How to Host an Eco-Friendly Event?

Are you trying to host a memorable event for your company or team? An event that impresses your clients and allows your team to enjoy a day out of the office. But how can you have a fun event and save the environment simultaneously?

Events of any size can generate massive amounts of unnecessary waste, both in terms of bodily waste and carbon emissions. With careful planning, you can make your next event more sustainable and reduce its carbon footprint.

Here are some tips for holding Sustainable Events that save money, time, and the environment.

Benefits of Sustainable Event Planning

Sustainability is a hot topic in the event management industry. The recent growth of conferences, trade shows, and other events has created an opportunity for event planners to raise awareness about sustainable practices within their industries. Did you know that the average event attendee generates approximately 1.85 kg of waste each day, with most of this waste ending up in landfills?

Another example: music events produce 23,500 tonnes of trash, including food, packaging, and even abandoned tents. According to a survey by Powerful Thinking, 20 kilotons of CO2 are emitted onsite each year, rising to 100 kilotons when audience travel is factored in. These are only a few issues that can be addressed by sustainable and environmentally-friendly event management.

Sustainable event management is a very important practice for the future of our planet. It can help reduce the negative effects of hosting events and making the world a better, more enjoyable place for all, and a Green Event Reduces your event’s carbon footprint.

Here is a Sustainable Event Management Checklist

1. Choosing The Right Venue

2. Go Digital – Eco-friendly swag

3. Opt For Greener and Sustainable Options

4. Organised Waste Management 

5. Hire The Right Event Management Company

1. Choosing The Right Venue

Choosing the right venue for a sustainable event depends on how many people attend. Some events, such as conferences and trade shows, need to have much space where they can fit booths and exhibitors. Other events, such as festivals or concerts, need lots of room to spread their activities on stage.

Finally, some events like barbecues or weddings only need enough space for a few hundred people. Next, think about access and parking. It would help if you also ensured that there is adequate power for everything you need at your event.

Here are some Tips For Choosing the Right Venue:

• Choose a venue that is in the centre of the city or closer to the attendees 
• Make sure there is access to public transportation to the venue
• Set up eco-friendly transportation that can transport more people at once
• Learn if the venue uses renewable sources of energy
• Check the Sustainability Index for the city
• If you are hosting multi-day events, you can make sure there are accommodations available nearby

Furthermore, you can make sure the venue has natural lighting, is energy-efficient, and has a good waste management system. You can lookup for Environmentally forward venues that have LEED certification and certification for sustainable events like ISO 202121.

2. Go Digital 

The good thing about going digital is that you can reduce your paper usage by using e-invites and digital invites instead of paper invites. This will help you save time and money and help the environment by reducing paper usage. You can also use RFIDs to avoid printing badges and give them out digitally to visitors. This will save on printing, shipping, and distributing badges.

You can also create an event app to make it easier for attendees to know what is going on at the event and keep them updated on schedules. Creating a convenient and interactive app for your event will also help attendees by providing information and allowing them to get the most out of their experience at the event. This can include- Event overviews, maps, schedules, and FAQs. A map that allows attendees to see where their friends and family are located- And more! Many events nowadays are turning to digital invites. This saves time and money while also helping to keep your event organized.

The digital world is in the future, and you need to be prepared for it. You can organize your event website, create a digital flyer, or plan an interactive social media strategy.

Virtual Event is a way to make the event even more effective, efficient and cheaper. There are no limits to the participants or the attendees. It is much cheaper than the conventional event because of the low cost of technology. A virtual event is a meeting of minds with participants at multiple locations, united through video and audio. A virtual event is a face-to-face meeting without being in the same location.

3. Opt For Greener and Sustainable Options

More and more event planners are looking for ways to make their events more sustainable and eco-friendly. There are several reasons for this trend, including a growing awareness of the impact of events on the environment and a desire to reduce the carbon footprint of their events.

There are many ways to make your event more sustainable, including using recycled or recyclable materials, using energy-efficient lighting like led lighting and AV equipment, and working with local suppliers towards sustainable development. You can also offset the carbon footprint of your event by planting trees or investing in carbon credits.

Making your event more sustainable doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. There are some small changes you can make that will make a big difference. By working towards a more sustainable event, you’ll not only be helping the environment, but you’ll also be setting a good example for your guests and showing that you’re responsible and forward-thinking with your sustainable event management.

SWAg

As more and more event planners look for ways to make their events more sustainable, one area that is often overlooked is the swag bag. Swag bags are typically filled with various promotional items, many of which are made from plastic or other disposable materials.

While swag bags can be a great way to promote your brand or cause, more sustainable options are available. Reusable tote bags are a great alternative to disposable swag bags and can be used long after the event is over. Fill them with sustainable promotional items like reusable water bottles, eco-friendly notebooks, or seed packets.

Sustainable swag bags are better for the environment, but they can also be a great way to show your commitment to sustainability. Event attendees will appreciate your efforts to reduce waste, and your sustainable swag bags will help make your event more memorable.

Digital swag

Other ways could be just ditching the swag bag altogether and opting for digital goodies like discount codes and downloadable freebies that can benefit your attendees. Digital swags are easily accessible and can be delivered at almost no cost. You can also make an opportunity to affiliate with your sponsors and generate revenue to help pay for the green event.

Sponsors receive extra visibility when you provide swag that’s digital in nature. Digital swag means there will be no more lost gifts – your attendees will be able to access it on the go with their phones, and sponsors will have one less thing to be worried about bringing to the event.

4. Organized Waste Management

Organized Waste Management for your events is vital to ensure the success of the event and the safety of all attendees. Event planners need to consider all potential waste sources and develop a plan to manage them efficiently, from food waste to waste disposal. This may include hiring professional waste management services, working with local authorities to ensure proper waste disposal, and providing adequate bins and signage to encourage attendees to dispose of their waste properly.

With proper planning and execution, organized waste management can help to make your event more sustainable and reduce your environmental impact. It is also important to consider the financial implications of waste management, as disposing of waste properly can save you money in the long run. Proper sustainable event management is an essential part of event planning and can help ensure your green event’s success.

5. Hire The Right Event Management Company

If you want your event to be truly sustainable, you need to choose the right event management company. Sustainable event management is all about reducing the environmental impact of your event, and the right company will have the experience and expertise to help you do that. The right company will have a team of experienced professionals who are experts at planning and executing all types of events. They’ll be able to advise you on everything from choosing eco-friendly venues to implementing waste reduction strategies.

Choosing a sustainable event management company is a great way to show your commitment to sustainability. It’s also a smart business move – sustainable events are becoming more and more popular, so working with a company that can help you make your event sustainable is a great way to increase your business reputation and make your truly memorable event