ISTAT News | 12 February 2020

ISTAT Americas Sustainability Efforts

Last year, ISTAT President Gerry Butler shared that the organization will be considering ways to be more environmentally conscious. As an initial step, ISTAT’s new sustainability committee has explored efforts to be taken at ISTAT events. At ISTAT Americas, attendees may notice these environmentally conscious efforts:

• The JW Marriott Austin is a LEED Silver certified building.
• Lanyards and badge holders will be collected at the end of the event to be recycled or reused.
• The hotel has been asked to not distribute paper, pens and mints (these will be available in limited quantities and upon request).
• Unused food will be donated to the hotel’s partner Angel House Soup Kitchen.
• Most of the produce sourced by the hotel is organic, whenever available. Local farmers utilized include: Hardees (produce) and Ranger cattle (local beef, run by veterans). Most of the citrus comes from various local farms, including pecans and peaches from Fredricksburg, Texas and strawberries from Potite, Texas.
• The hotel has been asked to keep temperatures at 68 degrees.
• Water glasses will not be filled at lunches, but will be available.
• Each guest room contains a trash and recycling bin. In the public and meeting space, there are “dual” bins (one side for trash, the other side for recycling).
• The hotel also has a very active composting program in the back of house.
• Busses used for transportation to/from the hotel have been asked not to idle.