The Western Cape took drastic steps to reduce their water consumption. This has become the new normal. Meetings shares some helpful tips for attendees and organisers to conference responsibly during the drought. Here are the final 10 tips to help you manage water consumption in a responsible manner at your events:
1. Similarly, instead of serving food with crockery and cutlery that needs to be washed, you could opt for biodegradable containers and eating utensils. However, if you do this, make sure you have an appropriate way to collect and compost these items at the end of the event, so they do not end up in landfills.
2. Where possible, opt for eco-friendly cleaning materials that make grey-water reuse safe for watering plants etc.
3. You can also seek out water saving technologies for your event. Water From Air™ is a water filter that extracts water from the air, and purifies it so that it is safe for human consumption.
4. For the décor, forgo cut flowers in vases. If you do want plants, opt for potted indigenous ones that don’t require a lot of water and which can be re-used.
5. If you want to give attendee gifts, give some thought as to how you can source responsible gift choices. For example, items made out of wood from invasive alien species. Most invasive species use up a lot of water compared to indigenous plants. By supporting their removal from our environment, you are helping to curtail their water use.
6. Clearly communicate your water saving initiatives to your staff and guests so that they both understand and can support them.
7. Ask your suppliers and sponsors how they plan to conserve water in their operations. Ideally this should be discussed before any contracts are drawn up, so that the water saving agreement they make with you can be included in it.
8. Don’t only focus on water-saving measures at your event; look at the changes you can make in your offices. Try to implement changes that are sustainable in the long term, for a truly significant and lasting impact.
9. Don’t forget to measure and monitor your water consumption. Ask the venue to help you do this, so you can track how successful your efforts are – and gain insights into what you can do better next time.
10. Consider adopting a water-wise CSI project for your event, so that you can support an initiative beyond your event and help to leave behind a water-wise legacy.
