Going Green in Event Planning
My name is Emma and I am a junior here at Ohio University studying organizational communications. Organizational communications deals with the communication among corporations and companies. As an organizational communications major you will find that there are many different careers that one can go into. My perspective career field is concentrated toward the event industry. I am interested in every aspect of the event planning process from the fine details of a table layout and to the overall feel and experience the event creates. I’m not here to tell you about where my career is going, but instead to help inform you a little about the event planning industry and what it is doing to be environmentally sustainable.
Most likely you became interested in event planning from planning high school dances and watching wedding shows on TV that provide huge elaborate events. They consist of huge flower arrangements, over-the-top lighting, fine catering, fancy invitations and much more. Before looking into the industry, I never thought about how much harm a single event can have on the planet. In reality, events can produce countless amounts of waste including paper, food and decorations. Many companies have noticed this environmental issue and are taking great strides to fix the problem.
Some event companies have even changed in their ways in order to create events that are 100% eco-friendly and they are proud to offer that service to their clients. A process known by almost any human being to help save the environment is reducing paper use. Most events have invitations, itineraries and other pieces of information printed on some sort of paper with important information needed for guests. An alternative to using so much paper is web-based forms of information. Sending an E-invite for example, is a lot cheaper, gets the information to the guests and keeps more trees growing on our planet.
(E-invites are a fast and easy alternative to using paper.)
Another way to be more eco-friendly at events is by looking into the food and how it is used. It is hard to get an exact estimated number of guests, and you do not want to run out of food, so more food is prepared. Instead of just throwing the food away, some companies offer to donate the extra food to local food shelters. Most clients are very pleased to know that their extra food is going to a good cause and not going in the garbage. A good idea to save money for you and the client is to purchase food that is locally grown and in season. This helps the local farmers and creates a great and tasteful menu for all the guests to enjoy.
“Green” and eco-friendly events are somewhat of a new idea in the event industry. Many companies do not realize the large amounts of waste they are producing from each event, but also do not care. Looking for sustainable events in this industry is like trying to find a needle in a hay stack. They are out there, but only as of recently. You may not want to work for or own a company that goes 100% “green”, but It does not hurt to practice these few simple tasks to help keep our planet more sustainable. Eliminating paper, donating food and buying locally are simple changes that any company can make. “Eco-friendly” planning is not expensive for companies, but it is actually cheaper for you and your clients.
There is not a specific major here at OU for anyone interested in an event planning field, but the closest one to help you get there is an organization communications major. Classes give you a lot of information on businesses and how to communicate, but experience gives you the most knowledge. I highly suggest you to get involved with organizations on campus to help you build you resume and get a feel for planning events. I have planned events for parents and sibs weekends as a member of our University Program Council along with the Yell Like Hell pep-rally for homecoming. These great experiences have taught me how to communicate with many different people and organizations and I know that they will prepare me for my future career. I wish you luck in your journey to becoming an event planner and encourage you to get involved during your time here at Ohio University.
No comments:
Post a Comment