Chose a venue that takes recycling and waste management seriously.
Questions to ask when selecting a venue:
How many travel miles are involved in guests accessing your venue?
What practices does the venue have in place for waste management, water tanks, kitchen gardens and composting?
Is there a recycling system for all products that are accepted by local recycling companies?
Do they use recyclable + chlorine free paper towels, napkins and tissue?
Do they have an independent water filtration system that purifies + bottles their own water?
Are they completely free of polystyrene products?
Does their infrastructure support the following:
Low spray valves in kitchen sinks to promote water conservation
Energy efficient light bulbs
Energy efficient ice machines that use only half the energy of the standard model to run
Energy efficient gas ranges, broilers + stoves which allow for more accurate heat delivery
Energy efficient food warming cabinets in kitchens
Questions to ask when Food + Beverage is provided in-house at the venue:
Do they source local and organic produce, ethically farmed meat, organic and/or local selection of alcohol?
How is the menu portioned per person to reduce waste?
Do they use reusable glass and dinnerware or bamboo disposables?
Do they recycle beer bottles and other glassware?
Additional Considerations.
Every venue works differently depending on its location, partners, values, what is already in house and what might need to be set up to host an event. Their policies around minimising and discarding waste is a big influence on how eco friendly your event is going to be. Look for venues that are involved with the Sustainable Business Leaders Program.