Events are prone to various unsustainable practices like high food and water wastage; the rate of unsustainable practices at events is so high that even companies where sustainability is the goal see it as a norm. But with the sensitization all over social media, sustainability is coming back to life.
Eco-friendly activities at events are a major plus for attendees, and some even instruct event hosts to make sustainability practices an integrated part of their event, whether a conference, workshop, or meeting.
What Is A Sustainable Event
A sustainable event or green event is an event that is planned with careful consideration for economic, environmental, and social issues. The Sustainable event was created in 1992 during the Olympic games in Spain, where 169 countries with 9,356 athletes competed.
A sustainable event isn’t a regular event; it requires a lot of dedication. You have to implement ways to reduce food wastage which is now considered a norm. You also have to implement methods of recycling and reducing plastic use.
How To Plan A Sustainable Event
1. Choose A Proper Venue
All event hosts know how well they prepare when they are about to host an event. They start planning a year before the actual date to make sure the event goes flawlessly; a sustainable event is more complicated than a regular event, so you might need to start preparing early as well.
For regular events, you can opt for any venue provided the guests can easily locate it, and it is secured for the guests and their property. Sustainable events require more than that; you have to make sure the venue itself is eco-friendly and doesn’t support wastage of any form.
A venue with a well-fitted structure that saves water is your go-to.
2. Choose The Right Vendors
You can’t go wrong with the right choice of vendors; vendors that have eco-friendly policies will help achieve your dream sustainable event even better. It’s no more news that plastics are clogging up oceans and landfills, harming numerous aquatic and terrestrial animals since they carry a large carbon footprint.
To prevent these occurrences, use non-disposable cutleries and plates; all you need is to reach an agreement with the food vendor to provide washable dinnerware.
Also, the vendors should provide washable cups to prevent the use of plastic cups. People will be wondering what if the guest wants to sip a drink with straws. Well! There is steel or glass straw that is totally washable, which can be provided to the guest to drive a spark for the event.
3. Eliminate Paper Products
The success of an event is totally dependent on the awareness that was generated for it. Handbills, social media awareness, and promotions are means of advertising an event; this means the use of paper is inevitable. Not totally. Handbills can be abolished for digital signage, such as the signage you can get at loop and similar websites, which is more presentable and can reach a larger audience if placed in a strategic location.
Sign-in papers can be eliminated by using digital methods where attendees will only need to go through a scan with facial recognition or thumb recognition.
4. Provide Green Food
What better way to show your guests that you value your environment than serving a green menu? Make sure to serve locally grown food and not genetically modified foods that could pose a threat to life.
Opt for food that was grown with organic fertilizers and not synthetic fertilizers. This way, you are indirectly supporting the local farmers that grow green food and also use organic fertilizers.
5. Use Equipment That Uses Less Energy
The importance of making interpreting booths available at your sustainable event cannot be overemphasized. In fact, any valuable equipment that reduces carbon dioxide emissions is encouraged.
The usage of LED lighting is also advised over fluorescent lights since it reduces greenhouse emissions.
Conclusion
Sustainability has gained popularity all over the world, and it is evident since top businesses are now ditching paper documents for cloud storage and paper towels for washable towels. The movement has gained traction in the event industry since most event hosts opt for a sustainable event over a regular event.
Planning a sustainable event requires more dedication because it involves a careful selection of items and equipment to be used at the event venue.
