Camp Hill reflects on…

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to address all of the time. Whether you’re living at home, own a business or work within a certain sector, sustainability is paramount currently. But, what is sustainability?

It outlines ways to reduce the environmental impact on our planet, providing an ecological balance. So, when it comes to the event industry, sustainability is important as some events can be impactful on our environment. Such impacts can include the use of consumption and transport, or the use of disposable materials. With that being said, more and more event organisers are addressing their impact on the environment, as climate change is an ever increasing concern. We at Camp Hill also continue to recognise the need to reduce our environmental impact when it comes to events. We believe it’s paramount to keep sustainability at the forefront of our events, as we love our planet and want to help it when and where possible whilst still hosting fantastic events.

Here’s some of the things to consider when it comes to sustainability for events:

• Planning: Having an effective planning process in place can help organisers realise the sort of environmental impacts an event can have. Efficient and clear planning aids in setting realistic goals when it comes to sustainability, keeping in mind percentages and numbers of resources needed based on the number of people attending.
• Transport: No matter how large an event, it’s vital to provide economical and environmentally friendly transport for all attendees, as this helps to keep emissions low. Most events will supply coaches to the venue, so it’s vital to emphasis the need for attendees to make use of this instead of singular vehicles if possible. Along with this, cycling and walking is generally encouraged by most events now. This all helps to avoid potential chaos when people arrive too.
• Waste management: When it comes to waste disposal for events, clear signage and allocated bins are a must to supply. This is to help reiterate to attendees that recycling is available, and important to keep in mind to help sustainability overall. When recycling is possible to provide, this will help lessen the waste that ends up in landfills. If food ends up in landfills, this ends up sitting and breaking down which creates methane. As methane enters the atmosphere, this adds to the greenhouse effect and it known to more damaging than CO2. So, it’s paramount to ensure any event keeps waste management in mind, to avoid this from happening. Additionally, providing adequate bins and enough of them aids in reducing any litter left on site. This is why supplying biodegradable materials is vital when giving out food and drinks, to avoid damaging green spaces.

Thankfully, there are many ways events and event organisers can remain sustainable. Most contractors available to hire for events also have sustainability in mind, when supplying their services. This involves transportation, food and drink contractors and waste management services. The more awareness raised by any event to their attendees about sustainability, helps in the fight against climate change and protecting our planet overall. And this is more important than ever now.