Entries Tagged 'Greener events' ↓

An interesting glide (we hope) through the Galaxy, ‘Hitchiker’ style, with some useful tips and guidelines on how to plan more sustainable events.

Written by the Paragon Team for a seminar at RSVP Exhibition on ‘How to Green your Event’, and updated.

If you would like a copy, free of course, just comment below or call 0870 224 2644.

We came across this US article by accident - some interesting ideas here.

The environment, global warming, overflowing land-fills, sky rocketing energy prices; these words have become part of our everyday language. As have earth friendly solutions, recycling, sustainability & corporate or social responsibility.

Today’s market place is going green. It’s all around us - green initiatives are on everyone’s mind; am I doing enough, could I be doing more? Consumers are starting to pay attention to earth friendly companies, and businesses that want to make a difference in the world are choosing to go for the green.

Whether your interest in the environment is purely from social responsibility or if increased pressure in the market place is driving your decision - or a little bit of both, adopting green practices can only enhance your companies brand image. Going green gives you something to talk about and puts you ahead of the competition.

10 Tips for going green:

1. Building a booth or looking for banner stands? Use earth friendly materials such as bamboo. Bamboo is a renewable agro-forestry product and the fastest growing plant on the planet. It is a viable replacement for wood and metal as it has a rapid maturity cycle of 3-4 years and it provides a critical component in the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
2. Determine longevity - for long term exhibits pick materials that will not weather or degrade quickly. For short-term displays use materials that are easy to recycle or reuse.
3. Use recycled material - increase the sustainability of your exhibit by using as much recycled, reclaimed or rapidly renewable material as possible. The process of recycling aluminum takes about much less energy than it does to create new aluminum form ore. When you are finished with your exhibit recycle it - make sure it doesn’t end up in a landfill.
4. Print Green - make up banner and signs with water-based inks on cotton fabric or bio-degradable plastics. Biodegradable laminates, water based adhesives, recycled paper for brochures and promotional materials all contribute to a greener planet. Go for the green with giveaways - avoid items that come in plastic packaging (unless biodegradable) or plastic items (unless recycled). Instead choose re-useable items such as pens, mugs or cotton tote bags.
5. Eco-accessorize - don’t forget about flooring, racks and other accessories. Bamboo flooring and literature racks promote sustainability too.
6. Energy efficient lighting - LED lighting reduces energy use by up to 90% over conventional sources. Incandescent bulbs are inefficient and emit only 10% of the energy they use as light - the rest is given off as heat.
7. Detoxify - Chemicals, sealants, vinyl and paints all have a direct negative impact on the environment. Oil and latex-based paints are toxic to the environment, evaporate into the air and contribute to global warming. Look for non-VOC paints, stains and PVC-free carpeting, water-based or low-VOC padding and adhesives.
8. Lighten Up - modular and portable exhibits tend to be lighter than custom displays. When shipping think about using lighter materials and less packaging materials. Buy locally to further reduce shipping and delivery.
9. Refurbish - give your old exhibit new life with earth friendly materials such as cotton graphics. Using exhibits that can be easily changed rather than replaced will mean less consumption of materials over time. Keep your exhibit in good repair and replace broken or damaged parts.
10. Use suppliers that not only offer green options but also operate with environmentally conscious conditions such as waste reduction programs and recycling in-place. Be sure to ask your supplier for more advice on how you can create an earth friendly display for your next exhibit.

Going green doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. There are many more options available today and the list keeps growing. Green, recycled and earth friendly materials can cost less than their non-recycled counterparts. Research your options and know that every little bit counts - from using recycled paper to printing biodegradable banners - you can be rest assured you are making a positive contribution toward greening the planet.

Kira Turner is a marketing manager at Lumichrom Graphics*Exibits*Displays in the US.  For more information on green exhibiting visit us at http://www.lumichrom.com/green/greenintro/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

We came across Green Tomato Cars earlier this year.  The Hammersmith based company’s fleet comprise Toyota Prius saloons that have an engine that runs partly on electric battery and partly on fuel.  This means their carbon emission is only half that of a traditional black cab and the company offsets the unavoidable emissions.

The company operates 24/7 across London.  You can either call and book or set up an account and book online.  Give them a call!  020 8568 0022

1.Our first tip is - call us!  But if you are going it alone:

2. Use LEDs
Lighting is one of the most obvious ways an event consumes energy and a growing number of technologies offer more earth-friendly solutions.

LED lights win raves for their convenience and low energy usage. An LED fixture of comparable brightness uses up to 80 percent less energy than its conventional counterpart. Another perk of LED lights is that the lights themselves come in all colours, so there’s no need to set up huge labour-intensive rigs for colour films.

Hassle Factor: None. Using them for an event is a simple request for most lighting companies.

Cost: LEDs are more expensive to produce, so hiring costs more. On the other hand, setup is much quicker and easier, so you could recoup most or all of the hire cost.

2. Rethink Your Cars
While hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius are the best-known, there are a variety of alternative-fuel vehicles on the road, and a few forward-thinking car services are offering these vehicles. Green Tomato has a fleet of Priuses for customers traveling around London and beyond. Other companies such as Chauffeur-First offer their fleet of executive Lexus hybrid vehicles. London’s 20,000 black taxi fleet will also be expected to meet strict emissions standards by mid 2008, under the Mayor’s Taxi Emissions Strategy.

Hassle Factor: Outside of major cities, finding a green/er car service is tough. For smaller events, you might be better off renting a hybrid and hiring a driver, or be creative with local and appropriate options where earth-friendly transportation is a priority. But for guests or execs who have their hearts set on a stretch Hummer or a similarly gas-guzzling ride, there might not be much you can do.

Cost: These services are generally within the same price range as other services that provide more typical town cars.
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When carbon offsets began, tree planting was the main chosen method to offset emissions. These days, best practise in carbon offsetting is generally considered to be investing in sustainable energy projects that cut emissions in the first place –such as renewable energy and energy efficiency.                                                     

By paying for the carbon saved by technologies like efficient lightbulbs and wind energy etc, carbon offsetting helps to green the global economy.

The money from carbon offsets is starting to drive the promotion of clean technology around the world, with especially exciting work being done to promote ‘appropriate technologies’ such as efficient cooking stoves, long recognised as crucial for improving quality of life and now finally, through the carbon market, starting to access the significant capital needed to make them available to millions.

Standards such as the Gold Standard (VERs) are ensuring that funding goes to real, verified carbon savings.

Climate Care was the first carbon offset organisation in the UK to focus on sustainable energy projects rather than forestry. Currently 80% of their carbon reductions in our online portfolio are made in sustainable energy projects. They still make 20% of our CO2 reductions through a forest restoration project. This is because globally, around 20% of greenhouse gas emissions are through deforestation or forest fires.

It is crucial to find a way to fund the protection of the worlds forests, but there is still a lot of debate around the right mechanisms to do this.

Thanks to Bettina Koller of Climate Care.
Visit: www.climatecare.org

Paragon recommend carbon offsetting for events as part of a sustainable event management process and work closely with Climate Care.