By: Rosita Carobelli-Zukowski
All in Place Communications and Event Planning
www.allinplace.ca
The recent Earth Hour and Earth Day inspired me to write this Blog entry about the importance of incorporating ‘green’ and sustainable solutions and alternatives into the event planning process.
The actions involved in preserving the environment are the essence of a team-building activity. Today, more and more companies are looking for ‘green’ initiatives to become more socially-responsible to the overall global environment.
Tim Hortons has encouraged its employees to give back to the business community by hosting an annual clean-up day. At Toronto’s KPMG LLP, volunteer employees have implemented recycling programs (including cellphones and eyeglasses), moved to fair-trade coffee and replaced bottle water with filtered water. The employees at Nature’s Path Food Inc., in Richmond, British Columbia maintain a large organic staff garden with composting bins and an outdoor eating area.
With summer around the corner, companies looking for new teambuilding ideas have many to choose from. Instead of the usual corporate summer picnic, why not embrace ‘mother nature’ and help clean-up the world we live in. Approach your local City Council or Charities to see what parks and facilities could use a ‘refreshing makeover’. Your employee group could help clean, build or landscape a local children’s playground or retirement living home. Or paint over graffiti covered walls with a coat of eco-friendly paint, or better yet an earth-inspired mural. And for their efforts, treat them to an all-organic, locally-grown lunch served with eco-friendly bamboo utensils and disposables. According to the Spring 2011 issue of BizBash Magazine, there are several outdoor-friendly items from seating to serving ware that may be rented or purchased for your socially-conscious event.
So, be kind to your team members and the Earth, every day. Get out there and enjoy the fresh air and team work! Earth Day is not just one day, it’s every day. All the while, recognizing you are doing your part to help make this world a better place – for future generations to come.