Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) continues its commitment to the greening of CES, through sustainability programs, partnerships and eco-friendly initiatives.
This includes awarding grants to local organizations within the Las Vegas community with sustainability initiatives that give back to the community, help take care of the planet and make the world a better place. CES 2016 returns to Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan. 6-9, 2016.
“As owner of the largest, hands-on event for emerging innovation, we want to set an example for the industry by instituting environmentally-friendly programs to make CES as green as possible,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CEA. “CES represents the future of innovation and we feel we have a responsibility to minimize the show’s carbon footprint through green initiatives and give back to the Las Vegas community through CEA’s Green Grant.”
Proposals for CEA’s 2016 Green Grant are being accepted through Nov. 4, 2015. Recipients will be announced on Jan. 5 at CES.
In January 2015 at CES, CEA gave Green Our Planet a $65,000 grant to support the Outdoor Garden Classroom Program. As a result, Green Our Planet installed 14 outdoor garden classrooms around Las Vegas, teaching over 10,000 students about environmental issues and providing them with healthy food.
CEA works with the show’s general contractor and vendors to make the CES production process more sustainable, including:
- In 2015, CES general contractor, Freeman, recycled nearly half a million square feet of carpet – up 70 percent from the previous year. The remaining 1.13 million square feet of carpet was reused.
- More than 20,000 square feet of magnetic banners from the 2015 CES were melted down and will be reused for CES 2016.
- 27,800 square feet of vinyl banner materials used at CES 2015 were repurposed by Sky Group and made into tarps, hockey rink liners and outdoor movie screens.
- Fifteen trailers worth of donated items were given to Habitat for Humanity, Opportunity Village and Teacher Exchange through CEA’s formal donation program. This amounted to 145,900 pounds, saving 45 dumpsters worth of materials from landfills.
- All CES Press Rooms are green with only paperless press kits permitted, saving an estimated 2.5 million pages of printed paper.
CES represents the entire technology ecosystem, bringing together all major industries from around the globe and providing an opportunity to conduct business under one roof. CES attendees travel from 150 countries and collectively avoid more than 3.5 million miles in business trips that they otherwise would have to take if not for the show. In 2015, CES attendees participated in an average of 33 meetings while at the show. On average, 80 percent of those meetings would not have occurred otherwise.
For more information on green practices and sustainability initiatives at CES 2016, visit CESweb.org/green.
