Sustainable… it’s a word we hear so often these days and it’s fair to say that sustainability is here to stay. With the increasing awareness about our carbon footprint, the events industry has started to embrace ways to reduce its wastage, with this becoming a big trend for 2018. Not only in the events industry, but our clients from all industries are becoming increasingly conscious of their impact on the world. Here at Story Events, we want to ensure we are doing all we can for our wonderful planet.
So that being said, here are some tips and tricks to ensure your event is green whilst still being impactful.
Food & Beverage
One of the biggest waste products at events is left over food that is thrown away and if we’re honest, it can be generally avoided. By giving accurate guest numbers to caterers you can reduce the amount of food that is produced and then thrown in the bin. We know this seems really obvious but you’d be surprised how easily this can be forgotten. If there is food leftover, make arrangements with a local shelter ahead of the event to have some of the food sent their way, a great way to give back and make someone smile.
If appropriate, use reusable or biodegradable cups and cutlery… plastic is a big no no these days (think of the turtles!).
Digital
Going digital is probably one of the easiest ways to make your event more sustainable, by reducing the amount of paper that is used because let’s face it, the invitation and booklets all get binned away at the end of the day. Simple steps such as, creating an e-invitation which is sent to guests with an RSVP link directed to a personalised page to capture all the data you need (great for the environment and your time!). Instead of booklets, create a personalised app for guests to download, their one stop shop for everything they need to know about the day or evening.
Transportation
Okay, so sometimes we understand that cars are needed to get to and from the event but maybe being a little bit more mindful about the location of your venue and what that means for the guest journey may also help reduce your carbon footprint slightly. For example, if appropriate why not see if the venue can hold everything in one place (this is also helpful for not losing any delegates), sourcing venues that are within easy access to public transportation or arranging shuttle buses for the clients. Just a little food for thought for your next event.
If you have any questions about how we can make your next event more sustainable, we would love to hear from you so drop us an email [email protected] or call 0207 870 9303.
You can find a range of events we run here https://www.storyevents.co.uk/stories-we-tell/
