Events can generate a lot of waste. The world of weddings and events are major culprits in landfill and CO2. Single-use plastic is rife in the events industry. But just because your event is for one night only, it doesn’t mean that what you use should be. It’s perfectly possible to make a few small tweaks to reduce waste and to make your day more sustainable without compromising on style. Low waste and eco-friendly does not have to mean low key. Planning with sustainability in mind is crucial as the planet faces such immense environmental challenges.
Here are our 10 top tips:
1. Repurpose, Reuse and Recycle
Using real foliage foraged from the surrounding area is a greener way to decorate your event than buying in cut flowers. The cut-flower industry is a short-cycle production process that requires the use of agrochemicals which adversely affect soil, air and the water supply. Consider options like bunting or flower fairy lights – or even some well-chosen artificial flowers – which are of course reusable.
Or you can recycle your flowers with Floral Angels who distribute them to nursing homes and hospitals.
Hiring good quality furniture means it is reused.
Excess leftovers? Donate it! You can send food leftovers to a charity to be repurposed for the homeless.
2. Save trees. Send Digital Invites
Do you really need to send those physical invites? Consider the trees used to make the paper, the carbon footprint of delivery – and then think about how easy and convenient a digital invite can be. All the details are in one place – not left in the glovebox or pinned to the fridge. Creating a jazzy website is another possibility.
3. Eliminate Single-Use Plastic
We know you weren’t planning to buy any single-use plastic.
Cutlery and dinner wear can be hired. Some companies will take it away dirty. Aside from the environmental impact, eating from a proper plate with real cutlery enhances your enjoyment of the dining experience.
For events where food trucks are providing the meal, insist on biodegradable plates and cutlery. Wooden or banana leaf plates add to the rustic feel and are much better quality than hideous white plastic. There are some truly classy alternatives around. Unnecessary plastic straws have been phased out of most events. Paper straws look far chicer and have a vintage feel.
Don’t buy bottled water – provide a water point for your guests with glasses. Explore carbon-neutral and organic drinks in glass bottles – there are numerous organic and local wines and plentiful breweries in the UK to buy barrels or kegs.
4. Don’t Over Feed Them
Snacks, canapes, starters, mains, supper, late night snacks. Over-catering is a common practice at events. Food waste contributes to startling waste stats: an estimated third of all food produced is lost or wasted. With these figures in mind, reconsider your food plan. Do your guests really need that extra burger at midnight? Can you replace any meal with a made-to-order element? Request that condiments are served in bulk, not in single-use sachets.
5. Keep It Local
This one decision can save you a huge carbon footprint. Think about the air miles for those avocados, the plastic used for those small packets of berries shipped from South Africa. Source a caterer who uses in-season, locally grown, sustainable produce – organic if possible.
6. Bulk Buy
This may sound counterintuitive but buying items in bulk rather than individually wrapped means less packaging. Identify the areas where you could consolidate. Magnums rather than single bottles. Kegs now come not just containing beer but with cocktails, soft drinks and wine inside them. Avoid those gimmicky mini-size snacks especially made for parties. Buy the full-size versions and decant them.
7. Be Travel Smart
Transport to and from events accounts for 90% of its carbon footprint. Make your event as green as possible by choosing a venue that is close to the highest proportion of your guests – or close to public transport. Imagine if your guests could walk from the bus stop or train station? You’d cut down on countless taxi trips. If needed, set up group transportation by hiring a coach. Encourage car-sharing if they must drive. And supply transport advice – are there discounts available for early booking? Make it easy to be green with forward planning.
8. Buy Only What You Really Need – Instead Hire Locally
Planning ahead means you can make smart decisions about what you actually need and what can be replaced or hired. Do you really need to buy event carpet and tablecloths? Signs, banners and logos look amazing projected onto almost any surface – including buildings and even trees. This eliminates the cost of producing one-off designs which may not be reused. And it will look far more modern and dynamic than a clunky PVC banner. Use a local event hire company who will supply what you require and then take it away – creating zero waste.
9. Power – Go Solar
If you are hiring a venue, you may not have much control over this. But if you’re using a generator, replace the petrol or diesel options for a bio-fuel, battery or solar-powered generator. LED festoons and up-lights are available and are much more energy-efficient. The LED lighting is incredibly versatile and can help create a variety of looks and atmospheres. Tea lights in jars make beautiful night lights.
Green energy is achievable at events – just look at The Croissant Neuf Summer Party – a family festival in Wales entirely run on solar energy.
10. Be An Inspiration
Let your guests know your intentions. Be a trailblazer for a zero-waste event. Share and promote your actions and inspire your guests to get on board. Tell them that you’ve planted a tree for them, ask them to take public transport and car-share where possible. Working and living sustainably requires thought and dedication – and a change in habits. Encourage people to start eco-habits of their own.
