Top Tips to Run Major Events in a More Sustainable Way

by Emma Harrison (Neste) ... The first step to better sustainability is to make an audit of your environmental footprint – once it is clear what the biggest areas of improvement are, concrete steps can then be taken to start addressing them.

These could include, for example, choosing a venue that is easy to reach via public transport, switching to more sustainable fuels and other energy sources, reviewing the use of disposable items such as plastic cups and cutlery, implementing water refill points, reverting to digital tickets and locally sourced foods.

It is important to look at your value chain as a whole, and where a smarter choice can not only reduce the environmental impact of your event and operations from a wider perspective, but also give the consumers the more sustainable alternatives that they are increasingly looking for.

The first step to better sustainability is to make an audit of your environmental footprint – once it is clear what the biggest areas of improvement are, concrete steps can then be taken to start addressing them.

Such forward-thinkers also include the Finnish Flow Festival, one of the world’s first carbon neutral festivals, which extensive sustainability program includes using renewable diesel for all its energy needs, and a mindful approach to waste, transport and catering. For sporting events, San Francisco Bay Area Super Bowl 50 Host Committee in the US has been leading on sustainability by example, cutting emissions significantly by switching to renewable diesel to power the Super Bowl City fan village and Super Bowl’s Fan Express buses.

“We produce sustainable aviation fuel with waste and residues – concerts and other major events generate a lot of it! It would be amazing to channel some of these waste streams back into the loop to make fuel.

“Similarly, with power-to-liquid fuels where we capture CO₂ from the air. CO₂ is produced in big quantities at events by people and event operations. We could turn those emissions into fuels.” READ MORE