Here is a list of green initiatives being taken by OPSEU and/or the Sheraton Centre where our annual Convention is being held April 23 - 25.
Communications
- OPSEU GHG reduction policy & green meeting guide to be distributed at Greening OPSEU table
- Encourage members to bring re-usable drinking containers
- Green stewards meeting – Thursday @ noon
Sheraton Centre initiatives
- compostable cups and water jugs in all meeting rooms
- composting bins
- recycling bins in all meeting & guest room
- use of
- deal with Globe and Mail for newspaper recycling
- leftover food is sent to local food banks
- Sheraton now serves fair trade coffee after request from OPSEU & other labour groups
- coffee shop in mall will serve fair trade coffee after OPSEU's request
- Lighting is turned off when rooms are not in use
- Water conservation – low flush toilets
- Used soap sent to Mennonite churches for melting and reshaping
- Linen & towel reuse program
- Full auditing of water usage, energy usage and recycling
Transportation
- Variable mileage rate for members to encourage car-pooling
- New, fuel-efficient OPSEU van to be used for transporting goods to and from hotel
Convention kits
- Reusable, zippered, organic cotton bags
Paper reduction initiatives
- Pre-convention mailout – reduction of 35 sheets per package for reduction of 21,000 pieces of paper
- Use of partially recycled paper
- Back to back printing where possible for convention floor handouts
- Use of efficient document formatting
- Reuse convention signage from year to year
- No colour printing at Convention
- Delegates at hotel can opt out of getting daily newspaper – no plastic bag for newspapers
- Use of non-toxic markers
- Use of recycled flip-chart paper
- Use of Energy Star printers at Convention
Display area
- Inform vendors about green “do’s and don’ts”
- Environmental groups invited to display
- Greening OPSEU display
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