EVENT GREENING FORUM
Green swaps
for your next event Are you too busy to ‘go green’? Then choosing more sustainable options and making simple swaps might be your best approach to getting started. Here are a few ideas.
Lanyards The problem: Lanyards are generally used for a single event. What makes their reuse difficult is that they are often branded, and from a hygiene point of view you would need to clean them before re-using them. Most lanyards and their plastic pouches are also not recyclable, although the paper printed inside might be – if you have a system in place to collect it.
Some solutions: • Purchase lanyards that are likely to be reused post event, such as beaded one,
or ones made from shwe shwe fabric. As a plus, some companies offering these, such as African Mama Crafts and E’Yako Green, are working with social upliftment enterprises to produce them. • Purchase lanyards made from an alternative material. Dandylion Green Business Solutions has lanyards made from seeded paper, which can be planted post event to grow vegetables. • Ask your delegates to bring their own lanyard, either from an old event or one which they have made for themselves. We did this at the EGF 2019 Conference, and offered a prize for the best lanyard – which went to
26 Business Events Africa October 2019
Hestelle Robinson from Homemakers, who had creatively upcycled plastic string to create her lanyard. • Collect the lanyards post event to donate to a willing recipient who can up-cycle them. Ultimate Data Sciences is busy developing a programme for this, which will be launching soon. • If you can’t find a good lanyard alternative, consider at least skipping the plastic pouch and rather printing the badge on recyclable cardboard or seeded paper. Growing Paper has a range of flower, herb and vegetable seeded paper which is handmade locally. www.businesseventsafrica.com
