The ‘R’s of Going Green –Reduce, Reuse, Recycle …

Going green is a theme amongst event organization these days. There will be an estimated 9 billion people on the planet in just 12 years, so consuming responsibly is a very important aspect and one which will only increase in importance. Before you can put on a green event there are a few basics that need grasping – that’s where this week’s post comes in, with the many ‘R’s of being green.

Reduce

The first point with adopting a sustainable approach is making use with less – less energy requirement; less food going to waste; and less packaging, transport and excess products distributing.  This is where planning comes in. Do you need to give out paper when you could be distributing data at a conference for example? Can you reduce the distance people need to travel or the energy needed to achieve your goals?

Reuse

So you’ve tried to reduce the amount of ‘stuff’ you need for an event. You also need to make sure the stuff you’ve already got can be reused. Can you, for example, reuse name badges that you’ve already had produced, or perhaps by buying better quality items you’ll be able to keep reusing them in the future.

Most of us will have seen trade shows that look like garbage tips at the end, with mountains of unused trash. Let’s hope it’s going to the next trade show and not into the ground. As was alluded to above this may lead to you purchasing better quality materials that can be better reused, the classic example is the banishment of single use plastic bottles at meetings in favor of glasses and jugs of water. We all prefer glass or china to a squishy single use plastic cup and we’re reusing, so everybody wins by this approach.

Recycle

For everything that you can’t reuse, you should consider before you purchase it, if it can be recycled – is it the sort or material you can recycle. Then you need to put in place protocols that actually lead to these materials being recycled. For example, when you give name badges out, tell guests there will be a large paper box at the conclusion of the conference for used badges that will then be recycled.

Re-gift

Even with perfect planning and a sensible approach to recycling there may still be consumables that do not get used. Food and drink are prime examples that can often not be reused. So they should be given to someone who can use them. For food, local food banks are the obvious solution; many caterers will already do this. For other items, you may simply be able to gift it to workers or colleagues that assisted with the event. Either way your approach will be much more sustainable.

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Best Kept Travel Tips from the Pros at Philadelphia Limousine

If you have been a frequent flier over the years you are a pioneer of change. Air travel has undergone many drastic changes in the past few years, more then we have seen before. On the better side of change you may be thinking of the ease of self-check in and a seat-back video screen so you can watch that much awaited in-flight movie. On the annoying side of change you may be thinking of the long security lines and lack of meals. In order to have a stress free flying experience it is important to keep some of the following factors in mind.

Try to Leave Early: Yes it is important to get to the airport 2 hours earlier for a flight, but we’re talking about leaving a day early if your travel encompasses a special celebration or other important function. In case there are delays you are covered, and have time to defrag as well.

Pick the Right Time to Fly: Early morning flights are the best way to go, just make sure to have that extra cup of Joe to get you on your way. We are always warned about this around holiday time, but as it fades away remember the same applies. One delayed flight has a ripple effect, and your better off avoiding the ripple all together.

Meal Options: If you are on a long flight a meal is part of the trip. If you’re a vegetarian, or require special diets, you should discuss this with your booking agent so that the airline can make the adjustments as needed. There is usually a choice of menus. Planning this ahead of time could save you a grumbly stomach and crankiness if not planned ahead.

Dress Comfortably: Getting through security is the first challenge on your journey so be prepared ahead of time when you are making your wardrobe choice. Wear something that is comfortable to travel in as well. If you are on a long flight temperatures may vary. Layering is a good thing to keep in mind.

Distinguishable Luggage: This is extremely important if you have luggage that will be part of the pile for pick up at baggage claim once you reach your destination. How many black suitcases are there that look exactly like yours? The answer is “to many to count”. There are number of ways to mark your luggage for easy visual identification. A special tag, sticker, or perhaps a sewn in patch. Whatever it be, the time spent looking will significantly decrease.

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The Dangers of Multitasking

Multitasking seems like the answer to many of our problems – how to become more efficient, get more done and use less resources. The average working day for most people involves being bombarded with tasks – how can we possible get them all done? This post gives some ideas about the dangers of trying to do too much as at the same time.

Quality vs Quantity

If you’ve got several different projects open at one time, it’s likely that none are getting your full attention. They’re not receiving the full benefit of your intelligence, expertise, and experience. Many researchers are in fact convinced that we can only fully concentrate on one thing at a time.

The logic goes something like: think how much of your mental effort you need to complete a project. If you divide that by three the result is not that each take three times as long, or that you achieving three times the output but that the quality of your output is actually two-thirds lower. Most projects do not allow for this margin of error.

Time Pressure

The reason people are trying to do more than one thing at once is because they feel don’t have the time to do them individually. The issue is that, to get mentally ‘into’ a problem or task actually takes time. You need to understand the problem and related factors. Anyone who’s tried to complete an academic essay or critical report amongst constant distractions will readily understand. To avoid having to complete this necessary but ultimately unproductive read in time, you should attempt to complete one task, or to a point where it can progress no further and then start the next.

We need to be clear, that we don’t mean you can’t have more than one task or project active at one time, rather your mental effort is only focused on one at a time.

Not Multitasking

Another common misconception is that the perils of multitasking mean you can’t achieve more than one task at the time. You can eat breakfast and listen to the news, or talk to your kids while ironing; these tasks require considerably less mental effort. The other misconception is, mostly as a result of smartphones, is that, existing in a constant state of distraction from texts, emails, messages and so on while doing your normal job, is somehow multitasking. It is probably less productive than would otherwise be the case but it is, for the same reasons described above, dividing mental effort and causing us to repeat the mental effort required to stay focused. A far better approach is to set time aside to read emails and answer critical communications and not constantly flick attention from one to the other.

One very successful and productive way to multitask is to allow Philadelphia Limousine to transport you to your next meeting in a style that allows you to remain productive and focus 100 percent on whatever it is you need to achieve.

Philadelphia Limousine Services with a large fleet of late model vehicles specializing in airport trips, city tours, weddings, proms and special events. We offer online reservation and our professionals are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to fulfill your Philadelphia area transportation requirements.