Zero Waste - means, among other things, avoiding plastic and single-use plastics. Say "no" to single-use plastic water bottles, plastic cups, straws, plastic bags, unnecessary packaging and polystyrene. Offer reusable tableware. Whenever possible, avoid foods with excessive or non-recyclable packaging!
Many disposable plastics pollute our oceans. Their production gobbles up considerable quantities of oil and water, possible causes of conflicts, scarcity of resources and greenhouse gases. Therefore, stop the one-time consumption of plastic!
Many single-use plastics pollute our oceans. Their production gobbles up considerable amounts of oil and water and causes conflicts, resource depletion and greenhouse gases. Therefore, stop the single-use consumption of plastic at your events.
Here's how your actions pay off on the 17 SDGs:
- SDG3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-beingfor allat all ages
3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages - SDG6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all - Save virtual water. Motivate those around you to drink water from the tap.
Goal 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all
6.3 By 2030, improve water quality globally by reducing pollution, ending the discharge and minimizing the release of hazardous chemicals and substances, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater, and significantly increasing recycling and safe reuse - SDG12: Ensure sustainable consumption and productionpatterns
Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
12.5 By 2030, significantly reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse - SDG13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Reduce your CO₂ footprint.
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts - SDG14:Conserve and sustainably use theoceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources
14.1 By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce all forms of marine pollution, in particular from land-based activities and namely marine litter and nutrient pollution. Avoid plastic.
Practical tips for avoiding plastic and waste at events
Avoiding plastic and waste in the event industry, whether at events, trade fairs, festivals or corporate events, is of great importance for the environment. In this context, sustainable waste management should be based on waste avoidance, waste separation, recycling and circular economy. To achieve this, booth builders and exhibitors should ensure that certain materials such as hazardous materials, disposable plastics and other types of waste are not brought to the event in the first place. As an organizer, you can achieve this through clear communication and careful planning in advance.
There are also legal requirements such as the Commercial Waste Ordinance and the Closed Substance Cycle Waste Management Act that must be taken into account. This means that if you fail to comply, you may incur high penalties as a result of inspections. To avoid this and act in an environmentally conscious manner, you as an organizer and exhibitor should pay attention to sustainable waste management when planning and holding events. This can be achieved by using environmentally friendly materials and packaging and providing waste separation systems and recycling stations.
Another benefit of avoiding plastic and waste in the event industry is the potential for cost savings. In this regard, efficient waste management can not only protect the environment, but also reduce costs because less waste has to be disposed of. In addition, organizers and exhibitors can save costs by using reusable cups and tableware instead of disposable plastic tableware.
In summary, avoiding plastic and waste in the event industry is an important step towards a sustainable future. It can be achieved through careful planning, the use of environmentally friendly materials and packaging, waste separation systems and recycling stations, and last but not least, it can save costs.
Successful examples for avoiding plastic and waste at events
The Zero Waste Festival (Dublin, Ireland)
This festival strives to keep waste to an absolute minimum and offers free water refill stations, composting and recycling opportunities, and a variety of food booths with biodegradable packaging.
Green Film Festival (Seoul, South Korea)
The festival uses environmentally friendly materials and methods, including reusable cups and eating utensils, and also offers recycling stations and composting.
Sustainability in Sport Events Summit (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
This event brings together representatives from the sports industry to discuss ways to reduce waste and promote sustainability.
Roskilde Festival (Roskilde, Denmark)
This festival is committed to eliminating single-use plastic and offers reusable cups, dinnerware and cutlery. There are also recycling and composting stations and a deposit system.
The benefits of eliminating plastic include a positive image for festivals and cost savings by reducing waste disposal costs.
Now it's your turn - how do you ensure plastic is avoided at your event?
Let me know how you avoided plastic and plastic waste at your event or how you plan to avoid it.
- Do you instruct the caterer to provide reusable tableware?
- Are there recycling or composting stations?
- Do you offer water refill systems?
- Are you banning plastic cups from your event?
- Is avoidance of plastic firmly in the minds of everyone in the team?
Discuss with me - for example directly on my LinkedIn profile.
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