Many people around the world remember a loveable frog singing a song about being green. Who could have guessed that years later we all want to be green, particularly in the exhibition and event business. As exhibit and event team members travel, Smartphone and android devices are the new normal instead of paper boarding passes.

EDPA (Exhibit Designers and Producers Association) has launched the Zero Waste Challenge to members to push the boundaries of exhibition design both in the shop and on the trade show floor.Corporations are looking internally for sustainability methods to reduce their carbon footprint and look at exhibitions and events to work towards similar goals.

Trade show designers are challenged to think about sustainability in the use of materials for display construction. In some ways, American exhibit builders were in the forefront of re-using materials instead of putting them in the landfill. Old carpet has been used to line wooden crates so properties would travel with less damage. Wood crates have been used for many years to transport exhibits in the U.S.

When larger crates are no longer needed, they can be dismantled and re-use materials to create smaller crates from the same wood. Years ago when a company built a new exhibit, the old one was trashed. It is more common now to offer the exhibit for sale. With new signage, the exhibit may be old for one company but new for another.

This exciting competition will bring out the best and brightest ideas to share worldwide because sustainability is a challenge to corporations and service companies everywhere.

Read about Easy to Be Green Part 2 next week to learn about what the exhibition and event industry is doing overseas.