WHEN local think tank the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) organised a conference earlier this month at the Regent Hotel, it made a few unusual requests.

The firm asked for sugar in bowls, not sachets. It wanted milk and water in jugs, instead of single-serve plastic containers. And it had the hotel bump up the thermostat by a few degrees.

Environmentally-friendly requests like these are becoming increasingly common both in Singapore and abroad as more companies start holding 'green meetings'.

A check with several local hotels and convention centres revealed that demand for eco-friendly conferences has snowballed during the last three years.

Companies are asking for things like recycled notepads and natural lighting while cutting back on buffet lunches and catered snacks.

The Grand Copthorne Waterfront saw about 30 requests for green meetings last year, and has already seen 50 this year through August (08). (chk) Suntec City, meanwhile, will host 10 such meetings this year, up from five last year. The Royal Plaza at Scotts has also received 10 bookings this year.(chk)

'(They) make good business sense as they save money in the long-term by conserving resources' said Mr Aloysius Arlando, an assistant chief executive at the Singapore Tourism Board.(chk)

The trend is already well-established in the United States, Australia and Europe. It has been earmarked by trade journals as one of the top fads in the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions, or Mice, sector.

Companies say the explosion of green meetings is the result of companies incorporating eco-friendly ideas into their social responsibility policies.

Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.