CEA Bumps Up Recycling, Other Sustainability Practices For CES

CEA has instituted new sustainability practices for CES, which opens Jan. 10 in Las Vegas for a four-day run. The initiative applies to attendees, show materials and local nonprofit organizations, it said. As part of the effort, CEA has partnered with its general services contractor Global Experience Specialists, which will manufacture signs made of a reusable, recyclable kraft paper honeycomb material, according to CEA.

CEA will also collect other magnetic, vinyl and cardboard show signs for recycling through a partnership with Repurpose America, a local nonprofit organization focusing on tradeshow recycling, it said. At CES 2011, CEA said, Repurpose America collected roughly 18,000 pounds of magnetic signs, nearly 15,000 square feet of vinyl banners and more than 150 foam boards. In addition, CEA worked with contractors to recycle more than 289 tons of solid waste generated at CES, boosting the event’s recycle rate from 68 percent to 77 percent. The rate is several points higher than the average recycle rate of trade shows held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, CEA said.

CEA’s green and recycling efforts at the upcoming CES are “unprecedented” for a show the size of CES that covers more than 1.8 million square feet and reports 140,000 attendees, said Gary Shapiro, CEA president. “We've worked hard to ensure that we are using the latest and greatest sustainability practices in producing CES,” Shapiro said.

CEA also supports local green nonprofits, it said. Last year, CEA gave $75,000 to Green Chips, a Las Vegas charity supporting solar power installations. The funds were used to install solar panels at a Las Vegas non-profit facility, and savings from solar energy use allowed the organization to allot more money to serve those in need, CEA said. CEA plans to make another donation benefiting Las Vegas and the environment at the 2012 International CES, it said.

CES 2012 attendee badge holders were made of vinyl that was repurposed from banners used at last year’s CES, and CEA will collect the badge holders at the end of the show to recycle them again for 2013, the trade group said. A recurring green theme of CES organizers is the show itself, which allows attendees to reduce their carbon footprint by gathering in one location, CEA said. “With each attendee reporting an average of 12 business meetings per year, CES participants collectively avoid more than 960 million miles in business trips that they otherwise would have to take,” it said. By attending CES and consolidating trips, the estimated net savings in travel is more than 549 million miles, CEA said.