Sustainability in Events

Many of us have woven sustainable measures into our everyday lives. Perhaps you’re in the habit of carrying a reusable water bottle, turning off the lights when you leave your home, or reducing your CO2 emissions by walking and biking.

Have you considered the environmental impact of your event and how to increase sustainability?

Here are three major buckets we’d recommend looking into!

Venue Considerations

When considering a venue, use the negotiation period as an opportunity to learn more about the venue’s sustainability policies! Ask early, and ask often.

Here are some questions we’d recommend adding to your list:

• What are your green initiatives?

• Do you have lights that turn off automatically?

• Do you run AC or heating when the building is empty?

• What are your recycling policies?

• How do you manage unused food at the end of an event day?

Vendors & Partners

Picking partners and vendors who are conscious of their environmental impact can be key in finding the best fit for your event.

For example, Lyft knows that they’re not particularly green - and acknowledges the steps they’re taking towards a more sustainable platform! In addition to a commitment to reach 100% electric vehicles by 2030, Lyft became the world’s largest purchaser of carbon offsets to help counter the impact of their emissions.

Making Conscious Choices

As the event planner, you have the opportunity to make sustainable decisions.

Our top recommendations for event planners:

• Don’t order plastic water bottles as a part of your Food & Beverage setup! Consider water stations as an alternative and encourage your participants to bring a reusable water bottle.

• Consider your swag! Swag can create a lot of plastic waste and emissions. Which swag items provide value to participants and will be used to their full life cycle, and which are likely to end up discarded?

• Reduce printing! Encourage shifts from large program books or printouts that take up hundreds of pages by shifting to Apps or other virtual platforms.

• Consider participant transportation! Are you encouraging public transportation for participants or can you offer group transportation to avoid individual car rides?

We all play a part in making sustainable choices to slow climate change and preserve our world for future generations. Here at ELE, we will always work towards making sure our events assist in that positive change.