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. 

 

 

Simple Steps To Make Your Office Space More Eco-Friendly

By Julie Starr • October 7, 2024
Becoming more eco-friendly and running a greener business is a responsibility that business owners really need to think more about. The good news is that if you spend a lot of time in your office, there are plenty of ways to make it more eco-friendly without having to overhaul everything and start again (which isn’t just disruptive, but expensive too). So, if you’re ready to get started, here are some simple steps to make your office space more eco-friendly; read on to find out more. Use Energy-Efficient Lighting This idea is a simple one that you can do no matter what else might be on your list of tasks - it’s quick, easy, and really makes a difference; change your light bulbs to something more energy efficient. If you’re still using traditional fluorescent bulbs, it’s time to upgrade to LED which doesn’t just last longer, but also uses a lot less energy. They’re easy to install and they’ll help you cut down on your office’s energy usage almost instantly. If possible, you should make the most of natural light too, so think about rearranging your workspace to let in more sunlight, which saves energy and can boost your mood - it’s a win-win that you can do right away. Prioritize Air Quality The air you breathe matters, and keeping it clean can do wonders for your health and the planet. One way to improve air quality is by adding plants to your workspace because plants are natural air purifiers, and as a bonus, they’ll make your office feel more inviting. Another great idea is to make sure your office’s HVAC system is working efficiently, and having air duct cleaning done by professionals is an easy step you can take to improve air quality and ensure your heating and cooling systems aren’t wasting energy. Clean air ducts mean cleaner air, less strain on your system, and even lower energy bills, so it’s a simple but really effective thing to do. Switch To Reusable Products If your office is still stocking up on single-use plastic items, it’s time for a change - swap your disposable cups, utensils, and plates for reusable ones and you’ll be surprised at how much waste to eliminate. And what about encouraging people to bring their own mugs and water bottles to work? Give them tea, coffee, and water to refill everything with, and you’ll be doing your bit to help the planet and have less waste to deal with as well. And don’t stop with these things either - there are loads of reusable products that could be useful in your office. You could have refillable pens and ink cartridges for your printer, for example. Go Paperless Speaking of your printer, is that an office machine you actually need? If you were to go digital and aim for a paperless office , you might be able to do away with the printer, which means less money spent on ink and paper, and less energy used altogether. You should be able to set up a system where documents can be shared online and stored electronically, and there are plenty of tools around to help you do exactly that (and much more). If you don’t need to print something and you don’t need a physical copy of a document, don’t make one - just use the digital version instead and you’ll be a lot more eco-friendly.

3 Most Unsustainable Industries & What They're Doing To Be More Eco-Conscious

By Julie Starr • October 4, 2024
Sustainability often gets pushed on the common person. Joe Public is told to be more sustainable with their daily habits as the government pushes for more eco-friendly measures. This is all well and good - but does it really matter when 71% of greenhouse gas emissions come from just 100 companies around the world? Small business owners are desperate to prove their sustainability, but what are bigger companies in some of the most polluting industries doing to help? We’ve taken three of the least sustainable sectors on the planet and explored the unique ways they’re trying to cut down on emissions and be more eco-friendly. Mining Any industry revolving around drilling underground will not be very environmentally friendly! Mining causes a lot of pollution, but its unsustainability often comes from the way it damages local environments and ecosystems. So, what is this industry doing to change things? It’s largely focusing on more responsible mining practices to reduce waste and mitigate the impact on local environments. This is done through mining dust suppression systems to prevent airborne pollution, reforesting mining sites when they’re no longer in use, and recycling as many materials as possible. Is it perfect? No, but it’s a step in the right direction. Fossil Fuels Shock horror; the fossil fuels industry is the most damaging to our environment. Finding ways to change the scope of this sector is the key to ensuring a better future for all. Some companies in this industry are trying to do this through carbon capture and storage. This is a technique where CO2 emissions are captured before they’re released into the atmosphere and stored underground. Realistically, the main thing fossil fuel companies should be doing is pushing for more renewable energy sources. Many are doing this - though reports suggest they’re not investing as much as they should. If fossil fuel companies dumped more money into developing biofuels and other renewable sources, pollution from this industry would drop dramatically. Fashion The most unbelievable stat to take from this post is that the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of our global carbon footprint . That’s remarkable (and worrying), considering how most of us don’t view it as a “dangerous” industry. Fast fashion is the main problem; poorly-made goods are pumped out at a rapid rate, and consumers constantly buy new things. Fashion companies are trying their best to resolve this. Most big brands will now have sustainable lines using recyclable materials. Consumers also hold the key to solving this problem: stop buying new clothes all the time and wear yours for longer. Or buy pre-owned clothes to slow down the fashion production line. Companies can still do more as well: they are trying to adopt more eco-friendly production processes that use less water and energy. The moral of this post is that everyone can do their bit to fight for a more sustainable future. Keep this in mind for your small business . It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in; there will always be ways to promote eco-friendly practices.
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