Open Air Business October/November 2018

FUNCTION VENUES
small changes are having a huge
effect on the environment. I’m not
saying we should force a levy onto
everything, but perhaps the moral
of the story is that behaviours can
change and those changes make a
difference.
It is our responsibility to look
after our planet so let's get serious
about plastic and food waste.
Event organisers need to be
thinking about the environmental
impact of an event before it’s
begun. Can anything be recycled
or reused from a previous event?
Do you really need so much food?
Can plastic water bottles be traded
in for water filling stations or a
simple jug?
Sustainability initiatives and
waste reduction processes need
to be routinely included in the
pre and post event strategy and
responsibility shared between the
venue and the event organiser.
Start small and go from there,
it’s definitely a case of breaking
old habits and realising that trying
to become more sustainable as a
person and a business is not ‘too
much effort’. There are plenty
of tools online that offer free
advice, and try looking towards
businesses that are already
paving the way on such issues. 15
Hatfields, a leading sustainable
events venue in central London,
recently gave away saplings in
compostable packaging instead of
pens at an exhibition.
Another useful resource is OLIO,
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew White is
MD of Triggerfish
Communications, a
specialist in helping
heritage venues and
leisure attractions
build awareness and
market share in the
business of events.
www.triggerfish.co.uk
BELOW Unwanted
promotional pens
can be put to
better use
a pioneering app which helps
to pass on unused or unwanted
food. OLIO’s Food Waste Heroes
programme provides volunteers
to pick up and redistribute unsold
or unused food from businesses
at the end of the day and offers
guidance on what can and can’t be
passed on as this is often a worry
for corporate companies.
BE A THOUGHT LEADER
As an industry we need to square
up to what’s ahead by being less
opportunistic with matters that
are not as relevant or prevalent.
Banning plastic and tackling the
huge problem of waste in the
events sector with more gusto
than just removing straws from
the bar top will have far greater
resonance and thought leadership
than trying to jump on many of the
UK’s other issues.
At Triggerfish we attend
many events and exhibitions
and often notice, amongst
other unnecessary items of
merchandise, a sea of branded
biros ready to give away to
potential clients. But, we
pondered, what happens to those
pens after the event and is there
a way we can avoid them going
to landfill. With that in mind, at
this year’s SquareMeal Venues +
Events Live we simply encouraged
exhibitors to donate the leftover
pen and pencil giveaways to
Triggerfish. In turn we arranged
for them to go to schools and
orphanages who need them far
more than the show’s tech savvy
Insta-tanious visitor.
Our premise is simple, we want
to encourage tomorrow’s artists
and wordsmiths. So, rather than
letting the exhibitors’ surplus
pens and pencils go to landfill
or sit unforgotten in a draw, we
encouraged them to help us pen
a better education for children in
schools and orphanages overseas
who often struggle to fund such
items.
The support from the events
industry was unanimous and
we are delighted to be helping
children overseas in furthering
their education and enjoying
the simple pleasure and wonder
that ink and graphite can bring.
Searcys, The Science Museum,
Sodexo, Center Parcs, Tottenham
Hotspur and more were abundant
in their generosity and have
helped us gather the necessary
tools for those starting their
education.
Our first shipment was sent
overseas to Malawi and we
are continuing to encourage
conference organisers, exhibitions
and venues large and small to
collect up pens and help us recycle
the 'write' way.
We have a responsibility to
future generations and can
genuinely create an impact in the
UK and across the business of
events. And all too often how you
can help is under your nose.
GETTY IMAGES
40 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM