Field of Greens
For an event promoting Pepsi's eco-friendly image, PRA Destination Management Dallas/Ft. Worth landscaped the exhibit hall with grass, trees and other plants, all of which were sustainably sourced and, when possible, planted in local parks and retirement communities after the meeting. (817) 329-5100; pra.com
Map Time
Not For Navigation's stylish totes are made with prints of nautical maps. For a seaside meeting, pick a map of the destination from this list, and the company can make custom totes, with or without a logo. Costs range from $15 to $125 per bag, depending on quantity and style. (877) 858-6453; notfornavigation.com
Teaming Up
When organizing an event, try to steer clear of activities that some attendees won't be able or willing to do, such as wine tastings, sailing or word games (a challenge to attendees whose first language isn't English). Better bets, according to Carissa Zenorini, CEO of San Francisco-based Absolute Adventures Inc., are team cooking events and green activities, such as creating organic gardens or recycling competitions. (415) 505-5964; absolute-adventures.com
A Real PAL
Many companies don't have an emergency plan in case disaster strikes. Attendees should know how to evacuate and where to gather in case of emergency. Ideally, everyone would have something like the PAL (Protection at Location) Kit, which includes a hard hat, safety goggles, mask, gloves, flashlight, glow stick and distress whistle. Kits cost $30, with discounts on bulk orders, or they can be rented for $10, plus shipping. (310) 944-9728; protectionatlocation.com
Bottle Busters
Cynergreen is a company devoted to reducing plastic waste from disposable water bottles. The company can set up a reusable bottle program using steel bottles -- which don't leach the potentially dangerous chemical BPA -- for $6 to $9 per attendee. (501) 605-0197; cynergreen.com
The Kindness of Strangers
Affix one of these stickers onto your pricey gadget, and if you lose it, the finder can enter the code onto Stick and Find's website and you'll be notified (eliminating the need to put your personal information on the device). Because the sticker is permanent, a thief won't be able to resell your phone, laptop or PDA. Stick and Find costs $9.95 for unlimited use per device, with discounts for multiple devices. (619) 892-2076; stickandfind.com
Business Cards
These days, it can be hard to find time to send out a simple mailing. SendOutCards simplifies the process by snail-mailing customized greeting cards that you order online. The cards can be used as teasers, invitations or thank-yous. When purchased in bulk, they cost as little as 62 cents each. (888) 681-4440; sendoutcards.com
Sites Unseen
Besides searching the mega online job sites and meetings industry job boards, keep these niche sites in mind. Rent-A-Planner (rentaplanner.ning.com) is a cross between a social networking site and an independent-planner database. It’s small right now, but it’s a source of camaraderie — and possible work. Connect4jobs.com is a meetings-industry job board that allows pros to post résumés and job openings free of charge.
Divine Intervention
Interview Angel is a 112-page workbook full of exercises that will improve the odds of impressing a prospective employer. The product costs $89 and includes tips and templates for bang-up résumés and thank-you letters. The company recommends working through the program for three solid days to get the full effect. (800) 724-2909; interviewangel.com
In Living Color
Even with a standout design, a résumé is still just a piece of paper. Consider building a multimedia online résumé with BriteTab. For no charge, job seekers can create a full-color résumé with embedded photographs and video clips, and send potential employers the link. It will put a face to the name before the interview. (877) 718-1639; britetab.com
Call a meeting
BlitzTime hosts conference calls with a difference; following the main call, it breaks down the call into one-on-one caller pairings to foster further discussion and networking between participants. The service costs $5 per user, per event, or $19.95 per month for unlimited usage. Discounts are available on multiple subscriptions. blitztime.com
Star Power
This eye-catching curtain sparkles with tiny lights that will jazz up your booth or presentation. Drape Kings’ starry cloth comes in panels 16 feet high and 22 feet wide; the lights can be programmed to flash at different speeds. The cost for rentals starts at $5 per foot. (888) 372-7363; drapekings.com