Sustainable Event Management : A Practical Guide

Every year, events of every possible description are held around the world. Be they community events, large academic conferences, business meetings or enormous music concerts, festival, expos, and sporting events, they all have a massive impact on our environment.

It could be said the most environmental friendly event is no event at all. But that's no fun. Public parties and events always have been and always will be a part of the human story. Yet those who stage events have a social and environmental responsibility to reduce their impacts. If all event professionals kept sustainability at the core of their planning and decision-making, then the cumulative outcome across the globe would be impressive. But where do you start?

Written by a leader in the field, this new practical, step-by-step guide leads readers through all of the key aspects of how to understand and manage the impacts of events of any type and scale anywhere. The product of tried-and-tested methods used across the event industry, coverage includes an overview of sustainable event management and detailed discussion of energy, zero emissions options, carbon management and, transport, water, waste management and reduction, procurement and supply chains as well as communications and marketing.

Numerous examples and case studies from across the world are integrated throughout to illustrate key points including how to avoid common pitfalls. Festivals profiled and their systems revealed include the iconic and incredibly green Boom Festival in Portugal, desert-based Burning Man in Nevada USA, grandmother green event Glastonbury Festival, UK rock icons Reading & Leeds Festivals and the Danish over-achiever Roskilde Festival.

Case studies and examples also come from leading Australian events including Peats Ridge Festival, Big Day Out, Splendour in the Grass, Meredith Music Festival, Falls Festival, Southbound and the iconic Woodford Folk Festival. From the USA green ground is covered by Boonaroo, Rothbury and Coachella festivals, along with the recent US Democratic Convention.

Readers are also provided with checklists for action as well as additional tools for measuring performance and assessing key sustainability indicators. The book is also coupled with a companion website that provides further materials, case studies, contacts for suppliers, discussion groups and more.

This is the indispensable one-stop guide for event and facility organizers, managers and professionals, and event management students who want to adjust their thinking and planning decisions towards sustainability and who need a powerful, easy to use collection of tools to deliver events sustainably.

Meegan Jones is an events professional focusing her work on developing sustainable management solutions for live events. She uses her experience in marketing and event management across the retail, music and media industries to create scenarios which engage and activate the audience, performers, crew and the supply chain. She is Sustainability Co-ordinator for several major UK music festivals, and advisor to other events large and small.