Going green for a conventional purpose

Juliet Lally is doing her bit to save the environment and aiming to give Brisbane an edge as a convention destination in the process. Ms Lally has just returned from a Green Meeting Industry Council's Sustainable Meetings Conference at Denver in the US. The University of Queensland Business School graduate won an AACB Scholarship to study environmentally-friendly business events destinations in the US, including Portland and Denver. Now, Ms Lally is using what she has learned to make a difference in her role as a project manager at Brisbane Marketing's Convention Bureau. The Clayfield 30-year-old hopes to both reduce the carbon footprint at her office and find clever ways to market Brisbane as a green destination. "Portland is doing an exceptional job of positioning itself as a green destination and the business events sector is reaping huge benefits as a result," Ms Lally said. "I've been truly inspired by Portland's example. This is a city where parking meters are solar-powered, city planners replaced freeways with a park and the meticulous synchronization of traffic signals results in annual savings of 64 million litres of fuel. "Meeting so many passionate people both in Portland and at the conference in Denver was definitely a highlight of the trip." Since returning home, Ms Lally has been very aware of her actions, collecting water from the shower to water her plants, recycling and using public transport. "It is all the little things that make a difference. They add up." Ms Lally is part of a green team at Brisbane Marketing, which is looking at reducing the office's carbon footprint and ways to promote the city's green credentials. "It is important for the industry to work to be more sustainable. We need to educate people how to achieve that." The AACB Scholarship is in its 14th year and is sponsored by Business Events Australia, Qantas and the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux. Miss Lally graduated from The University of Queensland in 2002 with a Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Business. Media: Juliet Lally (3006 6202) or Erik de Wit (0417 088 772)