The concept of “going green” has become popular in various fields, and the event-organising industry is no exception. As the world becomes aware of the impact of human activities on the environment, sustainable event planning is gaining momentum in the event management industry.

This blog will discuss what green event planning is, why it is essential, and some key strategies and initiatives for putting it into practice, and it will also provide some examples.

What exactly does it mean to plan an event sustainably?

Sustainably planning an event entails sustainable event design, organising skills, and administering the event so that it has as little of an effect on the surrounding environment as possible. This involves reducing waste and energy utilisation to select more environmentally friendly building materials and transportation alternatives. The incorporation of sustainability initiatives throughout the various stages of event planning is one of the primary responsibilities of sustainable event management.

Planning Sustainable Events: Its Importance

Sustainable event planning is crucial for several reasons, such as:

1. Events can significantly affect the ecosystem, from waste production to carbon emissions and transportation. Planning a sustainable event can lessen this effect and encourage an environmentally friendly strategy to manage events.
2. Attendees are becoming more ethically aware and seeking events reflecting their beliefs. Event organisers can attract these attendees and show their dedication to sustainability by incorporating sustainable practices into their events.
3. There are societal and economic advantages to organising a sustainable event. Event organisers can reduce waste management and energy expenses by consuming less waste and energy. Additionally, sustainable event planning can advance a sustainable society by supporting local suppliers and creating local job opportunities.
4. Events can help raise awareness and motivate attendees to adopt more sustainable habits in their own lives if they promote sustainable practices and encourage others to do the same.

Some important things to consider

There are many things that event planners can do to make their events more environmentally friendly. They are listed as follows:

• Reduce Waste: Reducing waste is a crucial part of planning an event that is good for the environment. Planners of events can do so by using reusable materials or items that break down over time. They can also set up recycling and composting stations.
• Energy conservation: Events can use a lot of energy, but many things can be done to make this less of a problem. Using energy-efficient lighting, picking venues with renewable energy sources, and encouraging people to take public transportation are some ways to save energy.
• Sustainable Transportation: Transportation is a big source of greenhouse gas emissions. Event planners can help reduce this effect by offering environmentally friendly transportation choices. This can be done by setting up shuttles or buses, letting people know about public transportation, or encouraging people to walk or ride their bikes to the event.
• Food and Beverages: Food & drink choices can have a big effect on the environment. Event planners can make better environmental choices by buying local, organic, and seasonal fruit, eating less meat, and wasting less food.
• Communication and Education: Communication and education are one of the best ways to get people interested in sustainability at events. Signs, lectures, and social media can all be used by event planners to teach people about sustainable practices.
• Collaborate with Sustainable Suppliers: Event planners can work with sustainable suppliers and vendors who emphasise eco-friendly practices. This can mean getting locally grown and organic food, using renewable energy sources, and giving out event supplies that can be used more than once.
• Donations and charitable projects: Event organisers can ask attendees to donate to a local environmental charity or group as a way to give back to the community and promote sustainability.

Conclusion

The importance of eco friendly event planning in the event management and sustainability sector is rising rapidly. Event organisers can lessen adverse environmental effects while advancing social and economic sustainability by implementing sustainability efforts. From the initial concept development stage to the post-event evaluation stage, sustainable event planning entails integrating sustainability into every element of event planning.

The Diploma in Event Management program at JD School of Design can give you the expertise and knowledge you need to organise and carry out eco friendly event management. Topics like event planning, event design, marketing, and communications are all covered in the curriculum. These courses can help you succeed in sustainability in event management industry. Students can get great insights about incorporating various techniques and identifying business opportunities in sustainability in event planning.