my head for the last year is sustainable events do not happen. They're planned. If you do not show up on site, it will default to the easiest route. It's just too many headwinds. And even as Dale alluded to, it's really about continuous improvement. And then and kind of measured gains, relationships built. One thing that really also set IMEX apart is I remember back in those early days starting at Meet Green IMEX team members will be updating the RFP language in the offseason, we're sourcing new suppliers, not many of them are the same suppliers, but the RFP changed. And so they would consult with us for like, what some language raise the bar is this, this makes sense. So the site selection of Mandalay Bay, where we are now very much went through that process back in 2017 and 2018, in terms of this was something that was considered and discussed. Tracy Stuckrath 6:58 And you so that was five years ago that you started working with them to plan this forward? Because that's when Dale Hudson 7:05 Around two years ago, we actually started to have planning meetings. When we started to meet up with it with this with the different venue, Tracy Stuckrath 7:12 But your contracting three years ago, Dale Hudson 7:14 yeah. Eric Wallinger 7:17 That's the other interesting is that in January of 2019, we can be here it actually snowed, I think the Tracy Stuckrath 7:26 Vegas? Wow. Dale Hudson 7:28 Yes, it was very old. Eric Wallinger 7:29 And we spent a full day meeting with members of the MGM team. We spent some really dedicated deep dive time with the MGM sustainability team, as well as a number of hours with food and beverage operations, waste management. It didn't seem crazy at the time, but it occurred to us when Has anyone ever talked about sustainability to yours for a whole day? I had to admit it. Wow. And I thought it was a great, like a commendable best practice. But as it turned out, this event wouldn't be in so much weaker standing if we hadn't had that meeting. It really was like a hedge against the unexpected. We didn't know anything that was coming down the pipeline. I didn't even get a site visit this year for this event. So starting early, it has many, many benefits. Tracy Stuckrath 8:19 Yeah, that's a really, really good point. Yeah. Because we don't. And even yesterday, I was talking in my session on trends in food beverage, and like, how many of you plan your food beverage more than a month out? And I think one person raised their hand. Dale Hudson 8:33 Oh, gosh, Tracy Stuckrath 8:34 and you need to be planning your food beverage, especially now after COVID planning it even further out because of supply chain issues. Dale Hudson 8:42 Yes. Tracy Stuckrath 8:43 And but even like when you contract before your contract talks about your food and beverage, especially (unclear). Dale Hudson 8:50 that was fortuitious. I mean, we had, we had no idea this was going to be coming in the next few months, far from that meeting. So it does pay very plan early. It really. Tracy Stuckrath 9:03 When I saw you the other day, you're like, "This is the first time I've been in here." And she went out years. Yeah. Dale Hudson 9:09 It was quite a you know, it's really unusual to to arrive at a venue when you haven't done a lot of site visits or had a good few meetings. So this was the first time I've ever experienced it that way. But the venue had been incredible. Honestly, they have been great in making sure that we settled in really quickly. We found, thank goodness. Tracy Stuckrath 9:28 Yeah, I mean, with welcoming almost 11,000 people. That's a huge conference. Yeah, yeah. Okay, so tell me a little bit about some of the efforts that you were in. So let's just talk about the trash cans in the signage. I saw you today doing you were replacing signage, or there were two different signs for bottles waste, is that right? And well, I'm not. I don't want to. We're not bad mouthing and we're just talking about things that typically happen. Eric Wallinger 9:53 Yeah. And one of those things is there's a delicate time of when to sit bins on a show floor especially a show floor as big as IMEX was 2700 exhibitors, so a lot booths, and also as travel restrictions yesterday, a lot of things moving on the show floor. And so when you put bins out too early, they get waste gets put in them that you don't to be put in them. We take it to the opening, basically, we drop our food court bins, but education is a big part of this. And there's a lot of stakeholders at play. And there's Storting, an event who is the person that you talk to? You know, and so we always know there's going to be some last minute corrections needed. So we're trying to do especially around the food areas have three bin system — landfill, recycling and compost. You will get other parts inside Mandalay Bay is a single stream system and some actually has messaging on back of house, way is sort of the Mandalay Bay, three different stages. So it is very thoroughly sorted. It also goes to one of the most high tech mercs in the nation with a public services, Las Vegas. I actually toured that, and it's a very new and very high tech facility. So there's a lot of safety nets in place. But Las Vegas has a single stream system, I think maybe it's due to the high volumes, or just lots of people coming in. So that is the Clark County system. We still try, especially in the show, to at the food court to message appropriately, that your waste is being sorted and to remind folks that there are different streams of your waste. Tracy Stuckrath 11:45 Well, and yeah, because you don't think about that. So tell what are the three different streams, I mean, there's more than just the three streams because I saw it in Italy with Slow Food International, I think there were eight trash cans that you could put your stuff in. And that's a little bit overwhelming. Eric Wallinger 12:04 If you have a system, like here, we're improved on a lot of planning, we're pretty tight in the back dock situation. I don't mind a single stream method because it kind of gets it seems to be a good way to handle so many people. But here recycling for sure. We recycle glass, plastic, aluminum. And on that front, all IMEX sourced water bottles for the food and beverage are Prouce Source for so in aluminum bottles. And so the reason for that is that aluminum has a lot of value in terms of recycling. 74% of the aluminum that's ever been mined, is still in existence. So it's, it's said to be infinitely recyclable. Also Proud Source is based not so far away, I have to make sure I have my geography correct, I thought it was Utah or Idaho. It's, it's broadly in the region here. Um, whereas other waters are being flown in from outside the United States Dale Hudson 13:08 I have to mention to Solus as well as we've worked with Solus for all our speakers. And it worked like a milk bottle system, deliver the bottles in the morning of the water, and then they come and collect them. At the end of the day, those are recycled, refilled and brought back to events. And I love that and they based in, in Las Vegas, so I'm hoping that you know that some of the big venues start to work a little bit more with them because it is a super sustainable way of bringing water in and out of event. Tracy Stuckrath 13:38 And, I met her yesterday after the session and I think she said that they can be reused 50 times or something like that. Amazing. Dale Hudson 13:48 Incredible. it's incredible. I mean, it's you know, it's a lot of work obviously bringing the bottles and taking bottles away. But it's worked out that that's really in truly the most sustainable way to get water in and out of events. Tracy Stuckrath 14:02 Instead of using um, we're just gonna scrap the video because I'm not looking at it. We're working but um, you know, the plasticwear people think that you need to use the recyclable plasticwear but actually using the glassware is actually more recyclable or is not recyclable more sustainable. Dale Hudson 14:20 Because you don't chuck it out. You're reusing it right? That's the difference Eric Wallinger 14:22 At Meet Green. When we've looked at our numbers internally of what some of those basic baseline practices are reusable service where it's really close number one. We have we list it as number one. If you're going to fight one battle in events, that would be a good first one for most events. Try to. The not producing of these materials of not having to resell it. We have a lot of numbers of models we can feed information into but massive savings. But there is a breakeven point someone may argue with you it is less resource intensive to make a plastic fork initially. But if you use your metal fork 50 times your breakeven points around that tend to be around that 50 point mark. And forks are used are 2,500 times. Dale Hudson 14:31 Use it a whole lot. Eric Wallinger 15:09 It's just so much better Tracy Stuckrath 15:16 To use the metal fork. Eric Wallinger 15:18 Yes, Dale Hudson 15:18 yes. Tracy Stuckrath 15:19 My niece is really good actually has a little carrying case of all of her silverware that she brings with her wherever she travels. And I'm not going to get her to give me one. Sorry, remember it? Yeah, Eric Wallinger 15:30 I'm on the service where front and IMEX, it's interesting when you serve 11,000 people in the way that we're serving that which is sort of a food elegances rather than buffet. We do use disposable servicewear its 100% compostable, it's really interesting. MGM has done some extensive testing in the region here. And they found that certain products do not break down in the Las Vegas environment than composting. Its just a different moisture mix. So the the compostable serviceware is highly fiber, paper cups, micro plastic cup, but it will be 100% compostable made into soil. You can even get this fill from terra firma in Las Vegas. So it's a real cycle. And the service where it's actually wood, bamboo, so it's renewable. It's called Leafware. So I think that we've actually for going a disposable option, right, we believe it's the most sustainable disposable option. And we believe it's actually the lower emissions option in terms of if we'd gone plastic. Tracy Stuckrath 16:42 So what have in the 10 years that you've done this instituted sustainability standards. And then in five years, that it's changed, not that Eric was this wonder power that you walk on? But right, in the, you know, the difference between the five years and then the 10 years? I mean, how, what have you What have your accomplishments that I know you print them out? Or you've left them every year. Dale Hudson 17:06 We do we do it every year, we put out the report. And I would say in our first year, I think we were 85% towards the standards. If they were almost impossible, I think if your event outside, which is kind of why they've been rewritten. I think because it was just unattainable to get the EIC and as sort of if you're really large event. Tracy Stuckrath 17:27 That was when it was still ISO, right? 10 years ago? No, Dale Hudson 17:31 No, it's EIC rather than the ISO, British Standards, when we haven't got it, we didn't go that route with EIC. And the reason I did goe with EIC because I find it, it pushes you to do better because you know, quite for me, it's a good thing that I never quite get there. I was just, it was almost on a point. So we've been getting more points each. Yeah. And I think we've got up to 98% towards at the Venetian 2019. Eric Wallinger 18:04 Yeah. And we're going to kind of re rebuild that up. Tracy Stuckrath 18:09 because of the new venue. Dale Hudson 18:09 Now we've got a new venue and the EIC have rewritten the standards. Okay, so I know we were sort of told that what we're doing, we would very, we would very likely be getting quite a good grade as the way they were rewritten because it's now attainable. You know, that you can you can and they're doing it on different colors on dates Tracy Stuckrath 18:30 I'm talking to Mariela tomorrow. Dale Hudson 18:32 Yeah, you'll you'll you'll hear from Mariela more about that. But it's, I'm excited about that. I'm excited that we actually going to get a grade. That will be really good. But obviously, you know, Eric and I are both being patient. We're in a new venue and we want to work really heavily together for the beginning. And we want to make people feel that we, you know, that we don't want to work closely with and we want to work with them on the journey together to get to the destination rather than us sort of thing. And everyone says oh, well, you could you could ask for this. No, no, don't don't push. I don't believe in in sort of, you know, using this sort of power in any way to get what you want. I think the only way to get to a really, really good place is to work together on a journey. And I think then everybody feels that journey. Enjoy the journey. And everyone learns along the way. And we do right we've been learning. We learned at the Venetian. We're gonna learn Yeah. And I think that that's the way to work. You don't you know, it's it's it's a journey. And it's an it's something you do together Tracy Stuckrath 19:39 And have there. What was the like the aha moments with specific I mean, not specific people in general, but with different departments are like, Oh, wow, we just learned something, you know, was Was there any aha moments you've seen from the your vendor partners that they didn't realize that they were doing? Dale Hudson 19:57 I would say from procurement actually with the Sands. And we wouldn't separate it because procurement at the beginning, I think we're a little bit wary. Because obviously it's difficult, you know, they've got they've got budgets, they've got costs, they've got, they've got places that they need to be at the end of the year. And I think they initially were a little bit like, you know, you can't, we can't do it. And then and then we started seeing that coming to the meetings. And they were starting to get excited about it as well. And there was excitement in the in the meetings as far we've managed to do this. And we've managed to do that. And you know, like, the procurement of the pizza boxes, remember, that was exciting, and getting in the different burgers. And if there was all sorts of little wins, they started to see, and we were seeing, and it was exciting together. So would you say that Eric. Eric Wallinger 20:48 I agree in that culture that you're talking about, where it's not overwhelming, but like, this is our event here for a couple days, change everything. It'll be really mad if you don't. There's not that energy. And so what what comes is this incremental improvement and every year, it's fun, I think, for the team to come meet with us and tell us what they've come up with because it's sustainable within their own department, I think. IMEX asks more, but it's paced out at a way that I think has been engaging. And I felt that this year at MGM with the Misfit Market idea. Tracy Stuckrath 21:26 There on the show floor, right. Oh, I can't Dale Hudson 21:28 Yes, on the wait to People and Planet Village. Eric Wallinger 21:31 That was not something that I even directly asked for. But it was kind of, I guess, enrolling input on what was possible and how can we think differently? Is there something we can do to be new and innovative, on the food and beverage front, and ultimately, Kara and the team came back with this idea to us. It was really great that it came from them. Okay, From MGM. Yeah, I saw how this could work. It could work financially, operationally, conceptually. It felt better than us imposing some kind of mandate because we have enough asks, but it's organic and fun, right? Tracy Stuckrath 22:13 So tell people what misfit market is. Eric Wallinger 22:15 Yeah, I think is something that we we talked for years and so that's these imperfect produce. How do you use it? How can you educate about that right? And it turns out that making juice I think is a really fun way Tracy Stuckrath 22:30 Duh! Yeah, just to put it in the blender nobody's gonna see that it was a lopsided tomatoe. Well, you're not gonna put tomato well, you are in juice right. Tomato or carrot with it's all twisted up right? Dale Hudson 22:44 Yeah, and those poor little apples that never get to see the light of day. And, why? You know, that tastes the same. They do taste the same. Tracy Stuckrath 22:54 And there's so many different flavors of apples you can use. Dale Hudson 22:57 I call it ugly fruit and veg and that's yeah, you know, why don't the ugly ones get a place on this place in some because they are still nourishing they still they still beautiful in their own way. And I think it's wonderful that we actually I think to think that we throw that out. What craziness you know, the human race can be insane. I think you have to throw out something that is nutritious, good for you just because it doesn't look right. I don't that doesn't fit with me. Tracy Stuckrath 23:31 So many ways, yes, exactly. So they came in and are working with MGM or Eric Wallinger 23:38 This is MGM's food and beverage deparment. It's my understanding this is the first time this outlet has been done at an event, but, I wouldn't be surprised if it's at least on the roster to be considered as an option in the future with others because it's it fits right in with event Food and Beverage. It's also on the level I think a lot of people are looking for where can I get some nutritious food on site? Dale Hudson 24:05 and it's also used to the kitchen food sort of when it goes into salads or into Tracy Stuckrath 24:13 Yeah, cuz when you slice the radish up. Dale Hudson 24:15 Yeah, what it looks like. So yeah, Eric Wallinger 24:18 in addition to like that's one way we're trying to reduce food waste and you know, the MGM is quite quite innovative on that front, but one of the other innovations and I'm actually hoping to see this in person so I'm I'll be paraphrasing I haven't technically seen it yet. But, IMEX has a lot of cold food that because it doesn't have the buffet meals, often, and so the rescue here is cold food. And the food court food this year is actually using the mobile Blast chillers which is actually freezing cooling the foods so that are normally used for any kind of other purposes and what they're what this allows your ever close proximity to food, these are basically little trucks they have outside the hall. So, this is going to increase our food capture, I think. Tracy Stuckrath 25:10 So it's going to be outside the hall so we can all see it? Eric Wallinger 25:13 No. And I want to talk too much about this because haven't actually, I got to speak with the MGM team. And they were just excited to get another way they are stepping up. Yeah, trying to hurt IMEX, how can we fit this vision? Tracy Stuckrath 25:28 Well, and I talked about in yesterday's session, too, is like the donation system that they provided they working with the food bank and flash, flash freezing their food, and helping the food bank have the freezers to store it longer. Because they can't, it's not boxes of food, right? It's actually prepared food. Yeah, yeah. So yeah, so I want to see that too. Maybe? To help me do that. So what good All right, so we've got what are your goals for this show? Any new goals that you have? Or... Dale Hudson 26:00 Maybe waist? We, that's always our number one that we're focused on Tracy Stuckrath 26:05 From the show floor, as well as food waste. Dale Hudson 26:07 All waste from the event. Those always soon as Eric and I get on a car, what are we gonna do? It's gonna be waste. And I know Eric can talk more to that, because he really does dig deep in the waste. He got he's been to all the all the recycling places. Seen the sorting you, Eric stays on Friday to make sure everything's being done properly. You're incredible. But no, I'll let Eric sort of, you know, talk to the waste, because that's a huge, huge thing for event. Tracy Stuckrath 26:44 Yeah Dale Hudson 26:45 it's the waste. Tracy Stuckrath 26:46 So it's, it's not just necessarily the waste. It's in the trash cans when I'm walking by and dumping something in the trash cans. It's the tradeshow booth waste as well. Right. Eric Wallinger 26:53 Yeah. And that's treated a little differently at MGM. Tracy Stuckrath 26:57 Okay. Eric Wallinger 26:58 I'm actually visited Lunas recycling yesterday, because there's new new vendor for us. But it was not something that we were, we were. We couldn't have had a nicer visit was driven personally by one of the MGM waste staff members. It was a great way to get team building kidn of talk. But one of the things that Lucas shared with us was like there's no landfill here, you know, we're sort of a we handle high, high weight material, kind of that move in, move out. It's very much in our best interest to find a home for this. It was really interesting to hear, hear that perspective. And see with my eyes kind of how, how they're handling. Waste is really important for me as well, it's my personal favorite part of sustainability, you can kind of touch it and see it. But I would say that with the pandemic, just taking a break. I've had a chance to pause within myself and sort of think success, what that looks like to me is sort of authentically interfacing with the system as it is. When I was younger, starting out doing this, I feel I felt I had more of a top down, like pressuring people to do like guilt, guilt. I feel guilty and you hung out with get results. I feel more like even just walking the show floor today. You know that space, tell me what could how could we manage this better? Like where can we where would assign the better? Where what people are flowing this way ahead of getting more input has been refreshing. We also I feel like I've been advancing discussions about carbon emissions and for the first time this year, our menu coating includes a emissions friendly, icon. I believe we have visions that we can tighten that up even further. But now we're looking at the very meta level. Is it neat? fish? And so it's really big picture. It may never be perfect to have some exactly accurate carbon footprint for a full menu, but I think we're getting closer. And so we took the first step. But we can scientifically back that up. And I think it's great. So that's one of the things you'll also notice is, for example, an Impossible Burger, the Impossible Burger thats on the menu right now. If reducing emissions through your choices is important to you, that's about 90% lower emissions than a beef burger in terms of its kind of the emissions needed to raise it. It's somewhere that 90% and that there's been studies on it, so the kind of conversations are usually educating attendees. Dale Hudson 29:45 And it's getting the data isn't it around, around these things. And people go oh my goodness. And we did Waterwise Wednesdays we used to do those ones and that was between bananas and apples. The growing. It's just It's just I think it's making me People sort of go, oh, yeah, maybe I'll just do that instead of that today. You know, and just, it's just awareness, isn't it? Yeah, patient awareness because I don't think anybody really wants to be bad. I think they all genuinely if they knew how to be better, they would do it. And also given the means to do it. I think if you make it too difficult, people wouldn't do it anyway. So, it's trying to find the means to do it. Tracy Stuckrath 30:24 Well, actually, recently, I some crackers that I eat are by Simple Mills. And they're gluten free crackers. And they've had the ones I saw first for almond crackers. And now I've found the seed crackers, and which are delicious. And I'm like, tou know what almonds take more water to grow than anything else. So I'm leaning more to buying their seed crackers now than just their almond crackers, just that's my own little step, but I have to get off of almond butter. But you know, don't buy it, you know, I have my container, and I eat it over the course of a month or whatever. But I'm looking more to those to the seed side of it versus I think the nuts, you know, because they do they are water intensive. And with the fight and water right now, and lack of rain and things like that, we have to. Eric Wallinger 31:13 Interesting food, really big water. Impact choice, but IMEX America has moved their show dailies to digitally this year. This is, again, for safety and sustainability can coincide, just helps having everyone gathered around the same place to grab a daily, but it also saves a ton of water. If we were to look at print runs from 2019, and feed them into the most conservative model, I could find in terms of paper calculators. I calculated 1.7 liters 1.7 million liters of water saved. So what does that mean? That means 600 bathtubs filled with water by not printing the show daily? Tracy Stuckrath 32:00 Wow, that's huge. Dale Hudson 32:02 And, if you like that ever event, you know, we're to do less print, How much water would that be saving? Tracy Stuckrath 32:08 That is mind boggling. Wow. That's very cool. And you don't think about that water when you're when you're ordering your plate. Dale Hudson 32:16 right? Initially, I was thinking paper, get a paper was the first thing right, not water when Eric pointed out the water, but of course you have to make the paper. To get to that point. So it's just that education. It's learning as you go along. And, and trying to be better. Right? Tracy Stuckrath 32:36 And that's, we just need to try. Nobody's perfect. Yes, we try to be better. So going forward, what's your next goal? Eric Wallinger 32:46 You know, it's, it's a little premature. And I don't speak for IMEX on this, but I think there's a desire to figure out ways that we can have a even better science-based emissions inventory for the event. We feel like we've really been able to have an airtight carbon footprint, for our on site activities. And we had a session yesterday on Smart Monday talking about carbon footprints for the events industry. And one of the things that we've said is that there's not one size fits all, it's an inventory. And so I think drawing those boundaries and can we get better data from our suppliers? A lot of times scope through their supply chain. Have we keep it actionable? Right, maybe fun and easy. So we have some ideas, and how can we get better attendee travel information? You've heard of the GMIC pledge, other pledges out there. And it's difficult to make progress on those if you don't know what you're trying to make progress against. So I think we can speak more coherently to it, if we advance that. So that's something I'd like to do cool. Dale Hudson 33:59 Yeah, yeah. Tracy Stuckrath 34:00 I mean, like so I was here in Vegas a week ago. And and I live in North Carolina. So but I'm I had to be here. I'm not going to fly all the way back to North Carolina to go turn around and come back. So I went to California. So and spent the week there and it's still on the plane, but it was a shorter plane ride. I really to be honest with you was not thinking about the sustainability is more the timezone change for me. But I think about it, I'm like, I did reduce my emissions and my carbon footprint to come here. I mean, even though I was on a plane, it was a little bit smaller Dale Hudson 34:29 The other. The other side of it that Eric pointed out was a lot of people come here to do their business, you know, they come here to the meeting, right? So he said, So in theory, you probably are cutting out a lot of other trips that would have made by coming to do your business in one place once. And we've never measured that. Another thing that we you know, we could be looking at measuring. There's so many angles, you could look at this, right. So yeah, there's there's a lot of work to be done. Tracy Stuckrath 34:56 That's a really good point and from a different show a long time. They're like, yeah, we we analyzed numbers of how much money we made it, this one show. They were the number one exhibitor. They pulled out and then they went regional, because they went to their people. But if we could flip that around and think about it differently and get the people there somehow, you know, Eric Wallinger 35:16 I Yeah. Tracy Stuckrath 35:18 Because we talked about going regionally because you don't have to travel as far. But that's kind of what you just said, is flipping that coin a little bit. Dale Hudson 35:24 Yeah, flip the coin come and do five pieces of business in one place. Instead of going five different places. Eric Wallinger 35:32 It's something I've talked to a number of people, and we all kind of feel like there's something to this, right. But at the same time, we want to be very cautious and not be, greenwashing or glossing over something. But if you talk to almost anyone on that show floor, you get the sense that this is a chance to consolidate meetings into a single trip Dale Hudson 35:52 We would have to do more research around that 100%, we would have to ask, talk to people don't have the saved you any trips in the year or will you do the other trips? Until we have the data, there's nothing we would not pay in any of that. Tracy Stuckrath 36:07 There is also is just the face to face. Because more business happens around a cocktail table, or a lunch table, right? And, and then just being in an exhibit booth, because you're having that conversation, you're getting to know them, even if it's a short amount of time, instead of doing it on a zoom call, because you can't break bread on the Zoom call. Dale Hudson 36:28 Very difficult isnt it. You don't have the experience. You have your bread and I have mine. It is not the same. Tracy Stuckrath 36:37 It is not the same. Um, okay. The I just just random comment. So. So last week was the Climate Summit. And I know there was a big push from our industry in that, are you can you talk a little bit about that at all? I mean, I didn't really follow it too much. So. Eric Wallinger 36:55 Yeah, I have not been digesting much in the news front in the last couple of weeks. But I do am aware of aware of some of our industry's commitments, expression, commitment, their challenges. It is. It is a challenge, in my sense, my personal sense is that no one really has the answer. These pledges, I would say, I had a call with Nolen and Roger, from IMEX, regarding thinking about Frankfurt, and what could we do with this with a pledge coming up? And it just triggered some fresh thinking for us. So all it did was just get us have that meeting and check in new ways we could gather data. For instance, could we increase, get a more accurate travel footprint number through registration technology. Maybe we don't know yet. But we're gonna look into it. Could we require our suppliers to fill in some basic fields about themselves? And about we do that for GES on site here, but could we extend the network a little bit to understand well, what is what is the biggest part of right next year? So I think that those can be really powerful. Pledges can be just pledges, and empty, but if you properly catalyze this great conversation. For our industry, site selection, like IMEX has model, but make it part of what you're asking the beginning. Choose your destination with that in mind. That is one question emission around travel. Look at Google Flights, you can pick the lowest emissions flight, it's it's right there, you get a number. There are ways that when you do meet together, there might be ways you could offset that an opt in offset, it's not quite appropriate for the IMEX model right now, but for other events, we've had the $8 fee right in there that you can opt out of we, basically a carbon fund, sponsors and also renewable energy. Again, if you even planner or if you're stuck with destination, you can ask what is the venue sourcing or generating energy? A lot of places are these days. Spokane, Washington. We were there two years ago, that venue takes advantage of being in the Northwest. It's all hydropower, so it's the energy is emissions free. The planet may have not known that if they never asked. Mega solar array that's powering 90% of our light hours activities here. Are renewable energy. Dale Hudson 39:47 Yeah, that's where Eric went yesterday. Tracy Stuckrath 39:49 That solar farm right, yeah, Eric Wallinger 39:52 That's amazing. 90% of daylight. It does change over the course of a 24 hour day, right? It's about 30% for all MGM resorts on the Strip Tracy Stuckrath 40:02 wow, Eric Wallinger 40:03 Throughtout 24 hour period, but it's amazing. It's in, it's going to be growing. And these are kind of ways if you want to be responsible event planner, right? You've talked about food choices, material choices, addressing travel a little bit, addressing,your destination selection, addressing the energy mix, I think it'd be in good. You'd be in the right direction. Tracy Stuckrath 40:28 Awesome. There's so much to think about. And I'm so proud and impressed by everything that you've done over the last 10 years. So thank you for being that model. But what can somebody who's not going Sans and not going to MGM, who are very much at the forefront? Kind of do? I mean, you just mentioned a few things. But just three things that you think as the planner, you know, hiring Eric to what are the three things that you think? And then what are three things that you can give us there? Dale Hudson 40:59 Well, I would, I would say, as a planner, always focus on your waste to start with because it's like Eric said, it's tangible, you can see results, you can, you know, you can measure it, actually, quite quite quickly actually measure it, which I think gives you a sense of reward and achievement. And I think that that's that's that's a big thing for a lot of planners, you know, they need to see the see the results. So waste is one area, I would also say get it very much from the beginning of your events. So make sure you've got people on board at the beginning. Because if you haven't, it's going to be too difficult for you as as as a lone planner, to struggle through the sustainability journey on your own, and you will give up halfway through. Because if you're not getting support from your suppliers from your company, it's going to be too difficult. And then a third one, I think is just stay determined, actually stay determined on your journey. And don't don't give up because sustainability is not easy, but it's very rewarding. So don't give up on it. Tracy Stuckrath 42:02 That's awesome. Eric Wallinger 42:03 Eric, I couldn't agree more. Yeah, huge shout out to starting early and getting it on the radar that it's linked to clients view of success. That has moved so many mountains. If the venue understands that that's important. But on the ground, I would counsel to, to look into food and beverage a little bit. And if you're gonna fight some battles, collaboratively fun battles. Negotiate reusable serviceware. Eliminating single use plastic water bottles in your contracted food and beverage. You probably can't get to the little markets venue specific. People do need to actually buy water occasionally, but in terms of your catering and contracted food and beverage, eliminating that. And then the third having one meat free meal for like 100% meat free meal, plant-based meal on your menu, you will see a tremendous emissions and water savings that can be tangible. There are fluctuations you can do to celebrate and share with everybody. Tracy Stuckrath 43:17 Awesome. Okay. Well, thank you both so much for spending time with me. Next year is going to be here at MGM IMEX America. 2022. What are the dates? Dale Hudson 43:28 They are? They've just been moved. And I believe they're from the 10th of October now. But don't take take my word. Look on the website. It has been moved earlier in October. I believe it's the 10th, 11th, 12th of October. Double check that. Tracy Stuckrath 43:44 And then what's the website address of checks? Dale Hudson 43:47 It's IMEXamerica.com www. Tracy Stuckrath 43:50 Yeah. And then Eric, howdo people find out about you and Meet Green? Eric Wallinger 43:55 meetgreen.com Tracy Stuckrath 43:55 Okay, that's easy enough. You got lots of great tools on the website, measure things and learn from Yeah. Dale Hudson 44:01 Well, thank you so much. Appreciate it. It's a pleasure. Tracy Stuckrath 44:04 All right, to be on the show floor. Dale Hudson 44:06 Thank you