Everyone is going green, and conventions are no different.
Our goal as expo experts is to “wow” the crowds while also respecting their various professions, geography, and perspectives. You can’t just swoop into town, tell the audience how to think or feel, and expect to win them over without listening to their needs.
In these regards, Mother Earth is the ultimate client.
We must work together to consider how our actions affect the environment on a micro and macro level. If we’re not careful, we’ll have fewer and fewer options when it comes to viable demographics and markets; communities are suffering from pollution and climate effects with a frightening rapidity. Don’t just consider where you’re showing now… think about where you’re exhibiting tomorrow, next year, and in future generations.
Nobody wants to damage the environment, but we often defer to methods that are quickest, easiest, and require the least amount of thought. That’s why we may choose products and practices that benefit us in the short term, but harm the planet in the long term.
Let’s break that habit by adhering to a few helpful guidelines.
The sooner we plan an event, the more lead-time we’ll have to achieve our goals efficiently. Consult with potential vendors to discuss optimal transportation, coordination, and sustainability. Planning ahead allows all parties to get on the same (recycled) page, align their values, and get the job done cleanly and triumphantly.
One such area in which we can all improve our efforts is food selection. The statistics on sustenance waste are staggering; approximately one third of products intended for human consumption are discarded before they can reach the mouths that need to be fed.
By researching local meal providers, supporting their businesses, and delivering hearty, fresh meals to your clients and co-workers, you can eliminate wasteful transportation costs that contribute to the massive loss of the world’s food supply.
Eating local is a great start, but how about choosing the best nearby venue for your show? Follow HP’s lead and look at how they honored Houston’s Discovery Green with an event that was built around nature rather than vice versa. Attendees were guided through a verdant topiary that encouraged Instagram-worthy selfies, thus raising awareness of the climate crisis in a celebratory way.
To harvest inspiration from a few pros who really walk the walk when it comes to sustainability, check out Rachel Motekaitis. As the Senior Show manager at Greenbuild International (one of the largest eco-friendly events in the world, 17 years running), Motekaitis thinks big and starts small.
Case in point: instead of distributing wasteful bottled water for the sake of convenience, she began a “bring your own bottle” initiative. Rachel spread the word that free water would be readily available at the next event, so all guests would need to do was bring a reusable vessel to drink heartily. Bottoms up!
Now that your guests have hydration right in the palm of their hands, encourage responsible drinking habits by discouraging plastic straws. After all, the liquid coming out of their container is going into their mouth, so why add a middle man in the form of a wasteful straw. We’re all in the business of pragmatism and efficiency, so let’s take a step back and think about just how unnecessary straws really are.
While we’re on the subject, there’s really no need for Styrofoam either. This eco-unfriendly compound takes over 500 years to biodegrade, which explains why it accounts for an estimated 30% of landfills worldwide.
Now let’s get to the heart of the matter: how can we still dazzle our clientele and remain environmentally conscious? Good news: the two goals are far from mutually exclusive! You can still light up the stage with LED illumination and rest assured that you’re helping reduce your event’s carbon footprint.
In fact, the widespread popularity of LEDs over traditional bulbs helped reduce harmful emissions to the tune of 570 million tons in the year 2017. If we continue making progress at this rate, we’ll leave the climate crisis in the rearview mirror of our electric car in no time!
If you absolutely must use paper products to distribute at your next expo, consider your options and opportunities. Print with vegetable-based inks on 100% recycled paper, and use these efforts as a teaching moment. Tell your story at the bottom of the brochure/pamphlet by including a simple line such as “We use bamboo, do you?” This challenges your contemporaries to follow your example, rise to the eco occasion, and contribute to the orchestra of voices singing the praises of sustainability, one event at a time.
If the information and data outlined above seems overwhelming, we understand completely. But fear not; we’ve got your proverbial back. Our talented staff can break down your green needs along with a smart overall strategy for your approach to any upcoming events.
We will work together to customize your booth using affordable and eco-friendly materials. We’ll help you make meaningful and long-lasting connections with collaborators who share your sustainability goals at your next conference. Or if you’re planning a private event, stamp it with your individuality and unique commitment to making the world a better place.
This is your brand, and it deserves to be celebrated around the globe. Mother Earth approves.