LAS VEGAS – Have you ever wondered what happens to publications, badges, crates, banner material, carpet and padding after the close of a convention or trade show?  The frustrating but not surprising answer is that these items are often thrown away, ending up in landfills.

Though it is easy to accept this waste as routine, Zach Delbex-Smith, Cynthia Stimple and Tim Stimple decided they wanted to make a difference in the trade show industry, creating Greener Vegas in order to repurpose convention and trade show materials.  Reusing these materials results in both reduced emissions and materials that can be donated to community programs, they said.

Formed two years ago, Greener Vegas works with associations to facilitate the removal of reusable materials before they are designated as trash. Some trade show materials can be very long-lived and although they are not recyclable, but they can be reused. Banner materials take tens of thousands of years to break down, but that doesn’t have to be the case if these materials are repurposed.

Greener Vegas has donated repurposed materials to more than 100 community programs, including 60 Clark County School District programs that directly affect more than 40,000 students.

In 2008, Greener Vegas and their convention partners recycled 742, 808 pounds of paper, 5,902 pounds of plastic, 7,458 pounds of cardboard and 45 pounds of aluminum. Not only have reduced emissions led to cleaner air, but their donations have changed the lives of thousands of students and Clark County residents.

“We are proud to make a difference,” said Zach Delbex-Smith, CEO of Greener Vegas, about Greener Vegas’ efforts in the community. “We are here to complement the efforts of facilities and associations. They are reducing and recycling materials and the focus of Greener Vegas is reusing and repurposing these materials.”

Greener Vegas is a pilot program that aims to set a standard in the convention and trade show industry providing options for unused materials. Under its national brand, Repurpose AMERICA, the founders hope to take their vision to other convention destinations.

For more details about this program, visit GreenerVegas.org or call 702-431-8037.

Julie Pazina ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) is national sales manager at Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services and works in Las Vegas.