How to Plan for Sustainable Events, Trade Shows & Conferences: An Eco-Friendly Guide for Hosts and Exhibitors
updated
July 1, 2025
Planning an event, whether it's a trade show, company conference, seminar, community fair, expo, or corporate party, can be a lot of fun! But it's also a great opportunity to make sustainable choices that benefit the environment and enhance your brand's image. Environmentally sustainable events are becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason. They help reduce environmental impact and show your commitment to a greener future. Whether you're organizing the event or participating as a vendor or exhibitor, there are plenty of ways to incorporate eco-friendly practices. Here are 12 of our favorite eco-friendly event planning ideas:
1. Choosing an Eco-Friendly Venue
Selecting the right venue is a crucial step in sustainable event planning. Look for venues with green certifications, such as LEED or BREEAM, which indicate a commitment to events’ sustainability. Additionally, consider the location of the venue to minimize travel emissions for attendees. Opt for venues that are easily accessible by public transportation or encourage carpooling and bike-sharing to further reduce the event's carbon footprint.
2. Sustainable Transportation Options
Transportation is a significant factor in event sustainability. Encourage attendees to use public transportation, carpool, or bike to the event. Providing incentives, such as discounted tickets or special perks for those who choose eco-friendly travel options, can motivate attendees to make greener choices. Additionally, consider offering shuttle services from major transit hubs or your office to the event venue to make sustainable transportation more convenient. If you have a green facility and enough room, consider holding corporate events on site.
3. Green Room Drop Gifts
Room drop gifts are a delightful way to welcome attendees to their hotel rooms during an event. These thoughtful gifts can set the tone for a memorable experience and show your commitment to sustainability. Consider including items like a cozy blanket made from recycled cotton, which offers both comfort and eco-consciousness, or a reusable tumbler, bottle, or mug crafted from sustainable materials, perfect for keeping beverages hot or cold while reducing the need for single-use cups. These green gifts not only enhance the attendee experience but also promote your dedication to environmentally friendly practices.
4. Eco-Friendly Event Materials: Table Covers and Displays
When planning a sustainable event, choosing eco-friendly materials for your setup is essential. Not only do these materials reduce environmental impact, but they also convey your corporate commitment to sustainability to attendees. Here are some great options for table covers and displays that are both functional and environmentally friendly.
Eco-friendly table covers are a fantastic way to dress up your event space while staying true to your green values. For example, a table cover made from recycled materials can provide a professional look while promoting sustainability. These covers are designed to be durable and reusable, making them smart solutions for any event.
Sustainable displays are crucial for creating an engaging and eco-friendly event environment. Consider using retractable banners made from PVC-free media, which are not only visually appealing but also better for the planet. Additionally, event tents made from recycled PET cloth offer a sturdy and sustainable option for outdoor events. Modular display kits, such as cube towers, can be easily assembled and reused for multiple events, reducing waste and promoting a greener approach to event and trade show planning.
5. Eco-Friendly Event Materials: Lanyards, Pens, Giveaways, and Tote and Goodie Bags
Incorporating eco-friendly materials into your event is a fantastic way to showcase your commitment to sustainability. From lanyards to convention tote bags, there are plenty of good eco-friendly promotional product options that can help reduce your environmental impact while still providing functional and stylish solutions.
Choosing sustainable lanyards is a simple yet effective way to make your event greener. Opt for lanyards made from recycled materials. These options not only look great but also help reduce waste.
Another way to reduce waste is to equip your team with ideas on how to re-use their lanyards after the event.
Eco-friendly pens are a small but impactful way to promote sustainability. Pens made from recycled paper barrels, like the 100% recycled paper barrel ballpoint pen, or those crafted from bamboo, such as the Bamboozle Comfort Pen, are excellent choices. These pens not only reduce plastic waste but also make a statement about your commitment to the environment.
Eco-friendly promotional products are a great way to leave a lasting impression on attendees while promoting sustainability. Consider items like the 27 oz EverGreen Recycled Bottle, which is both practical and environmentally friendly. Other options include the Harvest Fruit Fiber™ Pocket Notebook, made from sustainable materials, and the AWARE™ Recycled Cotton Zippered Pouch, perfect for keeping small items organized. These giveaways not only showcase your brand but also highlight your dedication to eco-friendly practices.
In addition to desirable attributes like recyclable, recycled, made from renewable materials, or organic, there are other important ways to think about what makes a trade show giveaway eco-friendly. Items like food, mints, hand sanitizers, or lip balms are sure to get used up during the event or soon after, so they won’t go to waste. Items that are extremely useful, high quality, and attractive are the ones that will actually get used instead of cast aside. Even if your recipient doesn’t use gifts like these, they will pass them on to a friend instead of throwing them away. In short, being thoughtful about choosing the swag that your audience really wants leads to less waste.
Reusable and sustainable tote bags are a must-have for any eco-friendly event. Bags and totes made renewable materials like cotton or jute are both stylish and sustainable. These bags can be used long after the event, reducing the need for single-use plastic bags. Additionally, consider bags made from organic, compostable, or biodegradable materials to further enhance your event's sustainability.
6. Reducing Waste at Events
Minimizing waste is a key component of environmentally sustainable events. Implement strategies to reduce single-use plastics, such as providing reusable or compostable alternatives. Set up recycling and composting stations throughout the event to ensure proper waste disposal. Encourage the use of digital materials over printed ones to reduce paper waste. By taking these steps, you can significantly decrease the environmental impact of your event.
For those of you attending or presenting at green events, have you considered lower waste business card options? Plantable or digital styles like these will create a great impression while getting you remembered after the show:
7. Eco-Friendly Food and Beverage Options
Food is a big part of any event, and making sustainable choices here can have a significant impact. Whether you're hosting vendors, giving away treats at a trade show booth, or hiring caterers to serve hors d'oeuvres, beverages, and meals, consider these tips:
8. Sustainable Swag Bags for Conference or Award Banquet Attendees
If you are creating a company conference or awards banquet, you’ll want to provide high quality, fun company logo branded swag bags. To keep your event green, choose an eco-friendly bag to wrap your gifts in, that your team will actually want to reuse after the event, and fill it with a variety of sustainable swag items. Here are a few examples of bags and contents for inspiration:
You can recognize achievements with classic awards or choose high quality engraved items that serve a practical purpose while still offering the appropriate gravitas, like stainless steel tumblers and bottles.
9. Eco-Friendly Event Activities
Incorporating eco-friendly activities into your event can engage attendees and promote sustainability. Consider organizing activities such as tree planting, eco-friendly workshops, or sustainability-themed games. These activities not only provide entertainment but also educate attendees about the importance of sustainability in events. Engaging attendees in sustainability initiatives can leave a lasting positive impression.
10. Green Gifts for Speakers, Prize Winners & Prospective Business Partners
Small swag gifts are par for the course at a trade show booth, but it’s also a good idea to have a few upgraded gifts on hand for the prospective business partners that you have identified as top priorities, as well as appreciation prizes for those who signed up to meet with you and hear your pitch ahead of time. You’ll also need prizes for winners of raffles, games, drawings and wheel spins. If you are throwing the event, you’ll want to show appreciation and build goodwill with commemorative gifts for speakers and presenters. Why not continue the theme of responsibility with eco-friendly gifts and/or gifts that give back by planting trees or making a donation to causes that benefit the planet?
11. Measuring and Offsetting Carbon Footprint
Understanding and mitigating the carbon footprint of your event is essential for sustainable event management. Use tools and methods to calculate the event's carbon footprint, considering factors such as energy use, transportation, and waste. Once you have an estimate, explore options for carbon offset programs to neutralize the event's impact. This can include investing in renewable energy projects or reforestation efforts.
12. Promoting Your Eco-Friendly Efforts
Effectively communicating your sustainability efforts is crucial for building a positive brand image. Use social media, your website, and other platforms to highlight your green initiatives and share the steps you are taking towards event sustainability. Providing transparency about your efforts can inspire others and demonstrate your commitment to eco-friendly corporate event planning solutions.
Eco-friendly event planning offers numerous benefits, from reducing environmental impact to enhancing your brand's reputation. By implementing the tips and strategies outlined in this sustainable event planning guide, you can create greener events that leave a positive legacy. Encourage your team and attendees to embrace sustainability in event planning and make a lasting difference.
