The green theme was evident from the moment the 200 guests arrived. Anyone in a hybrid car received a discount for valet parking, and those who chose to park in the adjacent garage received transportation to the entrance in Swoop Miami electric vehicles. In lieu of a traditional red carpet, organizers lined the entry with an artificial grass carpet made from recycled plastic, provided by Easy Grass. For centerpieces, Karla Conceptual Event Experiences created simple arrangements of succulents and moss in green glass containers.
For beverages, guests could choose cocktails created with VeeV, a spirit made from the Amazon rain forest’s acai berry, Vita Coco coconut water, or Renewal Water, a water packaged in recyclable and compostable bottles. The hotel’s Whitehall Restaurant served organic bites such as roasted pepper and portobello Parmesan crisps and shrimp ceviche on a plantain chip, while Whole Foods provided organic fruit and desserts.
To encourage guests to adopt green practices, organizers sent those who purchased a V.I.P. ticket home with a G3 Give Bag, made from jute, filled with a variety of environmentally conscious products, such as a low-flow showerhead, a faucet aerator, a leak detector, biodegradable doggie bags, seeds of local wildflowers, a mini bottle of VeeV, and a $50 gift card for eco-friendly dry cleaning at Sudsies.
Organizers are still totaling the proceeds. The money will be used to fund the coalition's environmental programs, and also to renovate a building donated by the city of Miami Beach that will become the Miami Beach Center for the Environment, the coalition's future home.
