Sustainability and Waste Reducation at Shoptalk

The Shoptalk team, together with our partners, have taken significant steps to reduce waste and recycle materials at this year’s event. Here are some of the efforts in place at the show:

Partnerships

  • We are partnering with Bain & Company to launch the Shoptalk ATLIS Awards, which will recognize retailers and brands that are taking exemplary actions in the retail industry
  • Our newly introduced exhibitor donation program minimizes waste from booths on Shoptalk's show floor.
  • In partnership with our event, rePurpose Global is removing 100 plastic bags per registered attendee from the coastline in Goa, India
  • Our badge holders have been switched to a biodegradable material, and both lanyards & badges will be recycled at zero waste through Terracycle.

Signage & Printed Materials

  • 2,500 sq. ft. of foamcore, which takes 500 years to decompose, has been replaced with recyclable honeycomb material across the show.
  • All vinyl banners will be donated or upcycled.
  • We are opting for digital signage in track rooms and on LED walls in lieu of printed signage, reducing more than 1,100 square feet of meterboards (based on prior years)
  • 100+ page printed show guide was eliminated this year in favor of a robust mobile app, interactive digital maps and single-page handouts

Catering

Menu selections have been made with a goal of 100% sustainability in mind, from sourcing and servingware to ability to donate unused food.

  • Shoptalk has replaced single-use plastic servingware with biodegradable bamboo cutlery and servingware including plates, bowls, forks, knives, coffee cups, and napkins.
  • Food that cannot be donated is diverted to feed livestock, is composted, or turned into biofuel.

Exhibit Hall and Audio Visual 

  • Aisle carpet  is up to 50% recycled, and carpet padding is 100% recycled. Both are cleaned & reused for as long as possible.
  • Fabric drape on the show floor is cleaned & reused as many times as possible before being recycled.

Mandalay Bay

  • All trash from the convention space, casino and resort are hand sorted for landfill diversion.
  • All water from resort drains is cycled back to Las Vegas Lake.
  • More than 250,000 incandescent light bulbs throughout the resort have been changed to LED light bulbs, including Bayside Exhibit Hall.
  • MGM has installed 323,000 solar panels across their resorts, on property and off.