Sustainability is FINALLY a trending topic for events! We have always been passionate about preventing waste. Check out these 15 ways to make your event sustainable:
- Go paperless: Use online invitations and e-tickets instead of paper. The beset part? They keep up with your RSVPs too. We love Minted, Paperless Post, Greenvelope, and Lovebird. If you want to hold the paper tradition, consider one-page invites.
- Make important documents available on your event app: This can help reduce paper waste and ensures every one has the same access and materials.
If you want to make your event more sustainable, select a venue that reflects your sustainability goals. Try to find a venue that:
3. Has Recycling Stations readily available, or at least a good in-house recycling policy.
4. Uses water efficient-appliances and fixtures.
5. Has a smart energy policy that looks to conserve energy or uses solar panels.
6. Uses smart temperature controls.
7. Encourages reduced plastic.
You may not have a lot of say on where the event is hosted. However, you can control what catering vendors you select.
8. Offer sustainable meal options – Consider plant-based, vegetarian, or gluten-free options. You can also source food locally and organically.
9. Utilize buffets and stations – Instead of individual appetizer servings, buffets and stations help prevent waste.
10. Rather than handing out plastic water bottles, encourage guests to bring reusable water bottles and have water refilling stations around the venue. Pro tip – It’s a great swag gift to give attendees, too.
11. Instead of purchasing disposable, ask your caterer about rental options for dinnerware, plates and glassware.
As the host, it’s great you’re thinking about sustainability, but you also need to think about your attendees.
12. Try to choose a venue that is local to most of your attendees. If your venue can only be reached by car, organize a ride share system to reduce the number of cars traveling to and from the venue.
13. You can also make it a hybrid event, allowing people to join virtually to reduce the number of people required to travel.
14. Project your company logo or event information onto screens. This gives you the capacity to have attendees easily access a QR code from their phones instead of wasting paper.
15. Incorporate a giveback moment. Encourage guests to plant trees, pick up trash, and as always – encourage recycling.
