Going Green – Five Ways to Keep Your Event Eco-Friendly
One of the best things to happen during the first decade of the 21st century is the prevailing idea that we need to be better stewards of the earth. As an event or meeting planner, you can contribute to the betterment of our planet by following these five simple steps.
1. Recycling – Check with the garbage company that services your event venue and find out whether or not they recycle. If they do, decide on which materials should be separated. If they do not, determine a way to collect the recyclables and find transportation to a recycling facility.
2. Packaging – Speak with vendors and ask for their cooperation in this matter. See if they are willing to sell items with less packaging or recyclable packaging. Another step to take is to recycle palettes and boxes that are used for the event supplies.
3. Easy Access – Communicate with the event staff to ensure that trash receptacles and recycling bins are placed in easy-to-find places and in plain view.
4. Promote – Be sure to place “green” messages within all of the promotional materials. This will ensure that the attendees know the event is a “green” event.
5. Volunteers – Roughly 10 to 20 volunteers are needed per 1,000 event attendees. Be sure to recruit enough volunteers to help with the event and if the event takes place over several days, determine how many volunteers will be needed per shift.
Going green can be as easy as you want it to be and in the end, you’ll know you’ve had a positive impact on helping the planet.
