Green Tech
A look at innovative green technologies shaping the industry's future.
By Michael Pinchera and Alan Kleinfeld, CMP
The need we have for innovative green technologies in tomorrow’s world is as big as the imaginations coming up with these new ideas. And as these new technologies and ideas make an impact on virtually every aspect of modern life, the global meeting and event industry must evolve to accommodate the advances.
The world’s most innovative green technologies getting the most viral buzz are those focusing on the reduction of energy consumption, but the field boasts additional valuable benefits, from enhancing communications to promoting healthier lifestyles. Here’s a sneak peek into your future.
Interactive Surfaces
The field of multi-touch interactive surfaces will play a major role in the meetings and events of tomorrow. Tables can become portals to collaborative work and document-sharing spaces, crucial meeting room controls, individualized presentations and more. Equipped venues would ease an event’s carbon footprint by significantly reducing, or eliminating, the need for on site printed materials, better engaging attendees by providing a more personalized experience and potentially inducing a positive or neutral impact on event budget by limiting freight costs.
CRISTAL (Control of Remotely Interfaced Systems using Touch-based Actions in Living spaces) is an integrated multi-touch screen table that displays a live video image of the room and permits control of networked and remote-control appliances—revolutionizing the event planner’s role over audiovisual control. Currently being developed for consumer use, consider CRISTAL’s potential applications in event space. Dim the lights, cue intro music, increase volume of keynote speaker’s microphone, begin video presentation. These are fairly conventional functions, but as easy to control as sliding your fingers across a coffee table. CRISTAL can also enable groups of delegates to view presentations specific to their needs (on digital picture frames, for example) while the keynote continues. Digital slide shows become a little less boring, suddenly.
Think bigger and greener. With similar interactive table technology, groups can communicate with each other through intuitive touch-screen controls that make even the most minimal social networking sites seem cluttered and cumbersome by comparison.
The MOTO Development Group, a product development consulting firm, is working on scalable multi-touch surface technology for collaborative projects and brainstorming. With no projectors or cameras required, the screen can be as thin as an LCD panel, thus much less bulky and open to more practical applications than the Microsoft Surface table and Perceptive Pixel’s screens. MOTO’s prototype boasts truly multi-touch capabilities, only limited by the number of fingers that can fit on the screen, and is scalable to at least 50 inches diagonal (the prototype in just 19 inches).
The Association for Computing Machinery will delve into these and other future tech possibilities at its 2009 International Conference on Interactive Tabletops and Surfaces in Banff, Alberta, Nov. 23-25.
Walk It Up
At MPI’s 2009 World Education Congress in July, staffers wore pedometers to measure the total distance walked while on site—one person logged more than 30 miles. Conference and trade show planners and attendees endure the reality of extensive walking while on site—yet, they also struggle to find time to charge essential electronic devices, such as mobile phones and digital cameras. The nPower PEG (Personal Energy Generator) doesn’t solve the need to walk, but through kinetic energy it converts pedestrian efforts into a valuable commodity—an hour of walking can charge a device up to 80 percent. Super eco-friendly users will be pleased to know the nPower PEG even charges devices while riding a bicycle.
The nPower PEG is expected to reach consumers this fall at a price of US$149. Check for updates at Greennpower.com.
Fungus Among Us
Green and CSR benefits are both delivered with Life Boxes. Developed by mycologist and author Paul Stamets, the recycled cardboard for Life Boxes is impregnated with tree seeds as well as mycorrhizal fungal spores. Plant the impregnated cardboard to grow seedlings protected by a symbiotic relationship with the fungus.
Stamets has since tested Life Boxes with food plant seeds. The plants are grown and the food and seeds harvested—that’s win No. 1. Next up, Stamets inoculated some of the harvested corn kernels with mycorrhizal fungal spores. Mushrooms grew and were harvested and the mycelium converted the cellulose into fungal sugars, which could then be processed into fuel ethanol. What Stamets developed was a method with which to use mycelium as a natural intermediary in converting cellulose to fuel ethanol—a route to fuel ethanol which is less expensive and more environmentally friendly than current processes. Logically, he dubs this Econol—yes, this is win No. 2.
During his TED talk last year on how mushrooms can save the world, Stamets said, “I want to reinvent the cardboard delivery system use of cardboard around the world so they become ecological footprints.”
Consider the impact of using Life Boxes for event shipments. Upon completion of the event, boxes not needed for reshipping can be donated to community gardens or reforestation programs. Suddenly the event is giving back in a unique way to its host community, and potentially the world. How’s that for a beneficial life cycle of a cardboard box?
Life Boxes are not yet available to the public, so stay tuned to Lifeboxcompany.com.
On the Green Road
“Climate-friendly transportation is clearly a reality waiting to happen,” said Michael Luehrs, sustainability services manager for MCI Group’s Stockholm Office. “More efficient engines powered on alternative forms of energy represent huge market potential and are being pursued by many entities. I see surface and air transportation solutions that will include captured solar power converted to low-weight, high-power, long-life fuel cells. This will have profound impacts on all communities and industries.”
An example of innovative transportation options can be found in the Global Electric Motorcar (GEM) company. Although in limited use, GEM offers street-legal (in most U.S. states), low-speed vehicles powered by electric battery. These vehicles look like souped-up golf carts and are finding use as shuttles at special events. They give off no emissions and have the ability to recharge via solar panels.
Perhaps the greatest driver of innovation, GEM vehicles cost a mere US$1 to run 50 miles—remember when gasoline was 50 cents per gallon?