It's all about Mother Earth

New developments in my work and social life have kept me from writing. So let's catch up:

I've recently been working with a company called Restorative Events, a for profit company a buddy of mine recently started. This company acts as a consulting business that provides strategies to reduce the negative impact that large, social gatherings and events can have on the environment. His company works in collaboration with event producers to reduce the waste of energy and materials, educate the end consumer, improve recycling efforts, increase the use of post-consumer products and utilize cleaner energy sources.

The overall vision is to transform the event production market from wasteful to restorative.

(Basically, his company will 'green' your event so you don't have to.)

My friend approached me last month and asked if I would join him to help get this company off of the ground. He knows I own my own company and that my schedule is pretty lenient so he asked if I would be willing to help. I don't know much about saving the environment but I do know how to project manage ... and I'm always eager to learn something new ... so why not? (I did get to see Al Gore give his Inconvenient Truth presentation at Tulane University earlier this year ... maybe that will come in handy). So far, my friend has about 6 resourceful volunteers working with him at the moment ... and right now, of course, all work is pro bono. (so I still got my day job.)

Our first major event that we will be participating in is this month, the Sprout Fund's annual Hothouse Fundraising Party ... an outdoor event with over 2,000 attendees, plus bands, DJs, multiple stages of art and entertainment, major food and beverage distributors, silent auctions, etc.

For this event it is going to be our job to make sure that all food and drink containers used during the party are biodegradable. This means working with all of the caterers and drink sponsors to make sure they are all using our Eco friendly food and beverage materials that we purchase from an outside company. We are also going to be responsible for providing and monitoring all Recycling, Waste and Trash containers though out the party. We will employ the use of signage all over the event to educate and inform the party goers important facts about the negative effects this sort of event will have on the environment and what is being done or can be done to reduce these effects i.e. Taking alternative transportation to the event rather than driving, the amount of trash that could have been produced if everything was not biodegradable, etc. We will also make sure bio diesel fuel is used for any generators and vehicles used in the event. Plus, we are offsetting the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions created by the festival's electricity usage, staff and artist travel and office-based emissions by having sponsors donate funds to purchase Green-e certified renewable energy credits from sources like wind and biomass power. And lastly, for this type of event, we will be providing a 'goodie bag' to all VIP attendees, 700 in total ... a canvas bag made out of recycled material that can be reused for shopping. In this bag we will be providing articles about 'greening' events and other basic information about being environmentally friendly.

Should be a fun party ... it's on the 25th of this month which is quickly approaching (one reason we had to work over the weekend).

So far, joining up with Restorative Events has been very educational and I hope we make a name for ourselves and get more contracts like this in the future.