Cover Feature
3lbs
The average
person generates
three pounds of
waste each day,
an increase of
1.6 pounds since
1960.
people to make the right,
informed choices. It’s an event
that aims to broaden learning
around sustainability and
helps people to see the range
of lifestyle choices they can
make. Now that consumers
have mastered reusing plastic
bags at supermarkets and waste
recycling, they are hungry for
the next wave of ideas.
One Earth will be held at The
NEC, taking up 15,000 sqm.
Visitors attending the show
will be able to meet and buy
directly from sustainability
businesses. The main stage
will host high profile speakers
talking about issues facing
the planet, their personal
experiences, what is being done
to help, and how people can
get involved. On the show floor
charities, organisations and
community groups will host a
series of practical workshops
taking place – for all ages to
get creative, have a go and
take part in, all with a view to
taking away practical ideas,
experiences and products to
start using when they return
home.
Tranter approached the
NEC insight team for further
information around the
market. He adds: “It’s heart-
breaking to read that 75 per
cent of UK clothes are still
18 — January
going to landfill and we throw
away £13bn of food every year.
There are so many people who
just don’t know what to do to
make a difference. When we
buy moisturiser in aplastic
pot and throw it away, it takes
a staggering 1,000 years to
decompose.”
Lead by example
One Earth will practice
what they preach. They’ve
signed a sustainability pledge
guaranteeing that they will
only work with companies that
share the same values. The
company has also founded One
Earth Action in partnership
with ForestNation, in which it
pledges to plant 100,000 trees
in 2020. One Earth will plant
a tree in Tanzania for every
ticket purchased at the event.
A spokesman for ForestNation
said: “We are proud to support
the launch edition of One
Earth. This event is a much-
needed opportunity to educate,
motivate and encourage UK
consumers about the changes
that can be made, small or
large, to help reverse climate
change. As global forestation
partner, ForestNation will be
working with One Earth to
plant the One Earth Forest – an
initiative we will see physically
growing over many years to
come.
“Together we have an
8,000,000+
There are more than 8m
solar power systems
installed worldwide;
over 4m of which are in
Bangladesh
ambition to plant 100,000 trees
in 2020. ForestNation have
gifted the first 10,000 trees and
One Earth will plant a tree for
every ticket sold to attend the
event. All of our tree planting
projects create sustainable
livelihoods for local farming
communities, providing jobs,
food and education, whilst
creating forests that create
Oxygen and absorb CO2 to
offset carbon emissions, whilst
contributing towards the
United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals.”
The organiser is also planning
to keep its carbon emissions
down by encouraging car-
sharing and shared logistics.
They are also doing deals with
various transport partners to
find more sustainable ways
to travel to the event. They
will only use E-ticketing and
are also banning single use
plastics at the show. They
will use locally sourced food,
from within a 30 mile radius,
to stay on top of their carbon
footprint.
Tranter wants the exhibition
industry to consider what
steps they need to take to
make a difference. He adds:
“This doesn’t stop at the door
of a consumer exhibition, as
events industry professionals
we should also be thinking
about sustainability and ask
ourselves how we can make
small changes to the way
we work to make a positive
difference to the environment.
Some event companies and
suppliers are doing amazing
things out there already, but we
all have a responsibility to help
those companies that need to
do more.”