Sustainable events should be at the forefront of your mind.
With talk of climate change being louder than ever, people are turning to event professionals to make changes in an industry that has a notoriously bad reputation for excessive waste.
We’ve heard it before. REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE! But here are some creative ways to implement the 3 R’s and make your next event more sustainable.
In 2020, it is common knowledge that plant-based diets are easier on the environment. But how much of a difference does it really make? For a 500 attendee event, switching from beef to a plant based option for just one meal can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5.6 tonnes. That’s a big step towards a more sustainable event.
How many branded stress-balls have you kept from events you’ve attended? Chances are most of the promotional items you receive end up being donated or thrown away. Instead, reduce your quantity and increase your cost per unit in order to give away items that people will want and use. At Meetingmax, comfort is valuable, which is why we love to give clients Meetingmax branded slippers to those who want them.
There is no denying the convenience of single use plastic. But during a traditional event, is it really necessary? Consider serving condiments like coffee creamers, ketchup and soy sauce in bulk instead of single-serve portions, and stock your coffee station with ceramic mugs instead of disposable. Although small, these swaps can make a huge difference over the course of a multi-day event and have a positive impact on climate change.
Ditch the table filled with single use plastic bottles and instead, remind your attendees to bring their own water bottles. Provide a water bottle refill station, and you’ve got a great event branding opportunity for either you or an event sponsor.
If your name badges are the plastic insert type, gather them up at the end of your event and reuse them next year. Not only will you be saving your company some money, you’ll be doing the environment a favour too.
While there are strict laws regarding food safety, there are options to put your leftover food to good use. For example, as soon as a banquet is finished at MGM Resorts in Las Vegas, the food that has been prepared but not served is immediately transferred to a local food bank.
Planning an event is hard work, planning a sustainable event takes even more creativity. Digital tools like event apps, registration platforms, and housing software take a lot of paper out of the process, but some printing might be unavoidable. Make sure your materials are recycled properly. If you are printing event signage, switch to a recyclable material.