10 Creative and Unique Green Ideas for Your Special Events

The environment and climate change are ever-growing concerns. Thus, the demand for conscious consumerism and sustainable initiatives has increased. This is why many customers now are choosing to support brands that are committed to the cause of sustainability, but the desire to invest in green projects has fallen to the events industry. Therefore, event organizers are taking notice of the need to create events with recyclable materials or with a reduced carbon footprint.

Moreover, we are going to show you some creative and unique green ideas for your events that do not harm nature.

1.     Select green event venues

It has become more important to select venues with sustainability credentials as clients are now increasingly looking to host green events. One of the first things to look for in a green venue is whether it has a certification for sustainable events. The venue also has to be able to show that it has invested in green initiatives. This helps event organizers measure the impact of their event, minimize waste, and reduce their carbon footprint.

For example, the venue should have a waste management system, an in-house recycling program, renewable energy sources, portable composting toilets, energy-efficient systems, and more.

2.     Don’t use single-use plastic

The simplest way to decrease your carbon footprint at your event is not to use single-use plastic. Single-use products include plastic straws, balloons, coffee stirrers, food packaging, and bottles. Instead, consider using reusable, recyclable, or biodegradable tableware rather than plastic.

Also, have sanitized glasses and an automatic beverage dispenser available. Therefore, this not only protects the environment but will also lower your costs.

3.     Provide shuttle services

Transport is one of the major areas that impact sustainability. Therefore, you should choose a venue that is accessible by public transportation, and you can create incentives for attendees to take public transportation or lower-impact transport sources by offering discounts on the goods.

4.     Order for individuals, not a crowd

Food waste is a massive concern, as it is sent to landfills, which release greenhouse gases like methane and are a direct cause of global warming. According to the UN, the wasted food in rich countries is almost equal to the net food produced in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, to avoid wasting food, you need to plan the menu according to the number of guests estimated to attend. Moreover, you can partner with a food donation program or consider livestock feeding, food waste for industrial energy, and compost creation.

But at the start of your event, don’t forget to include sparkling wine with different flavours to give yourself and others to raise a glass of wine and celebrate the purposes of the special events.

5.     Use proper cutlery that can be reused

Create strict rules for your events. Say no to plastic spoons, plates, and utensils, as they will just create a mound of unmanageable garbage. Instead, you can use china tableware or metal utensils that can be washed and reused. According to researchers, 20 kg of plastic waste and 488 pounds of food are wasted in a single event in the UK.

To avoid this, you should ensure any packaging of the food is recyclable.

6.     Use biodegradable utensils

In cases where using china and other grocery items is not possible, you can use biodegradable instead. There are many options online for biodegradable dinnerware sets that have a low carbon footprint. This type of dinnerware set not only is eco-friendly and looks good, but it also doesn’t require much cleaning and is easy to use.

You can also go for biodegradable plastic, which is made from raw materials such as starch, orange peels, corn oil, and plants. These plastics break down easily, decomposing and benefiting the environment.

7.     Eco-friendly swag options

Swag items should be a concern for your event’s carbon footprint. Free promotional merchandise at events, such as T-shirts, chains, pens, and bottles, tends to end up in landfills. We recommend promoting eco-friendly gifts that can increase environmental consciousness instead. Moreover, you can promote eco-friendly or recycled notebooks and journals, plants, seed packets, and reusable tote bags.

8.     Use materials made from recycled products

Recycled products should be a major part of your green event. You can hire suppliers who use recyclable or compostable packaging and recycle food, beverage containers, and steel cans. Use products that are easily recycled, such as glass, cardboard, and printed material.

9.     Have a proper waste management program

Events usually cause a huge amount of waste, and the last thing you should do is separate the waste properly for recycling. You should have the principle that one must separate waste into “reduce”, “reuse”, and “recycle”. To do so, you should place recycling bins that are marked for dry and wet waste, paper, and aluminum cans.

10.  Shift to digital instead of paper

One of the most recommended green event ideas is to use digital instead of paper. This way, you eliminate any need for printed materials like invitations, flyers, brochures, or session schedules. Your digital invitation can look just as appealing as a paper one, and you can see who opened your mail invitation and accepted or refused to go to your event.

Conclusion

Planning a green event now doesn’t have to be a challenge. By following some of our steps for a sustainable event, it’s easier to put your plan into action. Some of the main dos and don’ts are to minimize the use of plastic and use biodegradable dinnerware sets instead.