gets popped up in the convention center,” Licygiewicz reports.“This gives people an experience.They don’t have to go to the airport and grab a little tchotchke (Yiddish for a small, inexpensive, decorative trinket or souvenir). It’s at their convention. It’s creating these moments for people, and that’s where I see our focus and everyone’s focus moving forward in the next year or so.” THE SUSTAINABILITY AGENDA Year-in and year-out, staying sustainable has always been a consistent goal for the ACC, although Licygiewicz admits that it was more difficult during COVID: “We went through a lot of pre-packaged food that got us through the timeframe, but perhaps we weren’t the most sustainable. But we just went full LED lights within the last 12 months, so that was a step forward. We’ve also started a sustainability committee this year that has resulted in our team focusing on questions such as, how do we continue to be mindful of our carbon footprint as a facility? What can we do during downtimes to conserve energy? Meeting planners are looking for ways to incorporate sustainability into their events so what can we offer them in the way of a toolkit?” Licygiewicz answers some of her own queries: “For example, a lot of groups get box lunches and salads and sometimes things end up in the trash because people are on the go and don’t finish meals. So we started an easy, friendly program. If a group is providing box lunches, our food and beverage team puts baskets at the end of the buffet table along with a sign that says if there are any unwrapped items in your boxed lunch, please put them in the baskets. Albany – An American Crossroads of History, Commerce, and Culture 7 YEARS 1,089 EVENTS 578,861 VISITORS PROUD TO PARTNER WITH 136 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 12
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