Whether you are planning a picnic for relaxation or a business event for promotion, it requires a lot of setting up. Apart from costing you money, this setup is a significant source of pollution. You may not be aware, but these events greatly increase air, soil, and water pollution.
You cannot bring down the waste to zero, but you can surely make it sustainable. You must know that there are multiple ways to prevent this. In this article, you will learn all you need to know for making your events waste efficient. However, first, you must understand the cause of this waste and pollution.
How Do Events Damage the Environment?
From the transport of spectators to the litter left behind, events can harm the environment in multiple ways. From the mere ink that you use on a poster, to the lasting effects of plastic brochures, the list is endless. Here are a few of the multiple environment-damaging reasons caused as a result of events held.
Brochures: Are the brochures that you hand out as invites or promotion codes recyclable? Mostly not. They will not decompose even if left in the soil for years. Moreover, they may contain ink that also degrades soil quality.
Water bodies carry away the polluted soil, resulting in damaging marine life and water sources.
Food and Beverages: Whether it is a wedding party or a trade fair, all events use disposable containers for food and beverages. Though these are the easier options, they are also the ones that harm the environment.
Most of these containers are from plastic that does not even decompose in the compost. So even if you hire trash removal agencies, they will throw it in landfills. The waste will either burn there to release toxic gases or lie intact for an indefinite period.
Lighting: Did you know that the lights you use to add frills to your events also leave an impact? Most lights use a considerable amount of power, leaving a footprint on the environment. More so, as they are used in large quantities simultaneously.
Transport: Most guests that come to your event will use private vehicles instead of public ones. As a result, the transport itself will make for a large amount of carbon footprint, emitting greenhouse gases.
How to Make Your Events Waste Efficient
Despite the innumerable reasons for environmental damage, you can still host events with minimal impact. All you must do is ensure a little extra attention to the event organizers and spread awareness about the same.
Do Not Leave Litter Behind You
Whether you have gone on a small family outing or organized a grand event, the location is bound to get dirty. However, leaving it that way depends entirely on you. The best way of dealing with waste is by hiring skip bin services.
These professionals make sure they clean the area substantially. Most of them proceed by sorting the recyclable waste and sending it to recycling units. On the other hand, for private picnics, you can sort the garbage and throw them in their individual trash cans. These include recyclable, organic, and non-recyclable.
Opt for Digital Alternatives
Events comprise a multitude of paper and plastic items like pamphlets, posters, brochures, and so much more. Why go for paper or plastic (even if recyclable) when you can go digital? You must ensure that you use digital campaigns everywhere possible.
These include sending digital invites, conducting the entire program on screens, and more. The best part is it will leave a great impression of your business over other individuals without harming the environment. Additionally, you can also use digital means for passes and other such documents.
Reduce Paper and Plastic
The fact about using either of these cannot be given enough stress to—you must avoid them at all costs. Still, you must be wondering that it is one of your best shots at marketing and promotion. But do you realize, most of these leaflets will be thrown right at the venue?
So, if you cannot completely eliminate the use of paper and plastic, you can always reduce.
- Hand it out to people only when asked
- Do not distribute before the event
- Instantly printing and handing out will prevent excess copy wastage
- Choose vegan inks for your printer
Reusable Items
Do you realize you can use your banner not once but for all the events of the year? Moreover, you could just rent out booth items instead of getting new ones for every occasion. Whether you borrow from the location, rent, or use the old ones, you are contributing to reducing waste.
Use Recyclable Products
Despite all the reductions, you will still want to print some new things? Why not choose only those items that can be recycled? From paper and plastic pamphlets to disposable food containers, you can select recyclable options at every step.
Choose Wisely
Apart from using recyclable items, make sure you pick eco-friendly products at every step. This can range from recycled or chlorine-free paper or recycled plastic. If you are planning to hand out merchandise and gifts, those can be eco-friendly too.
Divide the Waste
You can start by placing separate bins for recyclable and non-recyclable on your booth itself. Apart from that, once your event or picnic is over, make sure the trash is sorted and dealt with. It includes sending the recyclable items to recycling units, organic waste to the compost, etc.
Hire Environmentally-Aware Event Organizers
Your best shot at choosing sustainable ways of hosting events is by choosing environmentally aware organizers. You will be taken by surprise at the plethora of available options when you start looking for them. People who share your thinking are present in every field–you just need to look.
Hiring such teams will let you concentrate on your work while they handle the event chores. They will ensure that your ways are as waste-efficient as possible.
Location
As mentioned earlier, the location you choose can also add to the carbon footprint. To minimize this effect, choose sites that are closer to the bus and train stations. Further, make sure to provide your guests with specific public transport details to get there.
From the conservationists to the budget-conscious, a large section of guests will prefer public transport. Besides, make sure you are choosing a responsible venue. Be it a hotel or an open ground, the management system must use eco-friendly techniques wherever possible.
Encourage and Educate
Apart from your endless efforts, something that is sure to work is awareness. Yes, you are here to promote your business, so why not tell the world about your ethics. You can do this in several ways:
- Announce how much waste you saved from reaching the landfill
- Display recyclable and reusable signs wherever possible
- Separate trash cans on your booth
- Inform guests as well as your staff about your eco-friendly mission
It will not only help you conduct a waste-efficient event but also boost your business reputation.
In Summation
Events can lead to heaps of waste and environmental damage, but that does not mean you cannot conduct one. When you have so many waste efficient options at your disposal, why not avail them?
From transport and power to brochures and food containers, pollution sources are at every step of an event. Still, the good news is that you can transform these ways by choosing sustainable alternatives.
The best part is that the Australian government offers multiple useful techniques to conduct sustainable events—it couldn’t get easier! Be a tad bit cautious about your habits, and the environment will take care of you unasked!
Summary
Sustainability must be your only choice, even when it comes to hosting events. From small get-togethers and parties to large corporate fairs, functions are a direct cause of pollution. The waste damages the soil and water, while power and transport affect the air.
What’s important is you can opt for environment-saving options for the entire event. Your best options are—reduce, reuse, and recycle. Choose recyclable paper and plastic leaflets, reuse banners and stands, reduce waste by printing only what is required.
The most optimum waste management technique is by choosing organizers who share your ethics. You can find a plethora of environmentally aware event organizers. These teams ensure minimum environmental impact by following sustainable practices.
From arranging public transport options and carpools to choosing green venues and locations, you can minimize the carbon footprint to great extents. Furthermore, you can call for responsible mobile skip bin services for handling the waste in the most efficient ways.
These firms sort recyclable items and send them to the recycling units. Thus, you can keep a check on the amount of trash you are sending to the landfills. Lastly, you must remember that change starts from you, and it can seamlessly spread to your guests, co-workers, and society!
