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With 1.8 million square feet of function space, the Anaheim Convention Center reigns as the largest exhibition facility on the West Coast of the U.S.
Want to plan a green meeting but still want to stay mindful of the bottom line? Event professionals don’t necessarily need an unlimited budget to make it happen. Instead, one way to address sustainability concerns is to choose a host destination well-versed in designing eco-minded experiences. When it comes to that search, California stands out as the event industry’s role model. Read on to learn how The Golden State can help your next meeting set the gold standard for event sustainability.
A Lighter Footprint
California is on the road to achieving net-zero status by 2045, and some of the biggest venues in the state are playing a big role in those efforts. In Sacramento, the Golden 1 Center — home of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings and recipient of the Sport for Climate Action Award — wears the crown as the first 100 percent solar-powered arena with LEED Platinum certification. Plus, California leads the country in having the most LEED-certified convention centers of any state, ranging from the LEED Gold-certified, 1.8 million-square foot Anaheim Convention Center to the 40,000-square-foot, LEED Platinum-certified Monterey Conference Center.
Local and Delicious
Take a look at the list of Michelin Green Star recipients in the U.S., and you’ll notice what the majority of the restaurants have in common: a California address. Savor a no-waste fine dining experience at Quince in San Francisco’s Jackson Square, enjoy produce from the on-site organic farm at SingleThread in Healdsburg or ingredients sourced from within 100 miles of Chi Spacca in Los Angeles, and more. Restaurants aren’t the only ones with an appetite to deliver dividends for the planet’s future, though: At the Palm Springs Convention Center, the kitchen team captures 98 recent of food prep waste, saving 400 tons of waste each year.
The 97-room Ranch at Laguna Beach stretches on for 87 acres within Aliso and Wood Canyons, offering guests easy access to Aliso Beach.
Mindful Stays and Group Experiences
California’s hospitality community is pioneering a more planet-friendly approach to hotel design. Consider Stanford Inn by the Sea in Mendocino where on-site Ravens Restaurant serves a plant-based menu, and attendees can take gardening classes at neighboring Big River Organic Nursery and Farm. Head south to The Ranch in Laguna Beach where an on-site glass crusher converts old bottles into sand for golf bunkers and an innovative water reclamation project saves approximately 21 million gallons of water. And no matter where groups stay, opportunities abound to get off the property and give back to the community. In Tuolumne County, for example, groups can participate in river clean-ups and trail work to preserve the Stanislaus National Forest.
Ready to find your next eco-friendly host destination? Head to meetwhatspossible.com to explore the possibilities.
