Hosting a sustainable event: best practices for conferences and outdoor festivals
For me, hosting events is all about creating experiences and memories. When you really think about it, events can create waste and impact the environment in so many different ways. This doesn’t necessarily mean that we need to stop creating events altogether, but what we need to do is consider a more sustainable approach when we do.
Event sustainability can sound challenging but with a few simple considerations in the event planning process, we can reduce our environmental footprint. In this blog, we will explore best practices for hosting a sustainable event, with a focus on conferences and outdoor festivals.
Why is it important to consider sustainability in events?
Before we talk about best practices, it's crucial to understand why sustainability matters. Events, especially large-scale conferences and outdoor festivals, can have significant environmental and social impacts, such as:
Waste Generation: Events often generate a considerable amount of waste, including signage, packaging, food waste and promotional materials. Much of this ends up in landfill.
Carbon Emissions: The transportation of attendees (road or air), freighting of event equipment, energy consumption and other event-related activities, can result in substantial carbon emissions.
Social Impact: Large outdoor festivals can have social impacts such as noise pollution, disruption to local communities and limited accessibility for people with disabilities.
If you stop and take a moment to think about the last event you attended and the environmental impact that would have had, it can be terrifying.
Given these concerns, it's clear that hosting sustainable events is not just a current trend but a necessity for our industry. By adopting best practices, an event organiser can reduce negative impacts and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Let’s look at some of the best practices for sustainable conferences
1. Venue selection
Choosing the right venue is the first step in hosting a sustainable event. Look for venues that have features such as energy-efficient lighting, water conservation measures, and waste recycling programs. When you are comparing venues and conducting site inspections, don’t be afraid to ask ‘what are the environmental strategies at this venue?’
The location of the event should also be a consideration. A venue that has nearby public transport options (such as bus or train access) is so important as it reduces your attendee's need to drive to the event. Ensure you put information about your venue’s sustainability endeavours on your website so all attendees are aware of them, especially in relation to eco-friendly transportation methods.
2. Digital communication
Minimise the use of printed materials and opt for digital communication where possible. Provide event information, schedules and other materials through mobile apps and websites, as well as using digital screens for information instead of signage or banners. If you do need printed materials, make sure to use recycled paper and offer clearly marked recycling stations for disposal around the venue.
3. Waste reduction
This is an easy one – develop and implement a comprehensive waste management plan. Really stop and consider all the elements you are bringing into the conference and how you can reduce or recycle the waste. Some great ways to manage waste are to make recycling and composting stations available throughout the venue, reduce single-use plastics by providing reusable water bottles and utensils, and partner with food vendors that use sustainable packaging.
Another big tip if you’re thinking about giving away free merch at your event is to offer something the attendees can use immediately. This will have a great impact on waste reduction.
4. Sustainable catering
When you’re discussing menu options, ask if the venue can source local, organic and sustainable food options. I find venue chefs are very open to this, and more than happy to adjust their menu for event sustainability. Ensure you are accurately estimating the number of attendees, to keep food wastage to a minimum. Ask how the venue can reduce wastage through the use of reusable cutlery, crockery, glassware and linen napkins instead of disposable options.
5. Green partnerships
Collaborate with eco-friendly organisations and sponsors that share your commitment to sustainability. Does your venue partner with a local charity to donate excess food, such as Oz Harvest?
Another great initiative is to partner with a Not for Profit (NFP) such as b1g1.com where you can donate part proceeds of ticket sales to a cause that has a positive impact on the environment. What I love about this program is that you can link your environmental impact statistics to your website, so attendees can see how many trees have been planted just from this single conference.
6. Education and engagement
Every industry has ways of reducing their environmental impact, so why not encourage the incorporation of sustainability topics into the conference program. Host sessions or workshops on environmental topics and engage attendees in discussions about sustainability. Having panel discussions with Q&A sessions can encourage attendees to share their own ideas and initiatives.
7. Offset carbon activities
Calculate the event's carbon footprint and invest in a carbon offset activity that all attendees can participate in to mitigate their impact. This can be so much fun, like tree-planting outside the venue. These are best hosted as a breakout activity or an enjoyable way to conclude the conference.
8. Evaluation and Improvement
After the conference, if you are looking to gain feedback on the success of your event, be sure to use an online survey tool instead of a paper-based evaluation form. It’s a perfect opportunity to also gauge the event's sustainability performance by collecting feedback from attendees and stakeholders. This will identify areas for improvement and help you make necessary adjustments for future conferences.
Now let’s talk about some of the best practices for sustainable outdoor festivals
1. Site selection and layout
When searching for the perfect festival site, select a site that minimises environmental impact. When designing your layout, take into consideration how the space can be best used to reduce soil compaction and damage to the turf or plants.
Always remember you need to be handing back the space just as you found it.
2. Waste management
Develop and implement a waste management plan that includes recycling, composting and waste reduction strategies. Ensure that your waste stations are placed in high-traffic areas like food eatery zones, toilets and event exits. These stations need to be clearly labelled and well-lit if your festival is in the evening. Also, ensure that your festival has cleaners roaming the space to pick up and remove waste your attendees may have left behind.
Big tip – if you’re looking to engage with the local community, consider reaching out to local community groups and see if they could be interested in supporting the festival with post-event clean-up in exchange for a donation.
3. Water conservation
Minimise water use by installing efficient toilets and water fixtures. When hiring toilet facilities consider how many litres of water each toilet uses per flush. You will be surprised by the differences between each service provider. As an added bonus, the less water, the more cost savings to your bottom line.
Provide your attendees with access to free water refill stations instead of purchasing single-use water bottles, and encourage them to bring reusable water bottles to your festival.
4. Sustainable food and beverages
Select food vendors that prioritise sustainability. This should be a key question that you ask as part of the selection process. Understand how they will be packaging their products, and the style of cutlery they will be providing with the meal. Overpacked items should always be discouraged. Set up a clearly labelled recycling station specific for each of your food vendors to ensure that they recycle as much waste as possible.
5. Energy efficiency
If your event site is not run on mains power, then to look for ways to power your site in the most energy-efficient manner possible. Most hire companies now offer solar power generators and light tower options, which are the perfect sustainable way to power your site. When selecting lighting, look to use energy-efficient LED lighting.
6. Transportation
Encourage festivalgoers to use public transport or carpool in order to get to your event. If your festival site isn’t close to public transportation, consider providing a free shuttle bus from the nearest public transport site. If you have great access to public transport, you could offer discounted tickets for those who choose eco-friendly transportation options.
7. Noise management
Festival music, attendee noise and transportation movements all contribute to noise pollution. It’s possible to put noise control measures in place in order to minimise disruption to local communities. If your festival includes a large PA system, ensure that you use directional sound systems to reduce the impact on the community, set noise limits during certain hours and most importantly engage someone to monitor the noise output of the festival to ensure you are not breaching any official limits.
Remember, negative community impact can restrict your ability to host events there in the future. It’s much easier to keep the community happy in the first place than have to repair relationships after the event.
9. Eco-conscious merchandise
You might be considering offering free merchandise or selling merchandise to your attendees. When selecting your merchandise, it's important to look for sustainable options like organic cotton T-shirts and reusable tote bags. When making enquiries to the wholesaler, ask how the items will be packaged. I have previously purchased environmentally friendly merchandise for an event only to discover each item came individually wrapped in plastic, and this completed negated the environmental benefits of the product selection.
Sustainability is not just a trend, but an ethical responsibility that benefits the planet and future generations.
Hosting a sustainable event, whether it’s a small conference or a large outdoor festival, requires careful planning and commitment. The best practice examples we’ve discussed are easy to implement and are effective. As more events embrace these practices, we will move closer to a world where entertainment and environmental responsibility go hand in hand.
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer,
David Yakas
