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In line with this initiative a new "Green for events" product has been launched in June 2011. It offers conference or business meeting organisers an opportunity to take into account various environmental and sustainable criteria when planning and organising their events. Special attention is placed on reducing the volume of trash and transport. Therefore, regional food and domestically grown produce take precedence in catering offers and coffee breaks consist almost entirely of locally grown food. Instead of water from plastic bottles, tap water is served. Ecological containers for separate trash collection are located in all conference rooms. To save energy, the conference rooms are mainly illuminated with natural lighting and the room temperature is adapted to the natural conditions so that the rooms are not overheated in winter or overcooled in summer.
An additional advantage of choosing Bled as a conference location is the favourable location of the hotels. Everything is located in close proximity and can be reached on foot with nearly no on-site transfers required. Conference organisers can arrange airport transfers with a gas-powered car or organised group transfers.
At the same time, an offer of teambuilding programmes with sustainable components has been developed, in which the rich natural and cultural heritage of the region is particularly highlighted. Participants can either learn traditional regional crafts or experience Bled in the style of the first spa guests who visited the physiotherapeutic institute of the Swiss physician Arnold Rikli in mid 19th century. The programmes are implemented in close cooperation with local small businesses and craftsmen, thereby contributing also to the development of the rural area.
Bled Strategic Forum as a model green event
Bled Strategic Forum 2011 will be the first large international event organised by the principles of the "Green for events" programme. The Sava Hoteli Bled company, hosting a majority of the forum events, made a commitment to reduce the use of energy and generate as little emissions as possible when hosting the event. Additionally, all the participants are invited to join in and help to preserve nature and natural resources through their actions. A set of guidelines for the participants has been determined, encouraging them to separate wastes and reduce waste quantities, sample local food and drinks, drink tap water instead of water in plastic bottles and be sustainably mobile by walking between different venues of the event.
The Sava Hoteli Bled company would like to measure the actual impact that this year's Bled Strategic Forum will have on the environment. Therefore, a detailed carbon footprint analysis of the event will be made in cooperation with the Bled based Ekogenca company, which will measure the total amount of greenhouse gasses produced throughout the event. The carbon footprint analysis will enable Sava Hoteli Bled and organisers of the event to assess the effectiveness of the aforementioned activities which will be carried out during this year's event, and point out the problematic points which still require attention. This will serve as a starting point to determine additional measures and activities in order to further reduce the carbon footprint for the future events to come.

Sava Hoteli Bled, d.d.
Cankarjeva 6, 4260 Bled, Slovenia
www.hotelibled.com
www.sava-hotels-resorts.com