As event planners, I think it’s the responsibility of each of us to look at our business practices and do our best to mitigate the environmental impact our events are having on our planet.
I wrote an earlier post on green events but quickly realized there was much more to say on the topic.
I think most of us have good intentions but with so much knowledge out there, it’s difficult to know where to start.
If that describes you, please join me as we take an in-depth look at simple ways to make your events greener.
According to the Events Industry Council, a green meeting or event is one that incorporates environmental considerations to minimize its negative impact on the environment in all stages of planning an event.
An area in which we can make a huge impact in all respects of planning is our use of paper and plastics. Did you know that it takes a simple plastic bottle on average about 450 years to biodegrade? We really can have a dramatic impact with a slight shift in our decision-making.
Let’s look at how we can make wiser choices.
1. Control Your Printed Materials
As hard as we try, it isn’t always possible to completely eliminate printed materials. In cases where printing is a must, be smart with your decisions. Make your printing double-sided, use vegetable-based ink and print on recycled paper. Choosing matte rather than glossy paper is also a more eco-friendly option in terms of recyclability.
2. Event Management Technology
A creative way to counteract paper waste at every stage is to use technology – and you will be right on trend. Areas of focus where this can help reduce your event’s carbon footprint are marketing, online tools, and production.
Institute email campaigns to launch and advertise your event rather than using traditional paper products and set up an outreach system through social media platforms to get the word out.
Most events today are able to benefit from the use of online tools from sharing pre-event information to registering for an event to your post-event follow-up. Encouraging any speakers to use digital products to relay their information rather than passing out paper products is also an excellent way to eliminate waste.
Determine if it’s necessary to have an in-person event. Using the internet to convene online events through live streaming or webcasting can reduce the carbon footprint of your event due to the reduction or elimination of travel and all that entails.
3. Eliminate or Reuse Miscellaneous Paper and Plastics
Have a look at some of the culprits below and ask yourself if your next event can keep some of them out of the landfill.
Water bottles – While this is a standard sight at most events and considerate to the participants, there’s a way to keep them hydrated while eliminating a huge increase in waste. Consider providing attendees with refillable bottles as part of their swag bag with water supplied on tabletops from reusable serving vessels or water stations where they can fill up as needed.
Recycle event supplies – It’s the small items that can really add up over time. For example, is there signage you use time and again? Leaving names and dates off of it makes it reusable. What about badge holders or table numbers that are re-ordered time and again? Have a look to see what you can reuse to reduce your consumption.
Swag bags & attendee gifts – In addition to brochures and the like used as filler in swag bags, we’ve all seen the ill-considered gifts that can end up in the garbage bin by the end of the day. With a little thought, not only can you provide quality items for gifts but also consider the eco-footprint of the gift’s container itself.
Here are some questions to ponder when making your choices for swag:
– Was the bag and/or gift produced locally? If so, the carbon footprint of it will be significantly less due to the transportation aspect.
– Are the materials of the gift and/or bag recyclable or organic?
– Is this product something the receiver could use or want to keep or is it likely to end up in a landfill?
– Is there superfluous packaging associated with the gifts?
Waste receptacles – Even your best efforts can be thwarted if excited event-goers are getting caught up in the festivities and not paying attention to multi-bin waste receptacles that are clearly designated for recycling by material type. This is especially so when you have events outdoors. A way to combat this is to staff members of your team near the waste receptacles so they can direct and assist participants in these efforts.
An area in which we can make a huge impact in all respects of planning is our use of paper and plastics. Click To Tweet4. Speakers, Sponsors & Exhibitors
Speakers: Do you have speakers planned for your event? They often come with a substantial amount of paper to distribute. With a little forethought, you can come up with ways to reverse this habit. You can ask the speakers to bring hard copies only of what is absolutely needed. Any documents that they wish to provide the attendees can be dispensed via email at a later date. You can also request that any presentations be made using technology rather than on printed materials.
Sponsors: You may find yourself as a sponsor to an event you are not in charge of planning. Your image is closely tied to the event which you are sponsoring regardless of your participation in the planning of it. For that reason, you may want to ask if the planners have sustainable policies in place that are representative of the image you want to uphold.
Exhibitors: As an event producer, there is very little control you have in this area. However, sharing your goals for a sustainable event with your exhibitors as well as a way to achieve that may inspire and motivate them to follow suit.
5. Venue
For purposes of paper and plastics waste, I’d like to single out an area where the venue can make a huge impact. Choose a venue that has chosen to eliminate single-use paper or plastics from its food service in favor of reusable serving vessels and utensils. Other items to be sure they have eliminated are straws and paper napkins. While these items do make life simpler, much like individual water bottles, they place a huge burden on our landfills and oceans.
The venue selection is a critical choice in assisting you in your green efforts so it’s important to choose wisely.
6. Attendee Participation
If you’ve made the effort to create an eco-friendly event, shout it out. Let your participants know about your efforts. Most times, people want to do the right thing but they don’t know what steps to take. So help them and you out. Make it easy for them to participate. In your marketing materials leading up to the event, explain your vision to give them a head’s up that this is your goal. Make announcements from the stage about your efforts and what they can do on their end to facilitate. You might be surprised at how much participation you get.
In what ways are you making your events greener? Let me know in the comments.