Conferences can take a real toll on the environment, from piles of printed materials and disposable badges to the emissions tied to travel and leftover food.
Fortunately, incorporating sustainability into event planning can reduce waste by as much as 60-80%, according to the Events Industry Council (EIC).
For organizers feeling the pressure to go green, we’ve gathered eight practical strategies for implementing green event management, including:
- Choosing an eco-friendly venue
- Using sustainable badging
- Going digital with check-in
- Replacing printed signage with digital posters
- Embracing mobile apps
- Offering sustainable transportation options
- Considering virtual or hybrid event formats
- Opting for eco-friendly catering
Let’s explore how these tips benefit both the environment and your attendees.
What is Green Event Management?
Green event management, or sustainable event planning, involves organizing events with a strong focus on minimizing negative environmental impacts.
This means making intentional choices to reduce waste, lower carbon emissions, and promote social responsibility, all while ensuring a high-quality educational and networking experience.
With the growing demand for environmental sustainability, let’s explore how to best organize your green event.
8 Tips for Organizing Sustainable Green Events
1. Choose an Eco-Friendly Venue
The venue you select sets the foundation for your event’s sustainability efforts. When evaluating locations for your scientific conference, prioritize these factors:
- Green Certifications: Look for venues with recognized environmental certifications such as LEED, ISO 20121, or EMAS, which indicate implemented sustainable practices.
- Energy Efficiency: Select venues with energy-efficient lighting, heating, and cooling systems. Facilities with smart building technology, natural lighting, and renewable energy sources significantly reduce your carbon footprint.
- Strategic Location: Choose centrally located venues accessible by public transportation to reduce travel-related emissions. Ideal locations are within walking distance of accommodations.
- Effective Waste Management: Confirm the venue has comprehensive recycling programs, composting capabilities, and policies to minimize landfill waste.
2. Use Sustainable Badging
Conference badges are helpful for identification and networking, but traditional methods generate significant waste. X-CD offers sustainable badging solutions that maintain professionalism while reducing environmental impact:
- On-Demand Badge Printing: Implement kiosks where attendees can scan their personalized QR code and print their badge on-demand upon arrival. This eliminates waste from no-shows and accommodates last-minute changes without reprints.
- Tear-Resistant Badges: Use tear-resistant badge options that eliminate the need for plastic pouches while maintaining durability and professional appearance, significantly minimizing waste.
- Direct Thermal Printing: Use direct thermal printing technology, which requires no ink cartridges or toners containing environmentally harmful chemicals, producing professional badges in seconds.
- QR Code Integration: Incorporate QR codes on badges that link to digital event information, reducing the need for printed programs while enhancing the event experience for attendees through real-time updates.
3. Go Digital With Check-In
The check-in process sets the tone for your conference. By modernizing check-ins with self-service kiosks, you can enhance efficiency while supporting your sustainability goals. These kiosks allow attendees to scan personalized QR codes and check in within seconds, eliminating paper-based processes and cutting down on wait times. The result? A faster, smoother, and more eco-friendly start to your event.
4. Replace Printed Signage with Digital Posters
Traditional conference signage typically involves printing materials that are briefly used and quickly discarded. Digital alternatives offer a more sustainable and flexible approach:
- Digital Signage: Display directional information, room assignments, and schedule changes on screens throughout your venue, eliminating printed signs while allowing real-time updates when needed.
- Conference e-Posters: Implement digital poster sessions that eliminate large physical prints and create permanent digital archives of research.
- Dynamic Sponsor Recognition: Showcase sponsor logos and information on rotating digital displays, potentially offering greater visibility than static printed materials.
5. Embrace Mobile Apps
Mobile event apps significantly reduce printed materials while enhancing the attendee experience. X-CD’s conference mobile app solutions provide comprehensive features for academic events:
- Paperless Event Information: Provide all conference information through a mobile app, eliminating printed program books while giving attendees access to schedules, session descriptions, speaker bios, and venue maps.
- Digital Networking: Facilitate connections through app-based networking features, enabling messaging, meeting scheduling, and digital contact exchange.
6. Offer Sustainable Transportation Options
Transportation typically accounts for the largest portion of a conference’s carbon footprint. Implement these strategies to reduce your event’s environmental impact:
- Public Transport Promotion: Provide clear information about public transportation in pre-event communications. Consider offering transit passes as part of registration or discounts for attendees who use public transportation.
- Organized Shuttle Services: Arrange shared shuttles from key locations such as airports, train stations, and conference hotels to reduce individual car trips and associated emissions.
- Carbon Offset Options: Offer attendees the option to offset their travel emissions through reputable carbon offset programs as an add-on during registration.
7. Consider Virtual or Hybrid Event Formats
Modern virtual event technology offers new possibilities for reducing environmental impact while expanding accessibility. X-CD’s solutions provide flexible options:
- Virtual Events: Consider completely virtual formats that eliminate travel emissions, venue energy consumption, and physical materials while still facilitating presentations, discussions, networking, and poster sessions.
- Hybrid Conference Models: Combine in-person and virtual conference elements, allowing attendees to choose their preferred participation method while maintaining some face-to-face interaction.
8. Opt for Eco-Friendly Catering
Food and beverage service represents another significant area where scientific conferences can improve sustainability:
- Local and Seasonal Ingredients: Partner with caterers who prioritize local, seasonal ingredients to reduce transportation emissions while offering fresher, higher-quality food that showcases the region.
- Plant-Forward Options: Increase plant-based menu options, which typically have a lower carbon footprint than meat-centric meals. Consider making vegetarian options the default with opt-in for meat dishes.
- Reduce Food Waste: Implement accurate attendance forecasting, portion control, and food rescue programs that donate safe, unused food to local organizations. Arrange composting for unavoidable waste.
- Reusable Serviceware: Use reusable dishes, glassware, and cutlery whenever possible. When single-use items are necessary, choose certified compostable alternatives instead of plastic.
How X-CD Can Help with Green Event Management
Implementing sustainable practices across your scientific conference requires the right technological foundation. Fortunately, X-CD’s comprehensive platform can support your green initiatives through:
- Paperless Technology: Our system supports sustainability throughout the event lifecycle with digital abstract submission, online registration, mobile apps, e-poster solutions, and virtual/hybrid capabilities.
- Sustainable Onsite Experience: X-CD’s eco-friendly solutions include QR code check-in, on-demand badge printing, tear-resistant badges, and direct thermal printing technology that eliminates unnecessary waste.
Ready to make your next conference more environmentally friendly? Request a demo to see how X-CD can help implement these green event strategies.
