On average every American throws away 270 pounds of plastic each year, contributing to the approximately 8.8 million tons of plastic that’s finding its way into our oceans each year*. That is an obscene amount of pollution that we, as a country, should absolutely be pulling the reins on.
Well, in a strong show of industry solidarity for the #kickplastic movement, AFFTA has partnered with Costa and formed a Kick Plastic Coalition to make IFTD a single-use plastic-free show and reduce its energy-use footprint as well.
We’re proud that the world’s largest gathering of the fly fishing industry is leading by example when it comes to protecting our environment and oceans – not just saying “kick plastic,” but actually doing it.
Here’s what you can expect when you arrive in Denver this October:
> We’re encouraging everyone who is flying into Denver to take advantage of the convenient, inexpensive train ride from the airport to downtown. It only costs about $10-bucks and get’s you downtown in 30-minutes — 15-20-minutes faster and 75% cheaper than an Uber or cab. You’ll help minimize the number of vehicles on the road (and thus unnecessary emissions), completely avoid traffic, get downtown much faster and save money.
> At check-in, all attendees will be receiving a reusable pink lanyard to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month along with a durable, recycled paper badge, both courtesy of Simms and Casting for Recovery.
> While we urge everyone to bring their own reusable water bottle, each attendee will also be given their own reusable Kick Plastic water bottle and will be able to take advantage of refilling stations at a number of booths throughout the show floor provided by our Costa Kick Plastic Coalition, which includes YETI, Simms, Yellow Dog Fly Fishing Adventures, Captains for Clean Water, RepYourWater, G Loomis, SweetWater Brewing and others.
> The Industry Breakfast, sponsored by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation, will use washable dishes, glassware, linens and utensils instead of paper or plastic goods, generating zero-waste aside from compostable food scraps.
> Plates, eating utensils and cups from concessions on the show floor will also all be recyclable or compostable, and there will be no single-serve condiment packets in use either.
> We have eliminated carpeting in the aisles which decreases the use of forklift emissions, keeps thousands of yards of material out of the landfill, and are working closely with exhibitors on reducing packing materials for the same reason.
> Likewise there will be no PVC or vinyl signage. All signs will be on ecoboard or honeycomb cardboard with soy ink printing.
> A panel discussion, moderated by Lia Collabello of Costa – How the industry is stepping up to #kickplastic – is being held on Wednesday 9/16 at 10:30 am
> At the Party on the Pond, thanks to SweetWater Brewing, we’re moving from kegs & cups to cans of Guide Beer, making it a 100% recyclable event.
> And to help reduce our energy consumption, we’re leveraging the LEED Gold standard of the Denver Convention Center and strategically scheduling lighting and air conditioning for show hours, providing a comfortable, welcoming space while avoiding the waste of maintaining it during unoccupied hours.
We’re excited to be making these valuable changes to the show and look forward to the entire industry coming together and doing its part to #kickplastic!
If you’re an exhibitor with a booth reserved for this October, here are some recommendations for minimizing waste and improving energy efficiency!
If you’re an exhibitor and you haven’t taken care of your badge registration, complete the process here.