Last week, Club Artizen was at the Gifts and Stationery Expo in Hyderabad.
We were thrilled to note the interest in our work in sustainable and handmade products, and that companies were examining the impact of all their actions, including gifting, on the planet.
On the sidelines, though, we noticed that a lot of waste was generated. There were lunch packets, packaging, signages, and a whole lot of other things that were destined for the trash.
Cloth buntings at a crafts mela
We got to thinking about the fact that this was a wide problem, right from birthdays to conferences, and came up with a few to minimize waste at events.
- Discounts for stalls that promote sustainable living. Think cotton buntings, sustainable packaging, and the like. We saw this at a recent crafts mela and were very impressed!
- Serving food in sustainable material. Today, in India, plates and cutlery made of wood and areca nut are everywhere. There is no reason not to go sustainable. India is way ahead of the curve when it comes to this. In fact, there are companies that make edible cutlery as well!
- E-invites. Again, the pandemic has thrown out the idea of personal invitations being all-important. Most people are okay with a personalized e-invite.
- Sustainable gifts and mementos. Gifting a handmade product made by a local artisan and/or using a traditional local craft or material can go a long way in promoting these arts and crafts. Now, this is something Club Artizen can directly help with.
Cloth lanyard for events
- Checking for options with all vendors. Right from lanyards and ID tags, to flexes and decorations, consider sustainable options. This industry is booming and chances are, you can find sustainable options for most products.
- Going slow. It’s best to go step by step on this, if it seems too overwhelming. Start with a few items and slowly add each piece.
- Waste disposal. After the event, it’s important that the waste is disposed of in a responsible way that encourages recycling. Check the facilities available for the same. If not, there are many NGOs who might be able recycle the materials to handcraft products out of them.
Going sustainable may seem daunting, but little steps will go a long way.
Contact us for a free consult and ideas on making your event more sustainable!