GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK Sustainability in events
Hello! My name is Suzanne Morrell I am the founder of the DC Event Food Waste Coalition and the campaign Events2030 CreatingEvents SaveDCFood
Assumptions ▣ Events contribute $1.5 Trillion to the global economy. If Global Events were a country we'd be ranked 14th in the world! ▣ Goal in hospitality is to satisfy clients and guests ▣ Organizers and suppliers share the responsibility to implement and communicate ▣ Triple bottom line: People, Planet, Profit ▣ Fast moving area! Changes every day!
Goals of Presentation ▣ How to Plan Sustainably ! What is the menu of options available now and what is coming? What is our best next action? ▣ Practice ! What are the steps to organize a sustainability program for my conference/meeting/event? ▣ Promote ! Changing minds, consumption patterns, communication. MAKE IT SYSTEMATIC.
if food loss and waste were its What Do Events own country, it would be the Have to Do with world’s third largest emitter of Sustainability? greenhouse gasses A Lot, Actually.
Sustainable Development Goals Adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. Provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet by 2030!
1. Plan
Taking Action towards preserving our natural environment Conservation of resources: water, energy and natural resources, Waste management, carbon emissions reduction, Supply chain management, responsible purchasing, biodiversity preservation Promoting a healthy and inclusive society Social considerations include: Universal human rights, Community impacts, Labor practices, Respect for culture, Safety and security, Health and well-being, Food Allergies, Accessibility Supporting a thriving economy Use local support, equitable economic impact, transparency, responsible governance
The 7 Standards-EIC Offers guidance and best practice to help you manage your event. Every action counts Event Organizer Assessment Areas Supplier Assessment Areas 9
Change your approach First step in developing a Sustainability Plan is to define your motivation. What story are you trying to tell? Story Board vision Consider the whole life cycle of all consumables! Events just don’t happen and they don’t just end when when its over! Don’t over consume; reduce waste by reducing over abundance!
“I’m tired!” “There’s no strategic priority” Let’s consider the whole life cycle of Consumers are demanding sustainable practices. our event up front and the plan will We are already doing x, y, z…let’s highlight that! be in place. “This is the way we’ve always done things” Evolve or die! Or we can focus on quality over quantity and we can phase it in. Don’t have to do it all n “Our budget is already set” at once! e “We already have h w k Many of these approaches won’t cost a thing. We can too much going c y actually save money by doing x, y, z. And it’s good for a a b our reputation and that is priceless! on to measure s h o s t something else.” u “It’s not worth t p a OK then let’s make sure we ask the t h e the cost” W venue what their practices are and g make sure they are compliant with u We don’t need to do o local regulations. Some communities everything. Let’s focus on y have requirements we may not be some items we can do now that aware of! Clients don’t care are no cost or can save us I know! For some it’s not a priority. But we money. If we don’t invest, our clients will leave! can do things behind the scenes. And it may save them money and who doesn’t We can’t do that because of like that! Plus, we can’t serve a vegan contracts with clients meal to all our clients, but we can get We may be locked in to some contracts creative! And they will love it! with venues or suppliers, but we can ask “Clients won’t pay more” what strategies they implement locally. Let’s get a sustainability sponsor to Plus a lot of what we can do is above and beyond. offset carbon emissions for the travel!
Challenges Before the event During the event After the event ▣ Without buying ▣ Not allowed to keep ▣ It’s hard to estimate. excessive food ▣ More is better! the excess food for ahead of time, it is Right? private uses. hard to replenish ▣ Logistics, Ugh! ▣ Do I risk not ▣ Cooked food has providing enough ? to be dumped if it’s not eaten.
Sample Solutions to add to your event checklist ▣ Adopt a comprehensive life-cycle approach (Change bad habits-no single use; donate trade show carpet to charity, no plastic wrapped pens!) ▣ Use Technology (Apps instead of printed schedules ) ▣ Track and measure (Need to know where you start!) ▣ Focus on quality over abundance (Locally sourced food, Local giveaways, Fewer options) ▣ Encourage rephrasing…it’s all marketing ▣ Leave it better than when you started (Plant a garden in honor of event!) ▣ Designate a champion
2. Practice
Everything New is Weird… …and potentially socially embarrassing. To achieve change, you simply need to ensure every desirable new behavior no longer looks weird. …Like Vegan meals or no little plastic shampoo bottles!
How to set up a sustainability program Determine Financial Considerations: Prepare Statement: Objective: ▣ People- Focus on ▣ Publicly Commit ▣ Reduce Budget- ▣ Provide direction to priorities, Train staff ▣ Product- Increase Use less, eliminate, employees get creative ▣ Identify sustainable Eco-friendly ▣ Budget Neutral- consumables and principles Track savings, practices, local ▣ Promote policies to splurge when you ▣ Placement- Make staff, clients, can it accessible, diverse customers, suppliers ▣ Investment- and inclusive, sense so they know our Innovate, develop of community goals, priorities, and infrastructure ▣ Presentation where we are with reaching targets Sample Topics/Commitments: ▣ Venue/Supplier selection : Only LEED certified buildings ▣ Materials Selection: No single use plastic, reduce paper ▣ Food and Beverage Choices: More veg options ▣ Water use reduction: Don’t pre-pour water; Reduce beef options
Making your business case Save Money! ● Cutting waste means cutting costs: lower bottom line, tax deductions, and reduced disposal costs. ‘’ ● $1 è $7 Good for your Reputation! ● Benefits of taking action. Attract More Customers! ● Customers, clients, and planners expect their events to be sustainable and healthy for the environment. Good for the Earth! ● Use fewer resources, less water to grow food, less shipping, less organic waste in landfills.
It’s easier than you think! UN SDG EIC Areas Donate Food Meal RSVP To-go containers Be Well Lounge/Fun Run Use Local Check in Staff Water Refill Stations Conscious consumption cues Carbon Offset Sponsor
Trends in Organizing Sustainable Events Emotional Intelligence Social awareness Multimodal Design Look at your user experience from different contexts-inclusion (Food allergies, accessibility) Bigger Than Oneself Give back to community Clear Sense of Space Use local products to give a sense of knowing where you are! Events are not cookie cutter!
3. Promote
23
Global Destination Sustainability Index ▣ #1 Gottenberg, Sweden (90%) ▣ #25 Denver (61%) ▣ #39 Washington, DC (51%)
My Event Footprint Decisions Along the Way Make an impact on your event and the world around you. All your choices add up.
Communicate waste reduction efforts to clients and guests
Words Matter! • Focus on taste and quality • YES label for allergies and restrictions, but don’t dwell on the restrictions! • Be inclusive, but don’t single out…that make people feel like they are different! • Yes list ingredients and supply chain, but focus on making it taste great regardless!
28
4. Deeper Dive
Deeper Dive ▣ Events Industry Council ▣ ISO 12021 ▣ Be a champion! ▣ Commit to 1 (or more!!) sustainable changes ▣ Quality not quantity ▣ Reduce number of courses/offer fewer options ▣ Communicate ▣ Get help!
In your event city Food donation guidelines in all 50 states Food Law and Policy Clinic--Harvard Law School How to locate food pantries www.foodpantries.org How to locate food banks www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank/ How to locate homeless shelters www.homelessshelterdirectory.org
Measuring Carbon Emissions Greenhouse gas conversions https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies- calculator https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/greenhouse-gas- reporting-conversion-factors-2019 Online Calculators: www.offsetters.ca Carbon Offsets: Project implemented specifically to reduce the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that offset the GHG emissions created –by an individual, project, event. https://carbonfund.org/
Thanks! Any questions? You can find me at: suzanne@creatingenvironments.com www.creatingenvironments.com www.events2030.org CreatingEvents SaveDCFood
Recommend
More recommend
