The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) is leading the way when it comes to green convention centres.

As the only convention and exhibition venue in Australia with both Green Globe and Waste Wise accreditation and with the world’s first, and one and only ‘6 Star Green Star’ convention centre under its stewardship, the MCEC has a lot to live up to.

With that in mind, a team of dedicated MCEC employees - aptly named the ‘M Green team’ – has been created and been given the task of coming up with fresh initiatives and new strategies to continue to benchmark and progress MCEC’s environmental performance.

MCEC chief executive Leigh Harry says ‘The M Green team reflect the centre’s commitment to an environmentally sustainable business and industry and we are working hard to ensure every aspect of our operation is conducted in an environmentally conscious manner.’

Under M Green’s guidance the MCEC has recycled over 38 tonnes of organic waste into compost over the past year; reduced the amount of tin, plastic and glass sent to landfill by more than 38,000 litres over a three month period; and developed a Water Management Plan (waterMAP) to reduce water usage by introducing new rainwater tanks and native gardens and using captured rainwater for general cleaning purposes.

They have also introduced a range of biodegradable packaging and cutlery for use in the MCEC’s café.

To assist clients in greening their events at the MCEC, the M Green team actively work with them recommending waste management, green power and sustainable food menu options and solutions.

M Green will soon have its own micro-site within the MCEC website (www.mcec.com.au) that equips meeting planners with green checklists, answers to any questions they may have and a host of other information and ideas.

Staff education is also a priority. As well as introducing a ‘Green Office’ program promoting recycling initiatives within the work-place, the M Green team are arming staff with ‘Green Fact Sheets’ detailing what the MCEC is implementing in different environmental areas. These topical fact sheets are published on the MCEC Intranet and posted on staff noticeboards around the MCEC.