Event planners know better than anyone that there’s so many things to consider when planning an event, be it in-person, virtually, or a hybrid of the two. If you’re creating a live event, you’re navigating a venue and the appropriate vendors, the safety protocols available and how you need to reinvent a space to further prioritize safety, food allergies, etc. And on the other side of that spectrum, when you’re considering how to create a virtual event, you’re considering the technology available, new trends in technology, AV equipment, etc. It’s easy to get bogged down by the details big and small and forget about a critically important idea: sustainability. 

Luckily, Wizard Studios has made this a major foundational element of our organization, and we’re happy to share with you how you can develop a deeper understanding and a more successful execution of a sustainable event, be it in-person, virtual, or hybrid! 

• Make it Part of Your Mission

Intentionality is key. Some organizations talk the talk, but a rare few walk the walk. If you want to ensure sustainability is something you really pursue and cultivate within your business and throughout your events, you need to make it a part of your organization’s mantra. And it makes sense, right? If you don’t plan it, it’s not going to happen! 

Attempting to consider sustainability at only the very last minute is inevitably going to lead to a mishap and another event that could have been greener with just a little more planning. Simple put, don’t just go green when it’s convenient: plan to go green every time. Be intentional as you plan to incorporate eco-friendly strategies, whether in-person or online, and make sure to engage your vendors, caterers, and designers with your efforts in order to maximize your success. Again, as event planners know better than most, intentionality is always an essential.

• What Do the Numbers Say?

Event organizers love data because it tells an objective story of what worked, what people responded to, what sells, and more. Why are we not treating sustainability that same way? We need to be able to successfully measure the effect we have on the environment and see how we can get better with each event. 
Take the idea of waste: we all know how paper, plastic, and gasoline all negatively impact our planet, but have you ever thought to record it? By reducing your event’s usage of these resources and working to continuously bring that number down, you can not only save money, but you can start seeing real, data-driven trends as to what is really making our world a greener and more sustainable place for all.

Here are a few quick ways to get started on the sustainability data-tracking:

• For hybrid events of any kind, commit to finding spaces with solar panels

• Event apps provide a easy switch from event binders to save on money, paper, and plastic

• For food:

  • Support small, local businesses with seasonal food

  • Do away with plastic straws in favor of paper, bamboo, and wood straws

  • Try hard to give food caterers as exact estimations as humanly possible. As the event date gets closer, check in with potential attendees and remember to individually serve them in a sustainable way

• Keep Communication Crystal Clear

In order for an event’s sustainability to be at an all-time high, you need to ensure everyone is on the same page constantly. And this doesn’t just apply to your vendors - it applies to your attendees as well!

By asking a little bit of your attendees, you can contribute a significant amount less to a landfill and play an important role in making in-person events feel communal and socially-minded for all. 

Small asks that go a long way include:

• Before the event, encourage your guests to bring their own reusable bottle

• Communicate all the ways in which you’ve worked to prioritize sustainability in your event, and encourage that same behavior from your attendees during and after the event

• Send attendees a reusable shopping bag branded with your logo to encourage sustainable habits and associate them to your event

• Commit to centerpieces and floral decorations that use reusable glass vases

• Donate unopened/available food to a local food pantry, and encourage your attendees to do the same with food in their homes

• Practices Makes Perfect

Like anything in life, we need to practice behaviors before they become routine and essential to our day to day lives and businesses. Take recycling. The average consumer only spends a fraction of a second deciding where to discard their waste, and sometimes they don’t even think about it if the recycling bin isn’t intentionally placed next to the garbage. We have a long way to go as a country in regards to sustainability practices, but it only takes a single event to cement how we can practice sustainability again and again and again.

So, we’ll wrap up with these easy-to-implement tips to bring sustainability to the forefront of your event:

• Instead of thanking your speakers with a gift, make a donation to an environmental organization or plan a tree in their name

• Make sure your trash can, recycling bin, and compost are all physically attached. Your guests are much more likely to recycle if the receptacles are directly in eyesight. 

• You can make a big impact by supporting a local community garden or non-profit environmental organization with a gift at the close of your event

• Encourage the behaviors to continue by sending your guests home with party favors like house plants or seeds.

Making sustainability a part of your business’ value, mission, and goals is a wonderful place to start and an important step in making our world a greener and happier place. If you’re interested in creating an event of a lifetime while also ensuring sustainability is at the core of it, contact Wizard Studios today!