To kick off 2019 right we discussed New Year’s resolutions for greening events at this month’s #MeetGreenChat! Lot’s of great ideas came from the discussions during the tweet chat. Here’s are some highlights:
What are some elements that make an event green?
So many elements to making an event green, some easy wins were around serving condiments in bulk, banning single-use plastic, and providing water & coffee with reusable cups.
A1: Recycled materials, waste reduction, no pre-poured water and/or bulk condiments to name a few. #MeetGreenChat
— April Hammel (@aprilhammel) January 9, 2019
A1 one element is to ban single use plastics #MeetGreenChat
— nancyjzavada (@nancyjzavada) January 9, 2019
What are some sustainable practices that would be easy to implement into your planning for your next event this year?
Using technology to provide communications, eliminating swag bags, and mass transit were great answers to this question.
A2) Electronic signage & mobile app #MeetGreenChat
— Justine Pretorious (@jpretorious) January 9, 2019
Q2. Reduction in paper use (print less and/or print on both sides), digital signage, and eliminate swag bags a few potential sustainable solutions that can have a lasting impact. #MeetGreenChat
— April Hammel (@aprilhammel) January 9, 2019
What are some sustainable food trends you have seen for 2019?
Using local sources was the number one answer among our participants! Other ideas were using less meat or plant based menu items and reducing the use of beef.
Interestingly, many of today’s food trends are also sustainable. Think about less meat, more local food, and minimizing waste. #MeetGreenChat
— nancyjzavada (@nancyjzavada) January 9, 2019
A3) Using local food sources is always a good resource! #MeetGreenChat
— Justine Pretorious (@jpretorious) January 9, 2019
Hello #MeetGreenChat! I thought this article had some cool trends for plant-based event menu ideas re. A3 https://t.co/9vdEcOFTWn #eventprofs @SierraClub @KatieOWrites
— Shawna McKinley (@s_mckinley) January 9, 2019
What are some options that you can include this year in your planning when it comes to leftover food?
We were all in agreement on donating to local charities!
A4) Work with a local food bank, the event venue, and the caterer to make sure that the food is donated to help the hungry #MeetGreenChat
— nancyjzavada (@nancyjzavada) January 9, 2019
A4. Seek out the potential for local charities for donations and create menus that utilize versatile food that can be made into multiple meals #MeetGreenChat
— April Hammel (@aprilhammel) January 9, 2019
What are some alternatives to providing single-use water bottles for attendees in 2019?
Water bubblers and reusable bottles were the topic of discussion that everyone seem to agree on for alternatives to single-use water bottles.
A5 Have you seen @frankwater festival refills? Kinda cool #MeetGreenChat #eventprofs
— Shawna McKinley (@s_mckinley) January 9, 2019
A5. Providing water bubblers to fill re-usable water bottles is an easy solution that can significantly reduce plastic waste. #MeetGreenChat
— April Hammel (@aprilhammel) January 9, 2019
When it comes to conserving water what are your favorite greening practices you will include in your event planning for this year?
The unanimous answer to this questions is no pre-pouring of water glasses!
A6) not pre-filling water glasses at banquets and selecting a menu based on water wise options #MeetGreenChat
— nancyjzavada (@nancyjzavada) January 9, 2019
A6) Choosing chicken over beef & no pre-pour water glasses #MeetGreenChat
— Justine Pretorious (@jpretorious) January 9, 2019
How do you avoid individually wrapped condiments?
The easiest way to avoid individually wrapped condiments is by providing them in bulk. There are a variety of condiments that can be set up in bulk for attendees to use.
A7. Utilizing bulk condiments whenever possible is a great place to start. #MeetGreenChat
— April Hammel (@aprilhammel) January 9, 2019
What types of technology options can you include to make your event more sustainable in 2019?
Digital signage, mobile apps, and live streaming were the consensus here.
A8. Digital signage, mobile apps, and live streaming are great tools being utilized that can greatly reduce waste at your events. #MeetGreenChat
— April Hammel (@aprilhammel) January 9, 2019
A8) Virtual swag bags & live stream for virtual attendees to reduce carbon footprint. #MeetGreenChat
— Justine Pretorious (@jpretorious) January 9, 2019
What is your number 1 goal for greening your next event in 2019?
Educating and getting the message out that sustainable practices are not costly and they are impactful.
A9. Spreading the word that sustainable practices does not always translate into spending more money. There are a lot of budget friendly ways to incorporate sustainable practices into your events. #MeetGreenChat
— April Hammel (@aprilhammel) January 9, 2019
A9) helping others reach the very first level for a more sustainable event. The more the merrier! #MeetGreenChat
— nancyjzavada (@nancyjzavada) January 9, 2019
What are some challenges you are experiencing in accomplishing this goal?
One of the interesting challenges that was provided was perception and history. This is very true that this could be very challenging to overcome but with education and communication around greening events you could influence and change others perception.
A10. Perception and history can create natural road blocks. Change can be hard when things have been done a certain way over time. #MeetGreenChat
— April Hammel (@aprilhammel) January 9, 2019
The discussion on “New Year’s Resolutions for Greening Events” events showed that there are some small and impactful ways to green your event. With the new year upon us what a great time to start creating some goals to make your event more sustainable. To help you come up with some ideas check out the following resources: Sustainable Menu Planning, Green Event Check List, and our New Year’s Resolution blog post.
Our next #MeetGreenChat is scheduled for February 6th! We hope to see you there!
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