Sustainable Events: 9 Strategies for Eco-friendly Event Planning

In recent years, sustainability has become an increasingly important consideration for businesses and organizations. From reducing paper waste to minimizing carbon emissions, more and more companies are making efforts to incorporate environmentally-friendly practices into their operations. 

One area where sustainability can make a big impact is in conference and event planning. Events tend to generate a lot of waste from food packaging, printed materials, event swag, and travel-related emissions. By putting some thoughtful strategies into place, event organizers can reduce the environmental footprint of their events and set an example of corporate social responsibility.  

What is Sustainable Event Planning?

Sustainable event planning aims to reduce the negative environmental impacts of conferences and meetings by:

• Minimizing waste generation 
• Conserving energy
• Reducing carbon emissions associated with travel
• Using environmentally responsible materials, vendors and venues
• Educating attendees on sustainability initiatives 

The goal is to incorporate ecological responsibility into every aspect of the event without sacrificing quality or attendee experience. It takes commitment, research and creative thinking, but the results are events that align with corporate social responsibility values.

Sustainable Events: 10 Strategies for Eco-friendly Event Planning

Sustainable events seek to minimize ecological footprints and carbon emissions through waste reduction, responsible materials use, and conservation of resources. Here are nine impactful strategies for making events greener.

1. Choose a LEED Certified Venue

One foundation of green event planning is choosing a venue that incorporates sustainable building features and operational policies. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification is the premier program for recognizing green buildings. 

There are four levels of LEED certification that venues can achieve by meeting sustainability benchmarks for water efficiency, energy savings, reducing carbon emissions and waste diversion. Look for convention centres, hotels and resorts that have achieved LEED Silver certification or higher. 

These venues implement eco-friendly practices into their everyday operations while also offering state-of-the-art facilities and technology for hosting world-class conferences. Some sustainable meeting infrastructure to look for include energy-efficient HVAC systems, comprehensive recycling programs, green cleaning supplies and local organic food offerings.

2. Incorporate Zero Waste Stations 

According to the EPA, more waste is generated during the holidays, but the second highest spike comes from major events like concerts and conferences. All those plastic name badge sleeves and disposable coffee cups sure do add up. Luckily, adding zero waste stations throughout the venue can dramatically cut back on event waste.

Zero waste stations include separate bins for trash, recycling and compost, with clear signage directing attendees where their various types of event waste should go. Engage volunteer staff or event sustainability ambassadors to help attendees properly sort their discards as they navigate between sessions and meals. 

Event organizers should also communicate waste diversion goals before and during the conference as well as report statistics afterwards to showcase the positive environmental impact.

3. Provide Eco-Friendly Event Materials

Making sustainable swag bag choices is one of the easiest ways to incorporate green event planning best practices. Skip wasteful items like plastic water bottles, notepads, pens and multi-use logo bags. Instead, opt for useful items made from eco-friendly materials like bamboo, recycled content, non-toxic inks, natural dyes, organic cotton and reclaimed fibers. 

Popular branded green giveaway ideas include reusable stainless steel water bottles, 100% cotton shirts and towels, natural lip balms and eco-friendly sunscreen, reusable snack pouches, or plantable seed paper made from post-consumer waste.  

For any remaining printed event materials like programs and signage, use paperless ticketing and scheduling apps as much as possible. If going completely paperless is unrealistic, print only necessary items and use paper made from sustainable forest sources or agricultural residue using non-toxic inks and dyes. Minimize printing by posting schedules, venue maps and session information digitally on your event website and app.

4. Serve Sustainable Cuisine  

According to a report from the UN Environmental Program, the food and agriculture sector accounts for up to 30% of greenhouse gas emissions globally. From farm to fork, food takes lots of natural resources to produce, package, transport and dispose of food waste. Events that serve thousands of meals over multiple days can generate a staggering amount of waste and emissions.

As the conference organizer, you have significant influence over responsible food sourcing and preparation methods. When selecting caterers and planning event menus, focus on locally sourced, seasonal, organic ingredients to reduce miles travelled and support regional agriculture. Require that seafood options hold Marine Stewardship Council certification for sustainable fisheries. 

Instruct food preparers to use eco-friendly service ware for all meals and minimize food packaging waste. Eliminate plastic straws, stir sticks and decorations. Source snacks in bulk rather than pre-packaged servings. Finally, establish a food recovery plan with the venue and local shelters to donate any safe leftover meals or ingredients properly.  

5. Offer Carbon Offsets for Travel

A recent study found that 21% of event-related emissions came from attendee transportation, including flights, rental cars, taxis and more. Long-haul flights, in particular, can add up to 3 tons of CO2 per economy-class passenger. Offering attendees the option to purchase carbon offsets helps mitigate the impact of travel to/from your conference destination. 

Carbon offsetting invests in environmental projects around the world that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as renewable wind farms or rainforest conservation efforts. Contributors calculate emissions from their specific modes of travel and then purchase certificates or credits from these eco-projects to effectively cancel out their event footprint. Quality offset providers will use third-party verification to ensure funded initiatives actually reduce emissions as promised.

Popular carbon calculators make determining emissions straightforward, and many offset vendors even offer white-label programs so you can customize certificates with your conference branding.

6.Incentivize Green Hotels

Overnight hotel stays produce significant event-related emissions from water heating, laundering, lighting and air conditioning. Choosing host hotel properties with green certifications such as LEED or Green Key eco-ratings helps minimize conference lodging footprints. These high-efficiency buildings conserve energy and water plus incorporate health and wellness enhancements for guest comfort. 

As the event organizer, encourage attendees to prefer sustainable hotel options by offering discounts or rewards for booking green. Set up travel grant programs that reimburse a portion of lodging costs for presenters and speakers who choose eco-certified hotels near the venue. Promote these green accommodation perks when announcing conference location and logistical details.

7. Use Renewable Power 

See if your venue or AV partner can access renewable energy sources to power aspects of your conference operations. Options Include:

• Solar – Use solar panels to generate electricity and convert sunlight to power screens and lighting equipment. Consider portable solar generator stations to charge devices outdoors.
• Wind – Harness power from on-site or locally sourced wind turbines to energize equipment and sessions.
• Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) – Purchase RECs through your utility company to offset event energy usage from the electric grid via renewable wind, solar or hydroelectric sources.  

Transitioning even a portion of your event’s power consumption to renewables shows thought leadership in adopting cleaner energy solutions.

8. Go Paperless with Digital Content 

Transition print materials and paper handouts to digital formats as much as possible:

• Use mobile scheduling apps and online platforms for program details, speaker bios, venue logistics and session content. Format presentations, videos and slide decks for access via the conference website and virtual attendance streaming.
• Offer electronic versions of posters, research abstracts and info packets through QR codes and PDF downloads. 
• Supply presentations and supporting research on flash drives versus printed binders or booklets.
• Share post-event content through social media, email newsletters and website archives rather than printed proceedings.

Providing conference information digitally requires some technical planning for dynamic real-time uploading plus post-event accessibility. But going paperless significantly cuts event waste plus offers attendees useful takeaways that are simpler to distribute than piles of paperwork.

9. Prioritize Active Transport

Air pollution from vehicles can be substantial at large conferences, with thousands of attendees navigating busy city centers. Active transport options incentivize walking, cycling and public transit over polluting single-occupancy cars. Not only is human-powered transportation better for local air quality, but it also promotes healthy activity and connectivity for attendees exploring the destination.  

If possible, choose urban, walkable convention districts with access to public transport lines. City-center hotels encourage foot travel versus vehicular shuttling. Partner with nearby restaurants and attractions to offer discounts for patronage by conference attendees. 

Work with local transportation agencies to provide special access, routes, or upgrades like adding bike cars on trains to support human-powered transport options. Promote these sustainable travel perks as part of registration and pre-event informational materials to get more attendees exploring via fun, fitness-focused activities.

Conclusion

Organizing sustainable events requires a thoughtful and concerted effort, but the benefits for the environment and the overall event experience are well worth it. By incorporating these nine strategies into your event planning process, you not only contribute to a healthier planet but also position your event as a leader in the movement towards sustainability within the industry. Embrace the challenge and inspire others to follow suit for a more eco-friendly and responsible future in event planning.