Greening Your Events BACK

 

Weird weather patterns, melting ice caps and starving polar bears—these are just a few of the harbingers of things to come from our environmental neglect. While we dutifully execute the right green moves in our personal lives, are we doing enough as an industry to make a difference?

Saving Mother Earth is top of mind for many, including politicians, media and consumers. Here are a few ways to reduce the ecological footprint of your events:

It Takes Teamwork

  • Establish a committee to help coordinate the greening of your event, set achievable goals and assist in the implementation.
  • Identify and source your event needs from organizations, venues and suppliers of environmentally friendly products and services.
  • Research local composting, recycling and waste management programs/services that your event can call upon.
  • Communicate your green efforts to all suppliers, vendors and guests and ask for their help in achieving your goals.
  • Include environmentally friendly criteria and a green check list in exhibitor information.

In Search of Green
Education, resourcefulness and the right tools go along way in Saving Planet Earth. Check out these sources to help your event make a difference:

BlueGreen Meetings: A Vancouver-based organization rich in resources, tools and links to everything you need to know about hosting environmentally friendly events. www.bluegreenmeetings.org

Green Meeting Industry Council: Promoting green practices, education and resources to the global meeting/conference community. www.greenmeetings.info

Green Shift: An environmental consulting and green procurement company can help events put their goals into action. www.greenshift.ca

Watch for the firm's green product online store launching soon. www.greensupplyhouse.com

Eco Flora: A Toronto florist specializing in organic and fair trade flowers and centrepieces using environmentally friendly containers. www.ecoflora.ca

Plant A Future: Present attendees with an evergreen seedling or a plant-a-tree donation on their behalf from Tree Canada Foundation. www.tcf-fca.ca

Gifts That Give: Purchase your event gifts, including cause-promoting products through www.greatergood.com and designate the online commission to a charity including the rainforest and an ecology fund.

Celebrate Earth Day: Explore how your event can support Earth Month (April) or Earth Day (April 22). www.earthday.ca

Down With Paper

  • Make your event on-line savvy with everything electronic wherever possible, from invites and promotion to program information and guest registration.
  • Self-mailers eliminate the need for envelopes.
  • Post speaker presentations online rather than distribute as hard-copy takeaways.
  • Use recycled paper and vegetable-oil based inks for necessary printed materials and two-sided photocopying/printing wherever possible.

Waste Reduction

  • Set out plenty of colour-coded recycling and garbage containers including drop-boxes for event-related paper materials and name badges.
  • Create durable recycling signage and instructions that can be reused from one event to another.
  • Opt for products with the least-amount of packaging.
  • Make a donation to a green organization on behalf of guests in lieu of takeaway trinkets in a giftbag.

Smart Food & Beverage Service

  • Break out the real china, cutlery and cloth napkins; at the very least, use recyclable paper plates and cups (not styrofoam!).
  • Menu plan with locally grown or organic foods, edible garnishes, fair trade coffee/chocolate and non-endangered seafood.
  • Serve condiments such as milk, sugar and ketchup in reusable jugs, bowls or bulk dispensers rather than single-serving containers; eliminate items such as straws and stir sticks.
  • Arrange for delivery of surplus food to a local shelter or food bank.
  • Request that cocktail napkins not be offered with bar drinks.
  • Offer water in pitchers or large coolers instead of individual bottles.

Other Green Ideas

  • Choose a venue with easy access to public transit and encourage guests to take the “better way.”
  • Publicly celebrate the green efforts of your vendors and suppliers.
  • Reuse boxes and packing materials at the end of the event.
  • For hotel guests, arrange for an in-room card requesting towels, bed linens and partially used complimentary toiletries not be changed during their stay.
  • Have designated ambassadors manning the event floor to encourage guests to recycle and ensure waste stations are kept organized.
  • Include a green feedback section in your exhibitor/attendee evaluation form.