It all begins with the invitation.

Save trees by getting creative with e-invitations. Find some pretty/humorous pictures or personalize them and they'll feel just as special as the snail-mailed kind.
Help guests out by providing public transport info in the directions, and ask guests to RSVP so you'll know how much food and drink to buy.

Plan the Menu.

Once you know about how many people are coming, provide food that is locally produced, preferably organic and vegetarian or vegan.
Don't even think about buying water bottles for your party! Set out water pitchers and cups instead.
Buy food items, such as condiments, in bulk to reduce packaging waste.

Get Ready to Reduce Waste.

Plan on using your own dishware and cups. If you don't have enough you can always rent supplies, including tables and furniture. There is no need to buy new supplies, even if the paper plates are made from recyclable materials!

Determine your motivations.

Have a team meeting where you discuss greening, starting with your motivations both as individuals and as an organization. more »Before developing a green plan, it helps to know why you are making that decision, and what resources you are willing to commit. Are you a personally committed individual in a larger organization that doesn't care, a company that sees this as the latest fad and wants to offer carbon offsets to give yourself a green coat, an organization aiming to meet the highest standards?

80/20 Results/Effort

For light-green events, focus on your biggest impacts first: transportation, waste/recycling, and food. Choose a site near public transportation if possible, or close to the city that the most attendees will come from. Ask all potential venues and providers for their green plan. Provide a carpool system, and encourage public transit, trains, and green hotels. Composting? Talk to your food vendors about your recycling and composting plan. Make sure that all are on the same plan, you'll ruin both recycling and compost if you have plastic and compost cups and utensils that look similar
.

Team, Resources, and Budget.

Will you have a greening team, or will everyone participate together? When do you check in? How is greening factored into your workflow? How do your food vendors and exhibitors participate? Can you insist on green, budget for it, hire a green planner to do it for you? Outperform competitors »Socially Responsible companies keep outperforming their supposedly budget-minded competitors. Go ahead and inspire your clients, your suppliers, your attendees and your colleagues and employees.

Choose a Guide.

This online guide is intended as a starting point to help you focus. Our main goal is the next step: to help you find a guide that matches your motivations and resources.

Need Planning Help?

Check out Planners and Services for professional help in your area.

Editorial: Community Building

Back before "green" was awash in commercialism and offsetting, community and attention to detail were considered intrinsic. This wasn't just for hippies: even as the chemical industry took major steps towards greening ten and twenty years ago, the heart of the changes wasn't cash payments for making messes, it was paying better attention to their production process. Greening made the chemical industry much more efficient at their core mission. We believe that the events industry will undergo the same revolution when it takes these green values to heart. Focus on why your attendees are coming to your event instead of staying home and watching a low-impact video. How can you best provide those values with the least resources, from the time they walk out the door of their home until they return? Sharing leads to community, simplicity keeps attendees focused, localizing leads to more fruitful connections.

Determine your motivations.

Have a team meeting where you discuss greening, starting with your motivations both as individuals and as an organization. more »Before developing a green plan, it helps to know why you are making that decision, and what resources you are willing to commit. Are you a personally committed individual in a larger organization that doesn't care, a company that sees this as the latest fad and wants to offer carbon offsets to give yourself a green coat, an organization aiming to meet the highest standards?

80/20 Results/Effort

For light-green events, focus on your biggest impacts first: transportation, waste/recycling, and food. Choose a site to minimize flights. Ask all potential venues and providers for their green plan. Encourage attendees to take the train or carpool and look for green hotels.

Create a green mission statement.

How can you bring everyone on board? more »Social responsibility will have the strongest effect on your bottom line when everyone -- clients, partners, and especially employees -- respects your company for your efforts. Top down, bottom up, or use greening as a way to strengthen and bond your team.

Team, Resources, and Budget.

Will you have a greening team, or will everyone participate together? When do you check in? How is greening factored into your workflow? Can you insist on green, budget for it, hire a green planner to do it for you? Outperform competitors »Socially Responsible companies keep outperforming their supposedly budget-minded competitors. Go ahead and inspire your clients, your suppliers, your attendees and your colleagues and employees.

Choose a Guide.

This online guide is intended as a starting point to help you focus. Our main goal is the next step: to help you find a guide that matches your motivations and resources.

Need Planning Help?

Check out Planners and Services for professional help in your area.

Editorial: Community Building

Back before "green" was awash in commercialism and offsetting, community and attention to detail were considered intrinsic. This wasn't just for hippies: even as the chemical industry took major steps towards greening ten and twenty years ago, the heart of the changes wasn't cash payments for making messes, it was paying better attention to their production process. Greening made the chemical industry much more efficient at their core mission. We believe that the events industry will undergo the same revolution when it takes these green values to heart. Focus on why your attendees are coming to your event instead of staying home and watching a low-impact video? How can you best provide those values with the least resources, from the time they walk out the door of their home until they return? Sharing leads to community, simplicity keeps attendees focused, localizing leads to more fruitful connections.

Put it in Writing!

Create a green mission statement that lets those involved know that it will be a green event so they can plan accordingly.
Appoint a green committee to oversee and report on sustainable practices.

Consider Attendee Travel.

Choose a location that's central and accessible by public transport.
Encourage participation through teleconferencing rather than traveling to the
conference.

Have a Plan for Waste Management.

Use electronic correspondence whenever possible and ask participants to bring their own paper, pens, and reusable coffee mugs.
Purchase items in bulk to minimize packaging waste.
Make recycling and compost bins available with clear instructions for proper disposal.

Need Planning Help?

Check out Planners and Services for professional help in your area.

Establish a "Green Team."

Appoint employees or volunteers to work as a "green team," overseeing your event's sustainable practices.
Have people near recycling/compost bins to help people dispose of items properly.
Consider setting up an "eco-kiosk" to educate event-goers on how you're greening the event, or set up fund raising for local ecological causes.

Opt for Electronic Correspondence for Your Event.

Have participants sign up or purchase tickets on-line to cut down on paper waste.

Make Your Event Easy to Get To.

Choose a location that's close to public transport and have transit info available on your Web site.
Encourage attendees to carpool - have Spaceshare set up carpooling for your event!

Make Arrangements Ahead of Time.

It's a good idea to state your intentions ahead of time, letting family and loved ones that you'd like a green funeral and relieving the stress of decision making during a time of mourning.

Add a clause in your will.

Or create an advanced funeral wishes document that stipulates your green funeral concerns. Wishes to donate organs should also be made clear - this is the ultimate gift you can give to someone in need.

Ask your funeral director...

about more sustainable options, or seek out a funeral home that offer green practices. See our Planners and Services page for assistance.