When parts of the world went into lockdown last March and travel restrictions meant that online events became the only option for some, nature took the chance to start repairing itself. Air quality improved, carbon emissions fell, and noise pollution levels dropped. When lockdown begins to lift, keeping up this good work is crucial. But, as an event creator, how can you play your part? The answer is simple: with sustainable events.

Not only do eco-friendly event offerings raise awareness of issues and inspire change, they can also cut running costs, boost your reputation, and open up a whole new world of sponsorship opportunities. Need more persuasion to pivot to green events? Here’s why the entire events industry needs a helping hand.

In-person events: a chance for education and local support

Global lockdowns have had both upsides and downsides when it comes to in-person eco events. People have had the opportunity to enjoy their local shops, restaurants, and parks more than they were able to before, giving event creators the opportunity to strengthen this newfound community spirit. At the same time, necessary rules and regulations have led to a reliance on single-use items like face coverings and therefore a higher level of waste. Social distancing has also meant that larger venues with bigger energy requirements may be needed. Finally, stricter health and safety protocols could mean more intensive cleaning regimes that may increase pollution.

Take any extra time that you have right now to work on these issues and figure out how to create sustainable events. You could:

• Host a hybrid event, where some people attend live and others attend virtually. This would allow you to reduce the venue size, the cleaning materials required, and the number of staff who need personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Build relationships with green suppliers and organisations so that you’re fully prepared for when in-person events are possible again.
• Spark that sense of community by using local vendors for food and drink, asking local speakers to host discussions, and hiring local bands for entertainment. If they live nearby, their journey to perform at or attend your event will be much more sustainable.
• Consider eco-friendly cleaning products and recyclable, non-plastic containers for food.
• Promote and sell reusable masks to educate guests on the damage single-use PPE can do to the environment.
• Opt for paper-free tickets. The Eventbrite app allows for contactless check-in, so all attendees will need are their phones.

Virtual events: unique marketing opportunities that currently aren’t as carbon neutral as you might think

With no travel or physical waste, the emissions generated from virtual events are much smaller. But they still exist. From social media apps to video hosting platforms, the internet uses a considerable amount of energy to store and transmit data. In fact, it’s estimated that the online world is responsible for two percent of the globe’s greenhouse gas emissions – and that’s not even counting the resources you use to power computers and phones or the emissions from the factories where those devices are made.

Understanding this carbon footprint and how to reduce it is the key to hosting environmentally sustainable events. Here are a few steps to take when planning a green online offering:

• Choose platforms and software that use renewable energy data centres like Equinix
• Offset your event’s carbon footprint by donating to an eco-friendly initiative such as a local tree planting scheme or WRAP, which encourages sustainable resource use
• Ask attendees to donate to a similar green cause when they buy tickets
• If you need to send guests real-life recipe kits or art materials in the post, use local suppliers who have less distance to travel and recyclable packaging that will biodegrade

Proactively working toward a sustainable virtual pandemic event will reassure attendees that you’re serious about reducing your brand’s environmental impact. Plus, this active thinking will allow you to jazz up your marketing efforts, so don’t forget to mention your eco-friendly credentials in everything from social media adverts to email campaigns.

The future of sustainable events

Ultimately, the pandemic has given creators lots of food for thought. More people are now comfortable with virtual events and, according to our recent survey, online events are here to stay to provide great experiences for attendees across the globe. Of course, in-person events aren’t going anywhere and there are plenty of ways to make the likes of festivals and conferences greener than before. Whichever path you decide to head down, it’s clear that sustainability will be a focus for the events industry for a long time to come.

Host your next sustainable event.