American Water Works Assoc. ACE24 Program June 2024 | Page 16

Transforming Our Future — Sustainability at ACE24 and Beyond

The
American Water Works Association ’ s Annual Conference and Exposition ( ACE ) is strengthening its focus on sustainability , measuring the association ’ s baseline , and adding new initiatives . We are committed to improving ACE ’ s economic , environmental , and social impacts . With over 10,000 attendees gathering in Anaheim , CA , this June , ACE24 aims to lead by example and begin to showcase sustainability in action .
ACE
has formalized many established best practices :
• Selecting ACE venues with LEED certifications
Limiting bottled water and one-time-use plastics , like badge holders
Curating custom food and beverage menus with a regional focus and sustainable utensils
Reducing the overall use of printed materials and reusing signage annually
• Spotlighting diverse voices , DEIA ( diversity , equity , inclusion , and accessibility ) initiatives , and workforce programming
ACE24
enhancements you ’ ll see :
Event Industry Council ’ s Sustainability and Social Impact Foundations — AWWA has endorsed the Principles for Sustainable Events and is pursuing a Sustainable Event Standards assessment and event certification in 2025 .
• Reusables — look for water refill stations throughout the convention center and use the 100 % recycled conference bags to carry your items .
• AWWA is implementing waste reduction efforts , including an exposition donation program .
• AWWA has established a partnership with Aclymate on a voluntary carbon offset program for travel .
This program is printed on FSC-certified paper and is fully recyclable
Small Steps = Big Impact .
One action can create a chain reaction of positive events . When we unite our efforts , the resulting impact is greater . Become a catalyst for a wave of change !
For more information on supporting ACE sustainability initiatives , please visit https :// www . awwa . org / ace / Attend / Sustainability-Impact