More than “Just Getting Away from Plastic Water Bottles”

A conversation with Johanna Chasse, Meetings & Incentives Worldwide & Mackenzie Dierks, ITA Group

SITE Midwest is taking a very mindful approach to sustainability.  As we designed and developed the Forum held June of 2026 in San Miguel, Mexico, sustainability was at the forefront of our minds.  With that in mind, we reached out to our Sustainability Expert, Mackenzie Dierks. 

Mackenzie: While there will always be room for growth, we focused on the things we could control and how to ensure a positive impact. While our impact was broad, much of it could be connected to three specific Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 2 Zero Hunger, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production. 

Johanna:  When planning events we always want to make sure we have enough food but at the same time we do not want waste either.  It often feels like finding just the right amount can be challenging. Can you share more about the pillar that educates us in this area?

Mackenzie: In events it feels like "running out of food" is the beginning of a horror movie, often leading to pans of food ending up in the bin. When planning Forum, that is why our SITE Midwest team put focus towards reducing food waste both before and after meals. Planning ensured that portions and quantities met attendee numbers rather than leading to large amounts of untouched plates. In the event there were leftovers, we worked with our vendors to determine what the end destination of those leftovers would be. In some cases we weren't able to get a clear answer however we're glad we asked the question because we learned that one of our vendors donates food locally after events. The team also employed photo audits after some of the meals to identify what foods were the biggest culprit of waste. Those photos will be reviewed to support future planning decisions. 

Johanna: That sounds amazing!  I love conscious efforts to eliminate or reducing food waste. Tell me overall how San Miguel was a fantastic backdrop for sustainability.

Mackenzie: San Miguel de Allende presented a perfect backdrop as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This protected city was more than just a beautiful backdrop for the event. It's old streets and centralized grid may not be ideal for a enormous group, however it's perfect for a reasonable and sustainability minded group. No giant motor coaches that were only half filled, instead we utilized vans and even walking transfers when possible. We would be remiss not to acknowledge that transfers from the airport weren't short, so for that reason we made sure that no one traveled alone for arrival or departure. Destination selection can truly make or break the sustainability of an event, and San Miguel absolutely complemented it. 

Johanna:  What a beautiful location!  One more question – When we think of sustainability, we often think of food or water bottles but there are so many others areas of sustainability at events that need to be recognized.  Can you share some of the ways that the Forum events team implemented sustainability efforts?

Mackenzie: In order to infuse sustainability successfully, you have to be realistic and the truth is there's a lot of potential for waste when it comes to events. We have suppliers and vendors that create amazing experiences for us, from decor to gifts. The beautiful floral arrangement from the final event incorporated both fresh as well as silk flowers with amazing skill. After the event, rather than being thrown out, the arrangements were donated to local churches. If you haven't been to San Miguel, they have multiple beautiful churches. Gifting can be another challenging area when you're traveling with a carry on, or maybe your personal learning style means you do everything on your smartphone and never use notepads. We acknowledged that reality during Forum, and instead of guests leaving things they didn't have a need for in their rooms, or even worse the garbage, we offered them the chance to return any items they weren't keeping to a donation box when they checked out. Instead of going to a landfill, the items found new life. One great example is leftover notebooks that were donated to a non-profit working with victims of human trafficking in Costa Rica. They use journals regularly in their counseling programs. Not only does this encompass SDG 12, but also ties into other SDGs such as number 3 Good Health and well-being, and SDG 5 General Equality. 

 Johanna: This has been so incredibly helpful!  It is always exciting to learn about ways we can put our best foot forward when it comes to sustainability efforts in events.  Thank you for sharing your knowledge! 

I also would like to send a little teaser out there about our meet ups as we continue our conversations and activities on sustainability!  We hope you can join us in one of the cities!  Please see below:

Tuesday, November 3- 8:00am-10:30 am - Des Moines, Iowa

Wednesday, November 4- 4:00pm-6:30 pm - Kansas City, Missouri

Thursday, November 5- 4:00pm-6:30 pm - St. Louis, Missouri