Shawna McKinley is an accomplished sustainability consultant, event planner, author, and instructor who helps event professionals take practical, smart steps to improve their events through zero waste and carbon-conscious choices.. She has been recognized as a Meeting Industry Trendsetter by Meetings Focus, Top 40 Under 40 by Collaborate and Top Social Media influencer by both Meetings Net and BizBash. Shawna lives in Vancouver, Canada, and you can catch more about her adventures in event sustainability on her personal blog, Eventcellany.
The Heat Is On: How to Bake a Climate Strategy Into Your Event
Severe drought and record-setting heat waves in western North America serve as a clear reminder of the urgent need to maintain sustainability as an event priority and step-up your event sustainability strategy. Here’s what you need to do.
4 Ways Covid-19 Has Changed Event Sustainability
Sustainable events have gained increasing traction over the last decade. How has Covid-19 affected this trend? Are online formats during the pandemic making events more accessible and climate-friendly than ever? Or will public health guidelines cause significant setbacks in zero-waste programs at in-person events? Widespread experimentation with online and hybrid meetings in 2020 shows how […]
Rio 2016: Sustainability Success or Fail?
It’s difficult to imagine that the Olympic Games could ever be sustainable in their present form. Yet since 1996 every Olympic host city has taken strides to integrate environmental and social responsibility into planning. Each with varying degrees of success, including Rio 2016. Rio rolled out the green carpet in a high profile way at […]
The Most Innovative Green Exhibit Ideas
When designing an exhibit booth most of us think brand impact first. Environmental impacts are rarely top of mind. But what if your booth could use sustainability as a tool to build your brand, attracting new customers or members and building affinity among existing ones? Make a strong brand impact without a huge environmental footprint […]
11 Creative Ideas for Event Wayfinding
Still using the same boring easel signs to point your event attendees on their way? Add wow to your wayfinding by exploring a new direction in how you give event directions. If you’re like me, you can spend a lot of time telling people where to go, and how to get there at events. In […]
20 Tips for a More Accessible Event
Event organizers have a legal and moral obligation to ensure their experience can be equally enjoyed by all. This includes attendees who have special accessibility requirements. This 20 point guide will help you audit your event to ensure it allows all event attendees to equally participate in a dignified way.
9 Things Students Can Teach You About CSR
Future event CSR professionals at work: BCIT event marketing students volunteering at the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Fall in love with a cause Find and work on an issue that moves you, because odds are it will move others, too. The moving story of a young girl subject to bullying and racism drew Teyemtenot Thomas […]
Do Your Event Gifts Keep Giving?
Buying gifts from social enterprises not only makes you feel good and the recipient feel happy, but also helps address diverse community needs that make the world a better place. So if it’s important for you to give a physical item, consider something that gives back by doing so. There are a myriad of social […]