Individuals and companies are becoming ever more concerned with their environmental footprint. Every day there is a new environmental initiative to give up disposable bags, eliminate plastic straws or make something a bit greener. As the environmental expectations of attendees grow, events need to keep pace. That means event organisers must understand how to go green without going bust. To help you keep your event environmentally friendly, event venue Glaziers Hall has created a list of 10 tips to make your next event as green as possible.
Cut down on transport Transportation to and from an event accounts for 90% of its carbon footprint. If you want to make sure your event is as green as possible you should consider your attendees travel. Choose a location that is easy for your audience to get to and make sure that there are good public transport links close by. Choosing an event venue near hotels is another good way to cut down on waste. If your attendees can walk from their hotel to the venue then you are potentially saving hundreds of trips by car or other transport. Glaziers Hall is a great example of this because we are close to both transport hubs including London Bridge and hotels.
Find a green venue Look for a venue that has already taken some steps to make itself more environmentally friendly. At Glaziers Hall we are plastic free and we donate our extra food to charities. That means we generate less waste and any leftover food goes to a great cause. Other green initiatives to look for include water saving schemes, solar energy generation and general recycling.
Don’t over order Many people order more food than they actually need for an event. This wastes both food and money. Don’t be tempted to order some extra food at the last minute, trust that your initial calculations were correct and make your guests aware of why you have ordered the amounts you have.
Use leftovers As mentioned above, Glaziers Hall donates leftover food to good causes. We use planZheroes but there are a number of worthwhile options. No one likes to waste food and by donating it, you can help give back to your community and make your event a bit greener.
Source locally Locally sourced food, drinks and other items for guests are hugely popular. They also come with a lower carbon footprint and the ability to set a higher price point. That means they are green, profitable and popular.
Eliminate single-use items If an item can only be used once then it is probably a huge generator of waste. If you can, eliminate these things. This includes replacing printed material with digital copies and collecting lanyards and badge covers after an event for reuse.
Recycle This sounds simple but where organisers often fail is in the execution. You can say you will recycle the paper and plastic at your event but if there are not enough clearly labelled receptacles available people will just throw things in the trash. Make sure you have everything in order before the event so you can avoid problems like this.
Cut down on meat You do not have to give it up but meat is one of the most carbon-intense items to produce. Try offering smaller portions and having more vegan and vegetarian options. These can also be cheaper to produce so they can be more profitable.
Offer shuttle service If you expect a large number of people to fly in for your event you can organise to have them all shuttled to the event or hotel in a single vehicle. This feels like great service to guests and cuts down on the environmental impact of your event.
Try compostable alternatives Manufacturers make things like bamboo cutlery, compostable cups and biodegradable plastics. These options make your waste stream less damaging to the environment. Just make sure you know how the items are supposed to be handled. Simple throwing them away is not usually recommended as things do not compose well in landfills.
Together these steps will lower your impact on the environment. Going green has also become a selling point so your efforts may be rewarded with higher attendance and more favourable media coverage. If you are planning an environmentally friendly event, Glaziers Hall can help. Contact us today to learn more.
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