What sustainability on a shoestring looks like.

EVENT GREENING FORUM

A persistent perception is that making an event more sustainable is an expensive exercise. And yet the cost may be compared to the length of a piece of string — ranging from almost nothing to a small fortune. (In this way it’s much like most event planning decisions.)

To prove this point, the Event Greening Forum non-profit has put together a list of event greening steps you are able to take that are both effective strategies at minimising your carbon footprint and which carry no – or very limited – additional costs to what you are already spending. Here they are:

1. Write your own sustainability statement

Also referred to as an environmental policy, this document outlines what is important to your business in terms of environmental sustainability and social responsibility, and how you will support these values. Writing a sustainability statement has no cost, and is a critical first step to getting clear on what sustainability challenges you are willing to take on, and how.

2. Choose wisely

When choosing a venue, suppliers and service providers, don’t only look at their price and offering. Ask them if they have their own sustainability statement and what they are doing to live up to it.

If you already have a preferred option in mind, you may still ask this question, as well as what they are able to do to support your greening goals.

3. Plug into a good waste management system

If you want to minimise your event’s waste-tolandfill, find a venue that has a waste management system that separates waste onsite and diverts all recyclables to a recycling depot. You may then back into this with relative ease and strong results. carbon-lite menu. This includes using ingredients that are:

• Locally grown (less food miles)

• Seasonal (limited storage)

• Plant-based (low carbon footprint)

• Organic (no harmful pesticides)

Of course, not everything served will meet all these requirements. Some ingredients must be imported, and some meat and dairy will (likely) be needed on the menu, for example. But if you maximise these types of ingredients and minimise the alternatives where possible, your event’s carbon footprint will be noticeably reduced.

5. Print reusable banners

This tip will save you money. However, it sounds deceptively simple, but it may be tricky to print branding that you will reuse year-on-year. For example, sponsor logos and your look-and-feel may change. Try to be smart about it and, for example, have separate banners for the sponsors or other elements that could change, don’t print any dates and keep most of the branding very simple and generic.

Remember that old banners are able to be upcycled when they are no longer needed.

6. Communicate your greening efforts

Lastly, remember to tell (and keep telling) your attendees, sponsors and partners about your greening efforts. This helps to raise awareness about the need to go green, while also promoting your event in a positive way.

Important note: Don’t exaggerate your achievements. Greenwashing may hurt your brand. For more on greenwashing and how to avoid it, check out our article in the May issue of Business Events Africa.

4. Ask your caterers to green their menu

From your first conversation, ask your caterers or food vendors how they may help to serve up a

Save the date!

The Event Greening Forum will be holding a ‘Back to Basics of Event Greening’ training webinar on 21 July. It will serve as both an introduction to event greening as well as a refresher for those who are feeling rusty.

Sign up to our newsletter for more details about this and other events we are hosting. Simply go to eventgreening.co.za, click on ‘Contact us’ and follow the link to subscribe.

Want to know more?

Contact

Lynn Mcleod

T: 082 891 5883

E: lynn@eventgreening.co.za