Top 7 Tips for Sustainable Events
Change is happening in the events industry, with a lot of event managers switching to sustainable practices to lessen the effects of events on the environment. Keep reading to find our top 7 tips to make your next event super sustainable.
1. Rethink plastic - do the dishes!
This is an easy one, and you’d be surprised just how much paper and plastic dishes, plates and straws are thrown out at the end of an event. Use crockery, cutlery which you can re-use and ditch the straws altogether - if you need straws consider stainless steel, washable straws. Side Serve Perth stock the most beautiful crockery to suit any event, like the ones we used for the Barbagallo Ferrari: Driven Women Dinner.
2. Repurpose flowers & choose local
Florals look amazing at events, but are too often wasted or thrown away. Think about how you can give these a second life - working alongside charities to deliver to sick patients, giving these to guests as a keepsake or using them in art to flower-press and keep forever. The possibilities are endless!
3. Projection/technology over printing
There’s a million ways you can cut down on printing for events, starting from event conception. Save the dates and invites can be sent electronically and decorations and imagery can be projected instead of printed, like the projections we did for the Fremantle Foundation Ball. Take time to think if your event requires printed elements.
4. Partner with Food Bank WA
We all love leftovers, but sometimes over-catering can lead to massive waste in the kitchen. If you have unused, sealed products, partner with a local charity such as Food Bank WA to help hungry Australians in need - you’ll feel great!
5. Collaborate for gift bag items - do you even need a gift bag?
Don’t over-produce branded items that your guests will likely lose or throw out. Instead, collaborate with your favourite local brands for sample or full-sized products your guests will go crazy for (and post all over their socials!). Consider if you even need gift bags, if you decide YES - make them reusable.
6. Design purpose-built event gear for multi-use rather than single-use
Building your own sets that you can use for a tonne of other events will not only lessen the effects on the environment but will also save you moolah! You can even hire these items out to others throwing events. See the structure we had made up by Levi from Master & Maker for the 140 You activation, which we use for events all the time!
7. Choose zero-waste venues
Work together with like-minded venues to ensure you have the same event and sustainability goals. Our personal fave is Feld & Co, who use Green Power only, turn their food waste into compost and include re-usable cutlery, plates and glassware at no extra cost.
Sustainable events are the future! For more tips and tricks on how to create the most sustainable event possible, tune into Behind The Clipboard Season 2, Episode 1 here. If you've loved what you’ve learnt, like, share or even shoot us an email to say hey!
Cassie & the Team xx
