Now more than ever, Discover Puerto Rico and its partners are committed to providing sustainable meeting solutions that work for meeting professionals and the planet, too. Here are some smart ideas to help you lessen your meetings’ environmental footprint and benefit the local communities. With eco-friendly venues, green catering options, and sustainable event planning strategies, Puerto Rico makes it easy to host an eco-conscious event.
Why Choose Puerto Rico for Your Eco-Friendly Event?
Beyond the beauty of the heart and soul of the Caribbean, the Island blends vibrant culture with sustainability, offering LEED-certified venues and eco-friendly resorts like the St. Regis Bahia Beach, Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, and Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort & Casino. Additionally, there are many community-led efforts across Puerto Rico that focus on different eco-initiatives, like sustainable farming, environmental protections, and much more that your guests can support and volunteer at.
Book a Sustainable Venue
The lush rainforest isn’t the only thing that’s green in Puerto Rico: hotels and meeting venues around the Island are leading the industry in earth-friendly practices.
Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort & Casino
Adjacent to PRCC, the Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort & Casino is the first hotel in Puerto Rico (and the first Sheraton in the world) to achieve LEED certification. This milestone is hopefully the first of many in the Convention Center District, which aims to become completely LEED-certified. Many hotels and paradores are employing sustainable practices such as recycling and sourcing local, natural goods.
Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort
Wyndham Grand Rio Mar, nestled between El Yunque National Forest and the ocean, offers a stunning eco-friendly meeting venue. Its expansive event space harmonizes with nature, employing energy-efficient lighting, water conservation, and habitat preservation initiatives like the Xplorers Club and their continued efforts in nesting turtle protections. They also work with local efforts like Vitrina Solidaria to help smaller businesses thrive, helping strengthen those community ties.
Eat Local While Supporting Agritourism on The Island
When planning your food menus, you can lower your carbon footprint by working with caterers to source food and drinks locally. This also helps feed Puerto Rico’s growing agritourism sector and provides attendees with an authentic taste of the Island. Some of these projects, like Frutos del Guacabo in Manatí and Jeanmarie Chocolat located in Aguada, Hacienda Tres Ángeles in Adjuntas, Finca la Zafra in Gurabo, Hacienda La Tradición in Utuado, Semila PR in Barceloneta, as well as many others, offer farm-to-table experiences and the freshest produce you will find on the island.
Eco-Offsites & Team Building
Sustainable, community-based tourism is a growing trend in Puerto Rico. Plan a group trip to breathtaking places like Río Abajo State Forest and Humacao Nature Reserve, or organize a tasting tour at one of the Island’s many coffee plantations. If your guests want a more hands-on approach, there are a variety of non-profits that can help with that. Groups like Para la Naturaleza and The Vieques Conservation & Historical Trust (VCHT) host activities ranging from beach cleanups, mangrove restoration programs, guided nature hikes, and much more.
Minimize Waste Through Sustainable Practices
The materials produced for meetings can result in huge amounts of unwanted waste, but there are some simple ways to reduce it. When planning welcome bags, opt for locally made and biodegradable goods rather than plastics or single-use items that will end up in a landfill. Instead of using paper goods and signage, you can opt for digital alternatives, such as Augmented Reality (AR) experiences, mobile app integrations, and other zero-waste meeting options. Discover Puerto Rico can also show you local recycling programs.
Utilize Carbon Offsets
Believe it or not, a carbon-neutral event is possible with the use of carbon offsets. Your organization can purchase these offsets, which counteract your group’s carbon emissions by reducing greenhouse gases in other areas. Discover Puerto Rico can put you in contact with providers like the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and others for more information.
Sustainable Gifts and Favors for Attendees
Party favors can be something much more valuable than a random trinket— and there are plenty of options you could provide your guests! CMYK PR is a local company that offers a wide range of eco-friendly products like canvas tote bags, recycled notebooks, compostable planters, and many other fun and useful things. Thinking about these gifts intentionally helps keep more things out of the landfill!
Plan Your Sustainable Meeting in Puerto Rico
Ready to make your next event sustainable and memorable? Host your green meeting in the Heart and Soul of the Caribbean! Discover Puerto Rico offers a wealth of resources to help you create an eco-conscious event, from finding stunning eco-friendly venues to sourcing delicious green catering options and implementing sustainable event solutions. Let us guide you in planning an environmentally responsible gathering that will leave your attendees wanting to come back.
Start planning your sustainable event in Puerto Rico today—our sales team is ready to help make your vision a reality!
