'Why Sustainability and Events are Important'- Guest Interview with Nicky Tramaseur, Director at Event Greening Ltd

This month our theme is 'How can the events industry help to support the provision of affordable and clean energy?'

We've collaborated with Nicky Tramaseur to ask some important questions on the subject.

1. Could you tell me why you believe sustainability in the events industry is important?

Events, whether big or small, can leave their footprints in the society and environment by generating harmful waste. Sustainability is important in the events industry to help protect our surroundings. By implementing sustainable practices, organizations in the events industry can host the same event but with minimal risks and impacts. Sustainability in the events industry also helps organizations to continually improve the processes and take measures earlier on rather than ad-hoc approaches when incidents occur. It does not only benefit the event organizers, but also the owners, workforce, supply chain, attendees and surrounding communities.

Many organizations are adopting sustainable practices i.e. M&S Plan A. The events industry does not want to get left behind. In fact, organizations who use Event Management Agencies who are already on board with sustainable practices are more likely to deliver an event where sustainable messages are being communicated. 

2. Can you share an example of something you have seen at an event which made you think it was sustainable?

Locally sourced food to reduce mileage and site lighting and sound equipment through to the stalls and catering facilities powered by renewable energy, provided via solar panels and wind turbines. Supporting alternate clean ways of using energy is an extremely important aspect to grasp when running an event to reduce the overall harm done to the environment from using traditional methods of harnessing energy. 

3. In your opinion, what are the reasons why events are not sustainable?

Wasting resources, wasting food, travel (CO2 emissions), ineffective project management

4. Do you think we can influence events to be more sustainable? If so, how?

Raise awareness, through education, working with academia, targeted campaigns, join groups, get involved in person, share experiences.

Do you believe the events industry should harness clean energy more and that it will influence a positive difference? Then please give us your opinion on how else the events industry could help the environment by following this link: https://www.positiveimpactevents.com/telling-the-story-of-the-power-of-events-commentary