Your good intentions to plan a sustainable event are overrated. We’ve seen it before and we’ll surely see it again; you go into it with the greatest of intentions but come the day of the event, all your visions fall by the wayside as the caterer begins serving everything on Styrofoam plates and your venue […]
James Watson
Sustainable Event Tip #21 – Offset Your Emissions for a Carbon Neutral Event
In a previous post, I spoke about how different areas of an event contribute to its overall carbon footprint. Venue space, food and beverage, marketing materials, transportation; they all produce their own respective greenhouse house gas (GHG) emissions. Now while efforts should be made to reduce GHG emissions in each of those areas to the greatest […]
A Revealing Look at the Carbon Footprint of an Event
In 2011, a University of British Columbia (UBC) study took a comprehensive carbon footprint (a Scope 3 assessment for the carbon accounting diehards out there) of a basketball game held on campus between the UBC Thunderbirds and the visiting Thompson Rivers University’s Wolf Pack. The basketball game attracted 560 spectators that arrived largely by car. The visiting team […]
Sustainable Event Tip #20 – Serve Only MSC Certified Sustainable Seafood
As many of you may already know, the food and beverage served at an event represents a significant sustainability impact. The amount of food waste at some events can be absolutely mind-boggling! The waste, however, is not the only impact. Just as important (if not more so) but much less obvious is the impact of where […]
Sustainable Event Tip #19 – Sustainable Trade Show Exhibits
Attending a large trade show or convention nowadays is a sight to see. Exhibits are larger, bolder, and more creative than they’ve ever been and they can really come together for a great experience. These exhibits do, however, come with their own sustainability impact too, and that impact can be quite substantial. As an event […]
Sustainable Event Tip #18 – Staffing Waste Receptacles for Better Diversion Rates
This tip is based on a simple premise: the idea that event participants will not properly sort their waste when left to their own devices. Now this may not be because of ignorance or a lack of caring on their part, but rather the by-product of a great event. Perhaps they’re in the middle of […]
Sustainable Event Tip #17 – Donate Leftover Food
Food and beverages are a significant source of waste at many events. However, since it’s such a faux pas to run out of food at an event, the typical reaction is to order in abundance. As a consequence, much of it goes untouched and then must be disposed at the end of the event. If […]
Sustainable Event Tip #16 – No-Idling Policy During Setup and Breakdown
For large events like conventions, trade shows, and expos, vendors can have equally large exhibits that need to be delivered to and from a venue by truck. The move-in and move-out periods before and after these events can be chaotic, with several delivery vehicles jostling for position at loading docks and even entering the exhibition […]
Sustainable Event Tip #15 – Choosing the Right Kind of Paper
There appears to be a big shift in the events industry towards “going paperless” and we certainly think that’s a great thing here at Green Event Ninjas. There are times, however, when printing is inevitable; when the need for hard-copy marketing materials and resources are critical to the success of your event. In these circumstances, […]
Sustainable Event Tip #14 – Fuel Efficient Taxis for a Low Carbon Event
Like we described in a previous tip, the travel of attendees to and from a venue can have a considerable impact on an event’s overall carbon impact. Whether it’s a multi-day conference where they’re going to and from their hotel, or it’s an evening staff party where their company is paying for a safe cab ride home, […]