11 Easy Tips on How to Organize a Sustainable Event

Julie Starr • October 24, 2020



Going green should no longer be the last thought when it is time to plan an event. No matter the type of event or how big it is, you should always consider how it will impact the environment. The global event and meeting industry is worth a whopping $840 million , with a quarter of the amount being the programs’ marketing budgets. Many companies might feel that using a much greener approach might be expensive, however, when you carefully examine a more environmentally friendly event, you will find that they are, in fact, more budget-friendly. 

Thankfully, there are newer innovations that help when it comes to planning green programs. As people are continuously growing to become more climate-conscious , it might not be long before organizing sustainable events becomes a requirement. So, what can you do if you find yourself planning an event? Here are a few sustainable tips:

Select a green venue
 It would not help to host an event at a location that does not adopt climate-friendly practices or is not particularly green. One of the best things you can do is select an eco-friendly venue that would reduce your carbon footprint. So, when you are planning your next event, consider a modern-day location with upgraded systems designed to conserve water, electricity, and smart temperature control. You can also ask about your venue’s waste management process, including their composting or recycling policies. If you cannot find a green-accredited space, you can look for one that still has some concrete environmentally friendly policies or practices. 

Use a green meeting calculator
 If you are having trouble finding a suitable eco-friendly destination, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is here to help you. ICAO has created an app to help you find meeting venues or locations that will have the lowest impact on your carbon emissions. 

The calculator will rank the best destination for your event based on your number of guests and your current location. You can download the app from Google Playstore or the Apple Store. 

Include locally sourced foods in your menu
 When planning a sustainable event, you should strongly consider what kinds of food to include in your menu. For best results, opt for local and seasonal fruits, vegetables, and meats where possible. Eating seasonal or local might seem like a recent trend or fad, but it does have its advantages. Local foods have a richer flavor and are more nutritious. It is also cost-efficient to eat local or seasonal as it reduces storage and transportation costs. 

Donate any leftovers
 Food waste is a significant environmental issue. Aside from that, we end up wasting the resources that go into preparing that food as well. When we waste food, we end up wasting nearly a quarter of water supply in the form of uneaten foods. It also comes with a massive carbon footprint burden because it releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas when food is left to rot. So, instead of throwing any leftover dishes after an event, you can choose to donate to soup kitchens or local charities. You can check with your venue if they have any donation programs. That way, you can make an impact. Ideally, to reduce food wastage, you can ask your attendees’ dietary requirements in advance to help you get a clearer idea of how much food to order for your event. Additionally, you can also opt to have plated meals instead of a buffet. 

Plan sustainable or environmentally friendly activities

Activities are a great way to keep your event guests attentive and thoroughly entertained. If you are looking to have an eco-friendlier program, you can develop some sustainable activities; you can organize tree-planting exercises or even beach clean-ups. These team-building activities will keep them active and learn more about their environment. Plus, your guests will feel more fulfilled for helping protect the environment. 

Use sustainable cutlery and packaging
 Plastic cutlery, bottles, and Styrofoam are harmful to the environment because they do not decompose as quickly as organic compounds do. It can take up to 1000 years for plastic to decompose in a landfill because the chemical bonds in those materials are not present in nature. Therefore, there are no naturally occurring elements to help break it down. When trying to practice sustainable eating at events, the best option is to use reusable cutlery. Get rid of all the plasticware including all straws, plastic spoons, and even plastic decor. Instead of providing water bottles, you can have water stations or fountains installed. You can see this as a way to get more creative and look out for biodegradable or compostable items to use instead. 

Go paperless
 Most events typically tend to use a lot of paper. Sometimes, even your venue might provide you with branded notepads and plastic pens to help attendees make short notes during the program. Plus, you might have to print out brochures, program line ups, invitation cards, and so on. While these papers might look nice, the sad fact is that more than half of them end up in waste bins at the end of the day. Not only would it negatively impact the environment, but you would have lost a whole lot more money.

So, what can you do to reduce the amount of paper at an event? The answer is quite simple. Go paperless and digitize everything. Instead of creating an event flyer, you can create a website or an app. Or you can put up your program on event management websites and have guests RSVP. You can also advertise and promote your program via email or social media instead of using traditional media such as billboards and posters. Plus, on the day of the event, ensure that you present everything digitally. You can put up LED screens or project any relevant information.  

Rent all IT equipment
 Typically, event guests and organizers bring their electronic gadgets when attending programs. The problem with guests bringing their laptops, in particular, is that they usually require being placed on a hard surface. Furthermore, they can be quite heavy to carry, depending on the brand. Plus, the average laptop has a five-hour battery life and would require charging. Most laptops are also not energy efficient as you can use up to 45 watts of power to charge them. 

Fortunately, many IT companies allow you to rent tablets or iPads for significant events and conferences. iPad rental has many benefits; not only are they portable and lightweight, but they also have an average battery health of 10 hours. Unlike the laptop, the latest iPads or tablets are super energy efficient and require about 15 watts of power.

Ensure that everyone understands and participates
 If you want to have a genuinely sustainable event, it will require a lot of participation from all key players, including your venue hosts, suppliers, sponsors, and guests. Ensure that you effectively communicate your green efforts and vision to all attendees. Not only will that positively impact your surroundings in the long run, but it will boost your brand’s image. 

Keep logistics in mind
It can also be important to make sure your logistics make sense in light of this consideration. Encourage people to attend your event using greener transport methods, and perhaps even incentivize this by offering discounts to those who do. You may use ID Warehouse tags to enable chaperones to make sure parking is correctly applied, so that no guests need to waste time looking for a parking spot and thus wasting resources, or perhaps you can situate the parking further away to ensure your green space takes more of a precedent, helping you strike a stronger image.

This kind of application not only speaks to your values but sustainability in macro as a practical good, rather than a simple goal you espouse. This, again, will boost your brand’s image with confidence.

Go virtual
 With the ongoing global pandemic, going virtual is the new norm. And, even after the pandemic clears and things go back to normal, not much will change. Therefore, responsible business and event organizers trying to be more environmentally-conscious should strongly consider virtual events and their advantages. Videoconferencing alone is one of the easiest and most effective ways for organizers to help save the planet. This will help reduce the usage of paper, gas, and several other factors that negatively affect the environment. Instead of driving or flying to event centers and contributing to emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, you can simply join any event right from the comfort of your home. 

Include sustainability requirements in your RFPs
 When planning an event, you will need to work with several suppliers to ensure that everything goes on smoothly. However, if you are going for a greener approach, you need to make sure that your suppliers know and understand your requirements. When you are preparing your Request for Proposals (RFP) to suppliers, ensure that they include environmentally friendly services. But it also rests on you to clearly define sustainability requirements in your request and if there are any other extra costs. Ensure that you ask any suppliers for proof of any sustainability services they offer or claims they make. People tend to slap on any “green” titles, so you need to be extra careful and vigilant. 

Well-planned events have a significant reach and can be immensely successful for organizers, and that is why they are trendy. However, it can negatively impact the environment due to the number of resources needed to pull it off. When you finally decide to organize an eco-friendly event or at least have sustainability elements in your schedule, not only will it leave a positive lasting impression on your guests, but you will also positively impact your environment. Hopefully, these tips will help you make the best “green” decisions when planning your next event. 

 

 

Can AI Support Environmental Sustainability? 5 Ways It's Already Making an Impact

By Julie Starr • May 12, 2025
As conversations about artificial intelligence (AI) evolve from hype to implementation, many sustainability professionals are beginning to ask: Can AI actually support environmental goals—or is it just another tech distraction? At Taiga Company, we believe this is exactly the right kind of question. New tools should be approached with thoughtful inquiry and grounded optimism. While there’s plenty of noise in the AI space, we’re also seeing early signals that AI, when applied responsibly, may offer significant benefits in advancing sustainability strategies. Below are five science-backed ways AI is already being used to support environmental sustainability—with links to explore the data behind each. 1. Optimizing Energy Use and Efficiency AI can analyze and forecast energy needs, detect inefficiencies in real time, and automate building and grid-level energy decisions. Google, for example, used DeepMind’s AI to reduce the energy used for cooling its data centers by 40% —a significant operational and environmental win. 2. Enhancing Climate Modeling and Prediction AI improves the accuracy and speed of climate models by processing vast datasets (like satellite data and atmospheric readings) faster than traditional tools. This can help scientists and policymakers better anticipate extreme weather, sea level rise, and other climate-related risks. 3. Enabling Smarter Agriculture and Resource Use In agriculture , AI supports precision farming—using data to guide decisions around water use, fertilizers, and pest management. These tools can reduce resource consumption and emissions while supporting food security. 4. Accelerating Circular Economy and Waste Reduction AI is being used to automate waste sorting, track materials through supply chains, and improve transparency around recycling and reuse. These innovations support circular economy goals and help reduce landfill and emissions. 5. Monitoring Ecosystems and Biodiversity AI-powered sensors, drones, and satellites can track deforestation, monitor endangered species, and even detect illegal activity in protected areas—helping conservation efforts scale more efficiently. What This Means for Corporate Sustainability For corporate sustainability leaders, these examples show that AI is not a magic solution—but it might be a valuable tool in the toolkit. Like any technology, its value depends on how it’s implemented, what data it's trained on, and whether it’s integrated with strategic goals. This is where communications plays a vital role. At Taiga Company, we help organizations articulate how technologies like AI fit into their broader environmental and business commitments. Whether through thought leadership, stakeholder education, reporting language, or digital engagement, our communications support helps make new tools understandable, actionable, and credible. We focus on: – Translating complex innovation into clear, values-aligned messaging – Engaging internal and external stakeholders on their learning journey – Showcasing measurable impact while aligning with evolving standards and frameworks – Sharing best practices in a way that encourages collaboration and informed adoption AI is not just a technology story—it’s a communication opportunity. It invites sustainability leaders to educate, inspire, and engage stakeholders around how they are navigating this next chapter.

What You Call It vs. What You Do: Communicating Impact Beyond ESG Labels

By Julie Starr • May 5, 2025
As the world continues to prioritize environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals, a new technological movement is quietly reshaping how companies communicate their sustainability efforts: Web3. Web3—the next evolution of the internet built on decentralized technologies like blockchain—offers powerful new tools for ESG storytelling. At Taiga Company, we believe Web3 represents a transformational opportunity to enhance digital transparency, expand decentralized sustainability initiatives, and bring fresh credibility to corporate ESG communications. Web3 Unlocks Digital Transparency for ESG In an era where stakeholders expect greater accountability, Web3 provides an immutable, verifiable way to share ESG metrics. Blockchain technology enables companies to record sustainability data—such as carbon tracking, water usage, or supply chain emissions—directly on decentralized ledgers. This creates a new level of digital transparency that can bolster trust with investors, customers, and regulators. At Taiga Company, we help businesses translate these complex technical capabilities into clear, accessible communications. Our services bridge the gap between advanced Web3 solutions and everyday ESG storytelling , making decentralized reporting meaningful to broader audiences. Decentralized Sustainability and Regenerative Finance (ReFi) Beyond transparency, Web3 is giving rise to decentralized sustainability models. Projects in regenerative finance (ReFi) are using blockchain tools to incentivize environmental restoration, carbon sequestration, and climate-positive activities. These initiatives align with emerging ESG expectations that go beyond ‘do no harm’ and focus on regenerative impact. We work with companies to integrate these new paradigms into their sustainability narratives—highlighting how innovative approaches like ReFi contribute to broader environmental goals, align with ESG criteria, and showcase leadership in a rapidly changing landscape. A New Era for ESG Storytelling Traditional ESG reports often feel static, data-heavy, and disconnected from stakeholders. Web3 offers a dynamic, participatory model where audiences can engage with real-time sustainability data, track progress directly, and even contribute to decentralized initiatives. Our services specialize in creating communications that reflect this evolution. By combining our expertise in sustainability strategy with a growing understanding of Web3 trends, we help organizations: Translate decentralized sustainability efforts into compelling, credible stories Align carbon tracking and digital transparency initiatives with stakeholder expectations Position ESG leadership within the emerging Web3 economy The Path Forward Web3 won't replace traditional ESG frameworks, but it will significantly enhance them. Companies that start integrating decentralized transparency, carbon tracking, and regenerative finance into their sustainability communications today will be better positioned for tomorrow's expectations.  Ready to evolve your ESG communications for the Web3 era? Let's connect.