3 Ways Innovation Leads to a Greener Tradeshow

June 13, 2014

Shane Shirley

Shane Shirley is CMO for SBS Brands, a 90-year-old global brand leader focused on creating digital and print business solutions that offers traditional and eco-friendly customized promotional products to accelerate trade show marketing.

It’s time to think outside of the box when it comes to your next tradeshow because our industry is in need of a green makeover. There have been countless innovations in green that have led to a better, more sustainable way of life and we can take those innovations and creatively utilize them to create greener events.

Here are a few examples, but I know there are more out there and I want you to get outside the box with me and share them with us in the comments.

1. Bike Sharing -.Bike sharing has taken off in cities like Miami Beach, Boston, Washington D.C., and many others. Why not take that idea and offer bike sharing stations at your next event? Whether you make bikes available to get from one end of the convention hall to the other or to make lunch runs, biking is a great way to cover a lot of ground quickly. Biking is also good for the health of the person peddling and good for the health of the planet since it offers a way to get around without emitting carbon emissions.

2. Plastic Bag Bans - Plasticbag bans are gaining momentum around the world and for good reason – single-use plastic bags contribute to litter and this trash destroys ecosystems, kills wildlife, interferes with the food chain and is just ugly to see. Our bag ban map at FDPtracks the movement to ban disposable plastic bags by showing which cities and towns have successfully implemented bans and which places are trying to get bans on the books. Reusable grocery bags provide a great return on your marketing dollar because they can be used repeatedly and this helps spread your promotional message for years to come.

3. Community Gardens and the Local Food Movement - Both restaurants and consumers alike are working to continue the age-old tradition of community gardening, but the local food movement is gaining momentum as well. While you may not be able to make a community garden work for your next tradeshow, you could certainly source local foods for your event and let your attendees know about the benefits of doing so like supporting the local economy and limiting carbon emissions since food that is sourced locally travels a shorter distance from the farm to your plate.

Tradeshows have become a drain of resources that generate an unwarranted amount of trash and leave a massive environmental impact. There are so many things you can do to make your tradeshow a green experience, and it’s time to look beyond the basics. Look for alternative ways to up the green ante and give both exhibitors and attendees a great (and green!) experience. Innovative ideas will engage everyone attending and show people that you care and are motivated to make a positive environmental change, while also inspiring exhibitors and attendees alike to follow your green lead.

Do you have innovative ideas to make your tradeshow greener? Let us know in the comments!

Reference

· http://www.tsnn.com/news-blogs/why-going-green-matters-your-next-tradeshow

· http://www.factorydirectpromos.com/plastic-bag-bans

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