Your monthly event sustainability update
Strong sustainability programs include activities your brand can talk about—and promote. A shining example (and the 2023 Grand Ex award winner), Reddit donated its CES exhibit walls to Habitat for Humanity post-show, and then at Cannes Lions, opted to forgo swag giveaways in favor of its Karma Kash initiative, through which the brand made contributions to charitable organizations on attendees’ behalf. From supporting environmental groups to organizing community cleanups to developing zero-waste dining programs, check out three events branching out with p.r.-worthy actions.
Sustainability Strategies You Might Like:
- Green Lights: These Eco-friendly Giveaways ‘Self-destruct’
- Green Lights: How Venues are Adopting Zero-waste Solutions and Reducing Emissions
Donating Trees to the Community
Timed with its debut on the New York Stock Exchange, Birkenstock transformed public parks around Manhattan and Brooklyn into Birkenfield, interactive, sensory experiences exploring the brand’s nearly 250-year heritage and expertise in foot health. The three activations included Birkenfield Meadow’s shoeless experience, Birkenfield Grove’s exploration of the brand’s materials through play, and Birkenfield Biergarten with interactive games, performances and beers. All trees utilized by the Birkenfield experiences were donated to the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. Proceeds from sales of exclusive merchandise benefited The Trust for Public Land’s QueensWay project, a 3.5-mile walking trail in development in NYC. (Agency: Invisible North)
Mobilizing TikTok Fans for a Beach Cleanup
Stanley’s Summer of Color three-day pop-up shop in Venice Beach, CA, showcased its best-selling products and introduced new colorways. In addition to the storefront, the drinkware brand partnered with environmental nonprofit Heal the Bay on a beach cleanup one morning before the pop-up opened. More than 35 volunteers collected 45 pounds of trash, and participants received front-of-line passes to get into the Stanley shop. During the pop-up event, Stanley collected more than $4,000 in donations for Heal the Bay to continue its mission of making the coastal waters and watersheds in L.A. safe, healthy and clean. (Agencies: This Is Lester, event production; Kaplow, p.r. and communications)
Launching Zero-waste Dining Programs
The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC) started a no-waste catering initiative to reduce impacts and provide more green dining options for event planners. NOENMCC held two experimental luncheons as part of its Net Zero Lunch Pilot Program, in which all serving ware and food items were recycled or composted. The luncheons led to a massive compost donation to Schmelly’s Dirt Farm, where the compostable materials will transition into fertile soil for New Orleans area gardens. The convention center also donated all unserved meals to a local residential substance abuse treatment program.
During WasteExpo, NOENMCC created a zero-waste meal using surplus foods, such as a spring salad with strawberries left over from breakfast, a crab claw salad created with excess seafood, and a crawfish and crab cheesecake finished with a barbecue sauce made from unused beer from the bar stock. Adding to the waste theme, the meal was served in a clean, blue dumpster with long tables and benches extending the full length of the trash bin.
Photo credit: Birkenstock, Stanley, New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
Featured image: Flashvector
Have sustainability-focused story ideas, tips or projects? Send them to EM’s Managing Editor Juanita Chavarro Arias at [email protected].
