The "wow" factor often overshadows simplicity in showing people a good time. However in planning green events, there are opportunities to trim down superfluous items that earn little in your "green budget." Just as you have a monetary budget, think of your environmental impact in terms of a budget as well. If you provide guests with a lot of "trinkets and trash," how much of that will end up in the landfill? Is it worth it? Will guests get enough use or enjoyment out of the giveaway to make it worth the environmental impact? 

There are other opportunities to impress your guests. Instead of something cheap for all guests to take away, consider having a few high-quality, useful door prizes that guests can win. Or give a donation to a non-profit or charity organization that works in a field relevant to your guests on their behalf. Use signage to bring attention to the donation. Better yet, have a representative from the organization publicly thank the guests.

In line with the environmental message, you could pay for a carbon offset* for each guest's travel to the event. (See Resources) 

Instead of having candy available at exhibition tables, have healthy treats that are locally produced.

If you have pens available for guests at exhibition tables, in a registration packet, or in conference rooms, purchase ones made from post-consumer recycled content*. 

If you do decide to do any giveaways, (1) donate all extra items that you cannot use at another time to an area school, charity, etc. that can use the items AND (2) have collection boxes for unwanted items for people to leave things behind that they do not want to travel with (right next to a recycling bin for paper, cans, and bottles). Include signage to explain what you are doing and where the items will go.

Case Study:

At a large outdoor event in the St. Louis area, employees of a major sponsor stood at entrances to give every person who walked in a plastic-wrapped packet of "Marti Gras" beads with the company name and logo on it. Many people proceeded several steps then dropped the beads on the ground. Others held onto the beads until they passed a trashcan. Others took the necklace out of the plastic wrapper (which they either threw on the ground, in a trash can, or pocketed) and put it around their neck for the duration of their stay at the event. Few, if any, held onto the necklace for use in the future. 

The event drew 250,000 people. If only half of the people received one necklace each at $.03, it would cost $3,750. With the money spent on the beads (which were plastic, non-recyclable, and produced overseas), perhaps the sponsor could have had a greater impact: (1) only handing out the beads to those who expressed interest (2) offer several high quality door prizes that any person could register for upon entry (3) sponsored the recycling efforts of the event (which cost about the same amount). Possible results: positive PR, decreased cost of trash pick up, decreased cost of trash disposal, less waste to the landfill, locally sourced labor for recycling efforts.

Cost Savings Opportunities:

• Eliminating the giveaway items can save you/your client money. With strategic PR, you can gain more positive perception than you gain with branding on insignificant giveaways.
• Changing the content of the items may slightly increase the cost; fewer higher quality giveaways can offset the cost of more inexpensive ones.
• A donation on behalf of the guests can save money through tax deductions.
• Carbon offsets are inexpensive but can earn significant points in positive perception. 

Green Lens Questions: What are the cost savings opportunities? What does the audience expect? What are creative alternatives to promote our sponsors? What could the audience use?

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