Sustainability is becoming more and more prevalent in the trade show and event industry. Exhibitors are focusing on ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle where possible. Is your company looking to shrink their ecological footprint for future events? We’ve gathered 10 best practices of a “green” exhibitor in today’s ever-changing industry.
Save your money, time, and paper. Avoid printing booth literature that gets lost before attendees make it back to their office. Take advantage of today’s technology. Add in a QR code to your booth graphics that connect you with attendees real time. If you’re using any type of A/V equipment in your booth, brainstorm ways to get the same brand messaging across more efficiently. Create an eye-catching video to play on your monitor or make use of specialty lighting, for a unique approach.
Reducing your carbon footprint is easier than you think, even if you exhibit multiple times a year. Consolidating your materials into one shipment makes a big impact on the environment and your wallet. If you have materials that can be hand carried into the facility while abiding by facility guidelines, you can take them with you when you travel.
There are various ways to ensure you are minimizing unnecessary transportation. You can even go as far as using vehicles that use renewable energy!
Still have that stack of outdated business cards sitting in your desk? Upgrading to a digital business card saves paper, printing costs, and gives you the freedom to update your information when needed, eliminating the inevitable waste of an invalid card. Some digital business card platforms give you the option to have one physical card tied to your profile, providing a familiar experience while giving you the option to network without having to reach for your phone.
How often do you find a closet full of giveaways that needs to be updated or worse, thrown out? Take stock of your current items and think of ways to make them more eco-friendly. Sustainability is a hot topic in the event industry! If your giveaways are made from recycled materials, or they promote green initiatives, attendees can perceive your brand in a more positive light and are more likely to keep what you’re offering, setting your company name at the forefront of their mind.
When packing up at the end of the show, it’s easy to trash certain materials in your booth to speed up the move out process. Prior to the show, take inventory of the items you may have left after the show ends to identify what could be reused at future events and have a plan in place for easy storage. Some events offer trash collection programs you can sign up for to ensure your unwanted booth materials are being recycled properly and reused for a new purpose.
Design your booth graphics with future exhibiting in mind. Can these graphics be something you keep and reuse, without needing to reprint at your next show? The material itself is also a factor when moving toward sustainability. Will your graphics be printed on paper or fabric? Don’t forget you can utilize digital displays in your booth to really stand out from the crowd.
7. Roll Out the Brand Carpet
When you reuse the same flooring for each event, you are practicing a green initiative! You can also perform quality control and monitor cleanliness over time ensuring that your flooring looks pristine. If it makes sense to rent carpet for your exhibiting needs, opt to work with companies that offer carpet options from recycled materials.
If you haven’t already made the switch to energy efficient lighting, this is an easy next step toward sustainability. LED lights consume less energy, last longer, and operate more efficiently.
Traveling and transportation is noted to have the largest impact on the environment. Make use of local staff if available when staffing your events or send your entire onsite team together at once. Even though connecting flights can be more cost effective, nonstop flights to your destination use less fuel and reduce pollution.
If your company outsources materials and services from other suppliers, you can develop eco-friendly exhibiting methods by working with partners that have the same goal in mind. Suppliers throughout the trade show and event industry are fostering sustainable practices and updating offerings to their exhibitors so that we can all do our part in bettering the planet and keeping in person interactions alive and well.
Making the eco-friendly move is more important than ever! Starting small and implementing these changes as you are able, makes a huge difference for your company and the future of the event industry.
