Meeting with purpose: How to hold a green event

Despite the fact that the trend is now on awareness and we gradually stop living under the slogan “Enjoy life to the full”, every year the “Earth Overshoot Day” comes earlier. According to Global Footprint Network, in 1970 all renewable resources of the planet ended by December 23, in 2000 – by October 4, and in 2019 – by July 29.

We should admit that the MICE industry means not only useful events for personal growth, business development and improvement of partnership relations, it is also a large-scale producer of all kinds of waste and a consumer of resources.

Here is, for example, cold hard statistics gathered by ABT-ACTE Russia. In 2018 we held six large-scale events, two intensive courses “Travel Management Pro”, a seminar for personal assistants and several fam trips. About 3,000 participants visited our venues. And all this is not less than 100 kilograms of paper catalogues, leaflets and brochures, a dozen press walls and banners, kilograms of snacks left and hundreds of promo bags for participants. If we add up all this, we realize that this amount of resources wasted would be enough for at least all the inhabitants of the Falkland Islands or a small town near Moscow.

Have you ever thought about where all this comes from and goes to? We have. This is why we have decided to hold our events in a more conscious and responsible way. And at the same time to show by our own example how to hold an ecologically friendly event, starting with several initiatives that we used during the preparation of the fifth anniversary IMG Show. So, we are sharing with you our life hacks, how to make an event greener.

Replace printed catalogues with electronic ones

No doubt, it will save several dozen trees and literally make event participants` life easier. They will not have to carry around a "tome" with the description of 150 exhibitors and dozens of event partners, and all the information will be at hand inside the mobile phone.

Choose a venue that doesn't throw away food waste

For example, in Moscow it is Double Space, where the educational conference of IMG Show will be held on October 25, and in the evening – the gala dinner and ceremony of Buying Business Travel Awards Russia & CIS - MICE. Everything that will be left by the participants, will go to those who need it.

Refuse from free distribution of promo bags

Because the harm to the environment and humans by the textile industry is comparable to the consequences of oil refining. For example, the production of a pair of jeans requires up to 800 litres of water, let alone various chemicals! Of course, we understand, that it is not always easy to carry all the materials in your hands on large workshops. But, first of all, the participants can bring a bag with them (lucky are those who have it after our last year's IMG Show). And secondly, as an alternative, Switzerland Tourism Office and we suggest you buy a stylish bag "I do a world of good" at a token cost, and all the sales revenues will be transferred to one of environmental protection funds.

Forget about plastic

We will stop using disposable plastic dishes and water straws at our events. Either glass or cardboard cups that can be recycled.

Use environmentally friendly banners

Instead of traditional banners and press walls, at IMG Show 2019 there will be an installation with real moss and natural canvas. The flower arrangement will be made by our partners from “Elements of the Beautiful”. We are sure it'll be cool!

Of course, these are not all the ways to reduce event costs and resources. You'll learn even more, if you come to IMG Show. One of our consultants will be the non-profit organization “Green Driver” and its trainer Polina Grigorieva, an ecologist with huge experience in the field of environmental protection and landscape design. She will present the best ways to make events greener, and everyone will be able to put them into practice.

We are waiting for you on October 24-25 in Moscow and let`s take care of our planet`s future together!