Sustainable Event Planning - Your Ultimate Guide

How to Host Grassroots Events Sustainably: Tips and Tricks

Hosting a grassroots event is a wonderful way to bring your community together, celebrate a shared passion, and create a positive impact. But it's essential to keep sustainability at the forefront of our planning. Here’s a guide to help you host a grassroots event that’s not only memorable but also eco-friendly, so it does GOOD for people and the planet! 💖🌱🌍

Minimise Waste and Promote Recycling

One of the most significant impacts on the sustainability of any event is the waste it generates. Waste can be a very confusing space, with local recycling schemes accepting different types of plastics, sometimes requiring sorting, and to not be soiled by food or water. To ensure a smooth operation before and during the event, we must keep sustainable event management in mind.

Eliminate Single-Use Items: 🗑️

Remove the hassle of understanding the recycling system, by opting for reusable plates, cups, and utensils.

Use glassware and good quality plastic if necessary, borrow dishes from your neighbours, buy different glasses from charity shops, or ask people to bring their own.

If reusable isn’t feasible, choose compostable or biodegradable options, but make sure you understand how to process them correctly afterwards!

Set Up Recycling Stations: ♻️

During the event, you must encourage attendees to recycle, and attend with sustainability in mind!

Clearly label bins for recycling, compost, and trash.

Ensure they’re easily accessible, and make sure to have yourself or staff available for questions if people look confused.

Often, one incorrectly binned item can ruin the recycling of a whole bag, so this is really important!

Digital Tickets and Programs: 💌

Don't provide paper tickets and programs.

Use digital alternatives, such as e-tickets and mobile event apps, to reduce paper waste.

Reuse and Borrow

Reusing items and borrowing instead of buying new can significantly reduce your event’s sustainability:

Decorations and Supplies: 🎊

Get creative with decorations by using items you already have or borrowing from others.

Charity stores can also be a great source for unique, reusable decorations.

A feature of an event could be that everyone brings their funkiest mug, which they then use for drinks!

Just ensure you have washing facilities afterwards.😶‍🌫️

Equipment Rentals: 🪑

Tables, chairs, any audio equipment can easily be rented from various platforms online or stores.

We love using Fat Llama! This not only saves money but also reduces the demand for new products, and you throw away less!

Accessibility is Sustainability

Sustainable events aren't just about the environment; but also about creating inclusive spaces where everyone feels welcome and able to participate. When advertising the event, it is important to highlight the accessibility features you have implemented. However, you should also provide an opportunity for attendees to state if they have any needs, so you can adjust if necessary, and ensure they have adequate support. On 4GOOD's platform, we allow attendees to highlight any needs when buying their ticket.

Accessible Venues: 👩‍🦽‍➡️

Choose venues that are wheelchair accessible, or step free and have facilities for people with disabilities.

Ensure there are ramps, accessible restrooms, and seating options for everyone. Often the adjustments we make for those with access needs helps everyone - either toddlers learning to walk, or your grandpa with knee problems.

Clear Signage and Information: 🪧

Provide clear, accessible signage throughout the event.

Think about whether your colour scheme is accessible for those with colour-blindness, and if fonts are big enough / clear enough.

Depending on the event, you may want to provide audio, sign linguists, and braille.

Inclusive Programming: 🫂

Sometimes events can be over-stimulating, so it is important to have a quiet space in loud, intense events.

Consider a space in nature, or inside showing a silent movie.

Have some earplugs (disposable, we know :( ) for those with hearing impediments, and to maintain the health of your attendees ears!

In general, those with access needs are well adjusted themselves and have the agency to know when they need to address these needs, but it is important to provide a suitable space.

Serve Vegetarian and Seasonal Food

The food you serve can make a big difference in your event’s sustainability. Serving meat, or other high carbon foods, is not always necessary at events. Vegetarian meals also cater to wider diets, so you are reducing the need for many different food options too!

Vegetarian and Vegan Options: 🍏

Meat production has an extremely high environmental impact.

By serving mostly or entirely vegetarian and vegan options, you will definitely reduce the impact of your event.

Seasonal and Local Produce: 🥦

Choose ingredients that are in season and sourced locally, and make sure your caterers prioritise this.

This reduces the environmental impact of transporting food and supports local farmers and businesses - other grassroots organisations like yourself!

Minimise Food Waste: 🍽️

Plan portions carefully to avoid excess - use smaller plates and bowls, so they can go back for seconds. Don't open all the food at once, and see how the appetites are. For any leftovers, partner with local shelters or food banks to donate any leftover food.

Encourage Sustainable Transportation

Sustainable events cannot call themselves environmentally friendly without taking into account attendee emissions and travel. Transportation is a major contributor to an event’s carbon footprint, and it is the partial responsibility of a sustainable events organiser to nudge attendees as much as possible, and will by far be the highest proportion of impact for small events. Try to plan your event to be close to viable green transport options - there is an irony of hosting sustainable events in the countryside, but requiring all attendees to drive there!

Promote Public Transport: 🚃

Before the event, provide detailed information on public transport options, and give good details on the easiest routes, and an accurate address.

Bike and Walk-Friendly: 🚲

Choose venues that are easily accessible by foot or bike.

Provide secure bike parking and encourage walking by highlighting pedestrian routes.

On this note, make sure the event is safe to travel to by this method, and host it during daylight hours or in well-lit, safe areas.

Carpooling: 🚗

As a semi-last resort, create a carpooling system or partner with ride-sharing apps to reduce the number of vehicles traveling to your event.

Educate and Engage Attendees

Some people may not really know what sustainability is - and that's ok! It's great to share what you are doing for your event, and then share resources which may be useful for attendees.

Sustainability Education:📚

If your event suits this, it can be an opportunity to educate attendees about sustainability. You could offer workshops, information booths, and demonstrations on eco-friendly practices.

Incentives for Green Behaviour: 🎁

Reward attendees for sustainable behaviour. Offer incentives like discounts, freebies (sustainable of course!), or special access for those who use public transport, bring reusable items, or participate in recycling efforts.

Work with 4GOOD to Reduce your Carbon Footprint!

As experts on sustainable event planning and sustainable practices, we are happy to consult on how to help your organisation do the most GOOD for the planet and society. It can be confusing on which companies are truly doing GOOD, which are greenwashing, and who fits your event style best.

Our Co-Founder, Fran, has extensive experience in the sustainable event planning sector, so her and the team would be happy to help your event be the best it can!

Hosting a sustainable grassroots event is not only possible but can also enhance the experience for everyone involved. By minimising waste, reusing and borrowing, ensuring accessibility, serving vegetarian and seasonal food, and promoting sustainable transportation, you can create an event that’s kind to the planet and inclusive for all attendees. Sustainable event management does not have to be scary, nor costly! Make sure your event is doing GOOD, for the people and the planet! 💖💖