One eco-friendly inaugural ball honoring President-elect Barack Obama, apparently, is not enough.
The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and the 2009 Green Inaugural Ball Host Committee, which includes the Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation, and American Wind Energy Association, announced yesterday that former vice president Al Gore will host the invitation-only Green Inaugural Ball on January 19 at the gallery. Production details and vendors for the event are in the early planning stage.
Also yesterday, Event Emissary, a D.C.-based event planning company, announced that it will host and sponsor another Green Ball on January 17 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium (chosen for its half-block proximity to the Metro). The food, by Occasions Caterers, will be organic, with vegetarian and vegan options, and bars will serve locally produced and organic beverages, according to Event Emissary cofounder Jenna Mack, who started offering green services a year ago. "We are trying to educate our clients that there are different choices that they can make that will lessen the effect a party has on the environment," Mack told us. "The inaugural is an excellent platform to show everyone you can have a high-caliber event and still minimize your impact."
Other green initiatives at the event include Atmosphere Lighting designers utilizing LEDs to cut power usage and florist Amaryllis providing arrangements with locally grown plants. Food waste and flowers will be composted and bottles recycled, and transportation for deliveries and staff will be offset with the purchase of carbon credits.
Event Emissary's Green Ball is open to the public, with tickets costing $500 each.
