The Greening of Conference Delivery
Green's second nature to us.
Conferences are notoriously wasteful, but there are low-cost, low-effort ways to limit environmental footprints. Responsible global citizenship is a growing factor in consumer decisions, and our industry’s no different. Low or reduced impact conferences will be increasingly in demand – and increasingly respected.
Oomph’s developing a sustainable conference delivery model, a practical and principled multi-pronged approach to minimizing our waste and consumption that, like all of our tools, can be tailored to our clients’ needs. Our motto is ‘more impact in the event; less impact on the earth’. And we do this at no additional cost to our clients.
For more on how OOMPH! is greening our conferences, check out our: Responsible Conferences Brochure (340KB PDF)
The Five R's
Rethink. Apply creative pragmatism, looking for opportunities to make greener choices throughout the conference cycle and across service areas in materials, suppliers, and processes. Good tracking leads to accurate delegate estimates, precise planning, less waste. Thorough client knowledge is essential in making optimal decisions.
Reduce. Minimize paper use with online registration and surveys, environmentally conscious design, and streamlined collateral. Programming and venue choices can lower transport and energy needs, and using short run reproduction methods and simple raw materials for conference badges whittles down waste.
Reuse. Plan long-term, not just year to year. Design signage for reuse and invest in quality stands that accept a variety of signage without mounting, adhesives, or plastic substrates. Ensure brand strategy has longevity so design stays relevant. Reusable water containers for sponsor swag eliminates bottled water onsite and is a useful take-away item. Programs can be developed as keepsakes. Lanyards, delegate bags, and binders are some of the items that can be reused.
Recycle. Donate leftover food and beverages to shelters and some materials to schools or craft programs. When durable items aren’t a good option, pre or post consumer waste paper can be used and recycled.
Renew. As a member of a Green Think Tank, we’re inspired and compelled to keep searching for better options. We’re leaders now, and we plan on staying ahead, setting an example in our industry and encouraging suppliers and sponsors to strive for a lighter footprint too. We’ll seek to offset our impact through activities that give back to the world what we take from it.