With Scotland pledging to ban single use plastic by 2030, looking after the environment is moving to the top of everyone’s agenda. We’re finding that more and more of our clients are looking to host sustainable, green events. We champion green events at every opportunity via our Gold Tourism Gold award, and are fully commitment to reducing waste, developing sustainable business practices and being environmentally friendly. Clients know to expect outstanding food with a dedication to the environment too.
Here are our top tips for hosting your own green event;
Go paperless
When inviting your guests choose to send e-invites instead of traditional paper invites. This is not only more sustainable but you’ll save money on printing and postage, electronic replies make it easier to track who has RSVP’d and you’ll save time!
Sustainable venues
Many venues have environmental policies which are readily available. Use these to determine which matches your environmental principles. Check if they have a Green Tourism award as this is a great marker of a company’s commitment to sustainability. We work with countless sustainable venues who focus their efforts on creating first class events with a green agenda. If you’re looking for one, get in touch with our team who can recommend some fantastic, green venues.
Responsible Travel
Try to choose a central location for your event that everyone can easily access via public transport or on foot. This is an easy way to reduce the event’s carbon footprint.
Keep it local
You’ve got the venue, but what about the food? Choosing locally sourced, seasonal food will help to make the event an all round sustainable success! Being based in East Lothian we have access to one of Scotland’s finest larders, allowing us to source our ingredients from literally round the corner. From fish from Belhaven Smokehouse to ice cream from Di Rollo and herbs foraged from the locations and gardens where we deliver events, we not only guarantee quality but support the local supply chain and keep food miles low.
What are we doing to help create sustainable events?
Ditching the plastic
We are moving to paper straws across our events and venues – a simple but impactful move. The same goes for plastic bottles. Our water is from our purifying water dispenser which provides the best quality water from the most local source. We have reusable branded glass bottles for pure chilled and sparkling drinking water without the single use plastic.
Simple serving
When it comes to ‘going green’ sometimes the simplest swaps have the biggest impact. We’re removing sachets of sugar from our events, replacing them with classic sugar bowls. This creates less waste and our clients love the vintage feel of a proper sugar bowl.
The Green Team
Behind the scenes at Hickory we have a team of motivated individuals from across the business who form our Green Team. They monitor and review our sustainable environment aims and provide advice on opportunities to help the business to further reduce our environmental impact.
If you’re interested in creating your own Green Gathering, get in touch with our team who can help you put together an unforgettable event.
