October 8, 2008 – 12:17 pm
Hi everyone I am delighted to say that I managed to find my way onto the green panel at the Event 100 awards held at Vinopolis a couple of weeks ago - particularly because it gave a great insight into where we currently are re the green event concept (’audience participation required…touch your keypad now’ sort of thing)
And guess what - about 75% of people in the Events 100 audience voted that green events would be more expensive…this is really telling as it concurs with other data which suggest that 8/9 people out of 10 are sceptic about the whole idea of what it means to have a green event. Not one to be known for sitting on the fence 
I feel I have a duty to dispel this myth! Rather than talking about a ‘green event’ we should be talking about ‘producing and managing events sustainably’ which is very different. It about doing what we do already but doing it better economically, socially and environmentally. It also means getting our facts right - which requires instructive scientific analyses of the various elements - we need to be doing the right things well, not the wron things well! This can be done at the level of collaborative consultancy with an events management team or as part of an all-inclusive events management service (you are probably be aware that we do both) - the evidence being that both services lead to compelling commercial gains and a competitive edge.
I thought it was also interesting that the Events 100 panel discussing ‘how to survive the credit crunch’ talked primarily about ‘adding value without increasing budget’. Hard wiring sustainability into your events practices and processes means doing just that - in terms of short term budget management AND long term financial gains. Speaking to the head of CSR at BT at a workshop i recently attended (I love that a representative of BT is always present at these kind of things) - they don’t roll out any agenda unless it has a commercial incentive - says it all really doesn’t it….
August 4, 2008 – 12:44 pm
As a new addition to the EcoEvents team, I was delighted to be able to take part in the set up and execution of WOMAD 2008. The sun shone for the duration, providing the perfect setting for what was a vastly successful and wonderful event.
Alongside a few typical general merchandise stalls, the festival was packed with many curious and intriguing alternative stalls, arts and crafts, as well as many delicious varieties of food and drink, which was dominated by an impressive array of vegetarian, organic and fairtrade produce (of which I made my way around the majority!). In addition to the main arena, a little haven of calm and shade was provided by the Wellbeing area. This wooded area was dotted with many different therapy tents; available treatments ranged from a full body Thai massage, to shiatsu, reflexology and gong baths! The family and kids area was beautifully set out in a large clover field, with entertainment and a large family oriented camping area.
What I found most impressive was the ability of the festival to cater for all ages and tastes; whether you were looking for a quiet family weekend or up for hardcore partying, everyone could be satisfied without hampering the ability of others to also achieve their weekend objectives. Quite a feat of organisation and planning!
On the ‘eco’ side, all traders were provided with recycling facilities and the site had an abundance of accessible recycling bins, waste water from showers was used to dampen the pebble track encircling the main arena to prevent dust and many of the cleaning products came from Ecover. Whilst there are still large areas that could be improved to enhance the festival’s green credentials, it was great to see some measures being effectively taken. Something to work on for next year……
I was thrilled to meet Rachel from Brighton Carnival last weekend at GreenWave Festival who has invited the EcoEvents team along to conduct a gap analysis and report on the day’s activities this Sunday the 13th July. Given their focus on low carbon and minimal waste I am sure that they are already half way there but I am sure we can help make next year’s Carnival even more sustainable. It’s great to see show organisers really stepping up to the plate and understanding that sustainability is synonymous with success.
Oh yes - and we will be getting on the road with the world famous Mandinga Arts, parading to the fine timbre of samba band Uniao da Mocidade and sampling delicious food along the way! See www.brightoncarnival.co.uk for more info and come make a noise!
For sure, Brighton Carnival has big ambitions. Let me quote: “The vision is to have a weekend of carnival on the seafront in Brighton, that in the future rivals Notting Hill, Trinidad, Rio and other famous carnivals around the world.” No false modesty there but I am absolutely sure they are going to do it!
It’s obvious to me that good Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is much more about what corporate organisations actually do rather than the badge they wear. Being accountable for my own actions is vital to my ability to sleep at night (it’s not really about how others perceive me as much as how I perceive myself!) but how do I know if the glossy veneer of any CSR policy I read is substantiated by action? I went to the Greening Events Summit recently and Tom Feegel of Live Earth (fab speaker if ever you get the chance to see him in action) said something along the lines of ‘I know now to think more about what I want to say to others rather than worry about what they might say to me’. I guess the question in my mind is whether any CSR policy can ever represent this kind of commitment…
One of my clients Suzy Miller of Certain Shops takes the view that a good policy is progressive, transparent and verifiable. Her new event The Starting Over Show (more about this fab idea later) is going to be an innovative and exciting breakthrough in interactional CSR - really looking forward to this one.
We are proud to announce that the unique, environmentally sustainable EPIC Centre in Lincoln has teamed up with us here at Eco Events to provide a whole range of sustainable and environmentally conscious private and corporate events. This unique building has been created using sustainable building techniques and materials (including a beautiful living sedum roof) to provide the perfect venue for everything from weddings to corporate banquets to open air concerts and more.
According to Dr Nick Cheffins, the EPIC Project’s director, this venture is about creating a centre for environmental innovation, to explore new technologies and responses to the threat of global warming: “The EPIC Centre has been created to motivate individuals, businesses and communities within and beyond Lincolnshire to recognize their ability to mitigate the global effects of humanity’s activity on the environment,” says Dr Cheffins. “Our aim is to reduce our carbon footprint by 47% compared to a similar conventional building. We are working towards achieving this by building a venue that is designed to be as carbon efficient as possible, including using locally sourced materials, minimal use of steel and concrete, installing biomass and biofuel boilers, solar water heating, wind energy and rainwater harvesting.” The EPIC centre has three interlinked exhibition halls providing over 1,800 sq metres of event space, office suites, meeting rooms, a VIP lounge and 275 acres of stunning grounds.
To find out more about this exciting project, visit www.epic-project.org, call us on 0845 521 0120, or email info@ecoevents.com to ask about putting on your own low-carbon event.
The Pink Pumpkin turns GREEN!!
Bespoke wedding planning and design service The Pink Pumpkin (www.thepinkpumpkin.co.uk)has teamed up with Eco Events (www.EcoEvents.com), environmentally conscious event management, to provide clients with weddings that are gorgeous, meticulously planned and considerate to the environment.
This exciting venture will offer couples an opportunity to remain responsible without comprising the glamour of their special day. In a positive move away from the stereotypical green “hippy” image, they will reassure you that you don’t have to compromise on style and quality to throw a spectacular wedding that leaves as low a carbon footprint as possible.
The average wedding creates 14.5 tons of waste yet very little has been done in the industry to encourage people to reduce this. Expert advice and input from The Pink Pumpkin and Eco Events will enable couples to create their ideal day - from using ethical suppliers to sourcing organic silk dresses to finding cruelty-free diamonds – all of which help to reduce the environmental impact of their wedding day. Couples can even off-set those unavoidable costs to the environment and have a carbon neutral wedding.
Couples can inspire their own friends and family to approach life with a sense of responsibility. Knowing that they have played their part in securing a healthy future, must surely be a great way to start off their married lives…
For further details contact Eco Events on 0845 521 0120 or The Pink Pumpkin on 01483 79 79 75 or email gogreen@thepinkpumpkin.co.uk
