The job of everyone who works in live events is chock-full of details. That is essentially our job description – to take care of all the details. And there are so many details that can easily be missed, that the profession of event coordinator is regularly in any list of the most stressful jobs – like in this recent study.
It’s not surprising, then, that a detail like reducing waste and the overall residual impact of the event, takes a backseat, if it is a consideration at all. But lately we’ve been thinking about this even more than usual. We’re realizing that nobody likes waste, and nothing good comes out of it. That’s waste in general: energy, time, hard materials, fuels, consumables, etc. This is more than a strict environmental issue; it’s a matter of efficiency and responsibility. The show, and the planning process, will feel less cluttered, more focused. It will also likely be of higher quality, because it will be prioritized over quantity.
So more than ever, we are making conscious decisions like using local & regional resources as much as possible; reducing distances and travel time; procuring materials that will be reused in future programs; utilizing equipment that requires less power; and consolidating resources and travel plans, to keep transportation needs low. And by the way, all this also affects budgets in a positive way. So we can add “money” to the list of things we’re not wasting.