By Kaitlin Krull
Although we live in a digital world, tradeshows are still one of the most effective ways for businesses to demonstrate and sell their products to buyers across the world. The tradeshow industry in the United States is thriving today, but both sellers and tradeshow organizers are becoming more conscious of their environmental impact and ways to minimize carbon emissions and waste. At Home Improvement Leads, we understand the need for face-to-face communication and think there are some innovative products that can help you make sales without harming the environment. Here are a few of our top tips for creating a more eco-friendly tradeshow booth.
Use sustainable materials whenever possible
One of the easiest ways to make your tradeshow booth more environmentally friendly is to change the kinds of materials you use for information and booth setup. Try to source all your paper products–including flyers, pamphlets, and business cards–from recycled paper. The same goes for boxes and packaging: recycled cardboard and low-impact, recyclable packaging are readily available and can make a huge difference to your booth’s sustainability. Finally, consider the other materials used in your literature and booth display, choosing water-based inks, low or no VOC paints, nylon-free banners and pop up displays, bamboo tables and shelves, and post-consumer recycled plastics.
Be mindful of energy consumption
Decreased energy use is another important part of environmental consciousness, so finding ways to reduce your energy consumption during a tradeshow will also help you to become more eco-friendly. Many tradeshows take place in large convention centers or warehouses with ultra-bright, energy guzzling strip lighting. If you have a choice, always choose energy efficient LED lights instead of incandescents or halogens for your displays in order to decrease your carbon footprint. Likewise, if you are using multimedia presentations or displays in your booth, remember to switch off electronics when not in use and consider the impact your display will have on the show’s electricity costs.
Cut down on carbon emissions
While changing the types of materials and rethinking the electronics you use in your tradeshow booth are important steps to becoming more environmentally friendly, the way in which you transport your booth materials to and from the venue has just as much impact on your eco-friendly status. Consider the amount and type of shipments required for your materials and consolidate these whenever possible. Another way to decrease your carbon emissions during transport is thinking about the weight and size of your materials, since heavier items will consume more fuel during shipping.
Recycle your display
After all is said and done, your tradeshow display will need to be dismantled and taken away. Instead of throwing away your unused resources, make sure to recycle out of date paperwork and reuse any and all pieces of your setup for your next marketing or promotional event. If the breakdown and recycling of your booth seems too complicated, consider outsourcing the job to a professional team like Epic Displays, whose Eco•Systems Exhibit Recycling Program can break down and recycle all the component parts of your display for you–even wooden displays and oversized banners.
