Written by Linsey Nicol (Event Producer)
The countdown to Christmas has officially begun! Even though it’s still October, the shelves are filled with mince pies and selection boxes, so we figured it’s the perfect time to get a head start on planning a sustainable and unforgettable holiday party.
At YOURGB we believe that the world should be positively impacted by the way that we operate and the work we produce so want to share our sustainable top tips for the upcoming festivities as the trickle of holiday party planning is beginning.
So whether you have already booked your festive party or are just interested in some sustainable party planning tips, look no further, as a certified Carbon Neutral Company we are focussed on sustainability and innovation as we journey towards our Net Zero goal!
Venue Location
A key factor when booking any event is the location and making sure it works for what you want to do but also the guests you are inviting.
When working with our clients, we like to consider how guests might get to a venue as if guests have far to travel (especially flights), their journey will significantly contribute to carbon emissions.
Venues that your guests can walk to are ideal but we know the majority of the time this is not possible. When choosing your venue (with a sustainably focussed mind) it’s worth considering if the venue is close to public transport or if there is an option to put on event shared transport (such as buses, shared cars etc) from a central location to prevent a flood of taxis and private vehicles being used.
Menu Options
We know how incredibly important delicious food and drink is at any event, especially the season of indulgence during December. Using locally sourced suppliers to cater to your party is a great way to cut-down on catering travel emissions by creating menus with local, in-season produce. Also, you will be supporting local suppliers so it really is a win – win!
Another option which has become increasingly popular over recent years, is opting for a plant based or vegetarian menu for your guests.
Give your guests a choice! Offering a plant-based or vegetarian option shows you care about the environment and cater to different dietary preferences. Even opting for a vegetarian starter will make a difference.
Gifts
December is the season for gifting! This article by Forbes highlights that a 2019 study by the Ad Specialty Institute found only 21% of corporate gifts are kept by the recipient. A larger portion–23%–is thrown away, adding to the growing crisis of global landfill waste, while the rest were given away.
With this in mind, at YOURGB we like to think outside the box so why not give your guests something a little different like an electronic festive gift bag packed full of online discounts and vouchers or you could allow guests to pick their own online present or voucher.
If a tangible gift is what you have in mind, we recommend that this is of good quality and useful so guests will keep it, use it and it won’t end up in landfill.
Party Outfits
According to Harmonic Finance, the online rental clothing market is set to grow by 10% year-on-year until 2027!
We are / have all been guilty of buying something for an event that is then only worn once before being sold, given to charity (or worse) ending up in landfill. Online rental companies are a sustainable way to find something fabulously luxury or high-end to wear without the massive price tag.
Here is our pick of online rental shops that the YOURGB team have used or recommended in the past:
There is SO much to choose from!
YOUR Carbon Management Team!
Lastly, working with sustainably focussed suppliers such as YOURGB can help guide you along the way to make the right choices and decisions for your festive party.
For every event that we do, we utilise our YOURGB Event Carbon Calculator to calculate projected greenhouse gas emissions, with a primary focus on reducing carbon wherever we can directly or via our supply chain.
We offer sustainable and low carbon solutions wherever we can to reduce emissions, and we work closely with our clients, partners and our suppliers to ensure that the events we create do not produce any unnecessary waste, with our main goal being to produce zero waste events.
It’s not currently possible to avoid all carbon emissions within events. Our carbon offsetting programme is a sustainable way to reduce the negative impact they cause and make real time positive impacts across the world via community projects focussed on both environmental and social projects.
We hope you find our sustainable tips useful for your holiday event planning. If you would like to know more please get in touch.
