If you’re thinking about making your next NYC corporate event 100% vegan, you can give yourself a real pat on the back. By committing to a vegan, sustainable event format, you’ll save tons of plastic, paper, and, of course, meat. We all know that animal products are worse for the environment than plant-based products. Let’s discuss a few of the ways to make your event environmentally conscious and animal friendly, in addition to ditching the meat from the menu.

Bring non-dairy alternatives for coffees and teas

If you’re going for a full vegan event, it’s important to remember to make sure your drinks are also free of all animal products. This means stocking up on dairy alternatives for coffees and teas. Aim to bring a variety of food and beverage options for guests with dietary restrictions.These are all great vegan milk alternatives:

• • Soy Milk
• • Almond Milk
• • Oat Milk
• • Rice Milk
• • Coconut Milk

Have a think about other beverages you are providing that may contain dairy products, and see if you and your bar staff can come up with a plant-based alternative.

Try using plant-based plates instead of plastic or cardboard

Even though disposal cutlery and plates aren’t animal products, if you want to go for a sustainable, eco-friendly set up, think about investing in compostable, plant-based plates and cutlery. Be sure to also provide compost bins, or regular bins, so that these plates don’t wind up in the recycling!

Go for paperless invitations, tickets, and signage

Most companies don’t realize just how much paper goes into an event. Instead of wasting paper on invitations, signs, tickets, and marketing, commit to throwing a totally paperless event. This is one of the best ways to make your event environmentally conscious and animal friendly — it can even give you an idea of how your entire office could convert to a paperless model.

Try arranging digital, projected signage in the venue. Our in house AV team, AV Workshop can help you with all your technology needs, or you can get creative with chalkboards for a stylish, rustic look. For invitations, send digital invites — this can actually be a wonderful way to convey more information and keep guests updated about changes if they occur before the event.

Set up a way to donate your leftovers

Lots of NYC corporate events that provide catering end up with mountains of food waste that ends up in the bin. If you want your event to be sustainable, think about a way to deal with this waste in an intelligent way. Arrange the food to be taken to a homeless shelter in the area. Some charities can even arrange this exchange for you!

Set up well-labeled bins

Make sure that all of the waste created at the event ends up in the right place. Instead of having only regular waste bins, set up a few recycling bins and compost bins around the room. This way, your guests can help you to minimize waste and have an eco-friendly evening.

Final Thoughts

One of the best things you can do for the environment is to put some thought into sustainability for your event. You may not realize that NYC corporate events can quickly generate tons of waste. There are thousands of events around the world every day — play your part in promoting sustainability in events by spending a little extra time and money on your next event. Plus, by making this extra effort, you’ll show your company off as a forward-thinking, socially-aware corporation that clients will want to support. Contact Tribeca Rooftop 360 to help you plan your next vegan, environmentally conscious event.