Dallas — Being green is no longer a trend or fad – it’s a way of life. This was dramatically demonstrated last week at the recently completed SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas (S2). For the first time, S2 partnered with Mountain Re-Source Center and Tile Partners for Humanity on a recycling initiative focused on post-show product donations at the close of the three-day event, held January 24-26 in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. The outstanding results of this inaugural program speak for themselves and exceeded all expectations.
Mountain Re-Source Center solicited all S2 exhibitors prior to and during the show. The participating exhibitors were very generous, offering approximately 200,000 square feet of material which filled three 50-foot semi- trailers to capacity. The total tonnage was about 120,000 pounds. The loads were delivered back to Gridley, California and Gassaway, West Virginia, to serve multiple families and community improvement efforts presently underway. Las Vegas Habitat for Humanity also partnered with one donor and collected a beautiful floor that will stay and benefit a local Las Vegas project.
S2 exhibitors were thrilled to be part of such an important and impactful program. Both small and large companies actively participated with some of the major donations coming from …
- Beaulieu (9,000 square feet of carpet)
- Mannington Mills (9,000 square feet of flooring)
- Home Legend (5,400 square feet of flooring)
- Nature Flooring (3,500 square feet of flooring)
- Pergo (2,800 square feet of flooring)
- U.S. Floors (2,500 square feet of flooring)
Due to the extreme success, exhibitor participation and effective coordination by Mountain Re-Source Center on the SURFACES | StonExpo/ Marmomacc Americas show, there’s no question this initiative will become an annual event mainstay. Allyson Venugopal, Mountain Re-Source Center’s networking director, heard nothing but positive, encouraging remarks during the effort. “Among the many comments we heard, numerous companies admitted that this type of program is right in line with their business’ green policies. Knowing their products would bypass the landfill and instead benefit others clearly inspired a feeling of pride. The possibilities are limitless on how we can all work together to help communities and neighbors in need,” Venugopal shared, “and we are thankful to Hanley Wood Exhibitions, Freeman Companies and all of the S2 participating exhibitors for making this possible.”
Dana Teague, Group Director, Hanley Wood Exhibitions added, “Our shared S2 accomplishment is only amplified by the thought that its success could result in even more community involvement and corporate participation outside of the show. About 75% of the exhibitors participating indicated they wanted to discuss future donations! We are grateful to have had this opportunity, to all our exhibitors, and to Mountain Re-Source Center and Tile Partners for Humanity for all their work, coordination and volunteers. We will most definitely plan for this initiative in 2013.”
Additionally, the Mandalay Bay was successful in recycling 80% of the remaining materials left in both the Bayside and Shorelines Exhibit Halls (including residual cardboard, aluminum, paper, plastics, pallets, etc.).
For more information regarding the Mountain Re-Source Center and Tile Partners for Humanity, visit their websites at www.mountainre-source.org and www.tpfh.com. All donations are tax deductible.