{"id":8301,"date":"2011-05-16T05:56:48","date_gmt":"2011-05-16T12:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gasdetection.com\/?page_id=8301"},"modified":"2014-08-25T15:18:37","modified_gmt":"2014-08-25T22:18:37","slug":"greening-trade-shows","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.gasdetection.com\/interscan-in-the-news\/magazine-articles\/greening-trade-shows\/","title":{"rendered":"Greening Up Trade Shows"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Health<\/a><\/p>\n

May 16, 2011<\/p>\n

Greening Up Trade Shows<\/p>\n\"Trade\n

By\u00a0 Michael D. Shaw<\/p>\n

At first blush, the notion of trade shows seems quite difficult to reconcile with this current era of Internet-enhanced media. After all, these events are said to date from medieval times, and are even referenced in the Old Testament. (Implied in Ezekiel 27, with the word “fair” mentioned in the King James Version.)<\/p>\n

The point being, of course, that absent mass communications, there was a real need for merchants and customers to get together\u2014face-to-face\u2014to do business, and introduce each other to new products and new requirements. With the advent of reliable mail service and the telephone, applications could be discussed, followed up with submissions of product literature and quotations.<\/p>\n

With the mid-1980s came the wide availability of fax machines. Thus, documentary communications between buyer and seller became virtually instantaneous. As such, many marketers\u2014and printing companies\u2014wondered how much longer traditional product catalogs, let alone trade shows, would exist in their present form.<\/p>\n

Once broadband Internet became the de facto standard in the early 2000s, Adobe’s pdf format enabled transmission of full-color catalogs, and so-called Web 2.0 enhancements provided interaction which certainly comes very close to being face-to-face with a sales rep. Some might argue that the interaction via computer (or smart phone) is even better in that the user can obtain just what he wants, minus the “amenities.”<\/p>\n

Given all this, as well as the expense and overall hassle of travel these days, we could ask why trade shows still exist. A cynical answer is that they generate lots of revenue for the organizers, who are able to convince\u2014or strong-arm\u2014potential exhibitors into participating.<\/p>\n

A kinder answer is to note that people with common interests still do enjoy congregating, especially in a festive venue\u2014subject to the limitations of their travel budgets. Some argue that it is necessary to do deals and build relationships face-to-face.<\/p>\n

Fair enough, but there is no denying the substantial environmental impact of trade shows. Consider the energy utilization and pollution caused by millions of people traveling, and the countless booths and materials being shipped. Consider also the paradoxical nature of the dozens of conferences held each year with the theme of protecting the environment.<\/p>\n

So, what do we do?<\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, most suggestions for greening up trade shows that come from the show organizers neglect any concepts that would limit attendance, and therefore ignore the associated travel-related environmental impacts. Instead, show management focuses on how the exhibitors can make a difference. Such ideas include:<\/p>\n