For the public, include the message on all event materials, promotions and site signage.
Your aim is to ensure that the public are aware, but also to ensure they know what to do in order to participate. In your messaging we advise that you thank the public for their help and for being a part of the solution to help them to feel positive about the experience.
Pre-event
Pre-event promotion should include consistent messaging about your plastic-free/zero waste agenda, ensuring your attendees have the chance to be prepared, while also helping to raise awareness to the general public about single-use plastics.
At the event
The event itself is a great opportunity to spread the message and engage and educate your attendees. Have staff and volunteers communicate with people about what you are doing, particularly near your food vendors, entrances and bin stations.
Post event
Just because your event is over does not mean that the promotion has to stop. This is especially true if your event will re-occur. If you are a market, it is always worth periodically putting out a media release to gain exposure.
In your promotion, encourage customers to BYO water bottles, bags, and coffee cups. You can even run competitions around this or provide discounts or vouchers to encourage participation.
We encourage you to send out a media release to the local newspapers/radio 1-2 weeks before the event. We have a pre-event media release template available that you can use and adapt to suit. When writing the release, aim to write it like an article, rather than dot points. This, plus a great picture, will give you the best chance of having your story picked up.
Noosa Triathlon pre-event media release example
Utilise your website and all social media platforms to their full potential, and ask your local networks to also promote your event announcements (ie. Tourism Noosa and Plastic Free Noosa).
If you have a team of Waste Warriors, they will be your most effective form of communication. Ensure they are trained well and easily identified.
Make regular public announcements explaining what you are doing and how to use the bins correctly. If your event allows opportunities for presentations, make sure you include one or several on your plastic free and zero waste initiatives and what your attendees can do to help.
Here is a template PA Announcements script you can use for this.
Share your results
People will be interested to know the results of your plastic free and zero waste measures. Particularly of interest are things like:
Aim to send out your media release as soon as you have some results about the success of your initiatives.
Here is a post-event media release template you can adapt to suit.
Ready to go plastic free? Plastic Free Noosa helps to protect the environment by empowering the Noosa community in eliminating single-use plastics through direct engagement, recognition and facilitating circular economies.
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