Baltimore Blooms
If you decide to use fresh fl orals and plants, accept your leftover extras. Second Chance Other ways to
fi nd a local fl orist who focuses on using is a good bet—they’ll accept props, furniture, seasonal cuttings from area farms. Local signs and much more to sell in their huge Color Flowers is a Baltimore-based fl orist retail warehouse, which supports job training that exclusively uses fl owers grown at for those facing barriers to employment. DECREASE
YOUR
EVENTS’
IMPACT
family farms and gardens within 100 miles
Better Rides
of its workshop. Plus, the shop composts all
discarded leaves, stems and branches; limits
Off er deluxe shuttles or rent locally to reduce
driving and packaging; and uses recycled
costs and your carbon footprint. Choose
materials as vases. They can even help
venues that are conveniently located near the
facilitate fl oral donations after an event.
guests’ hotels (the Baltimore Convention
Many of Local Color Flowers’ blooms Center, for example, is near dozens of hotels),
come directly from nearby Pikesville farm and encourage walking, using bike shares or
Butterbee Farms, which grows three acres hopping on to an electric scooter. Or send
of seasonal fl owers to sell to local fl orists and guests to and from your venue on a Water Taxi!
for events. (And their off erings don’t stop
Eco-Friendly Eats
at decor—groups can visit the farm to take a
tour and learn how to make bouquets; take a
Look for caterers who use organic and
class on topics like botanical drawing, fl ower
local ingredients whenever possible. Some
crown creation or gardening; or book farm
Baltimore catering groups have strong
owner Laura Beth Resnick to speak about
sustainable missions, including Rouge
gardening and sustainable farming.)
Fine Catering, which provides food for the
Sustainable
Supplies Organic Trade Association’s annual gala and
Putting on an event requires a lot of stuff —we compostable plates and fl atware, and support
hear you. But there are ways to reduce your of local farms and dairies.
incorporates many green initiatives that
include composting food waste, energy-
effi cient delivery vehicles, recycled and
environmental impact. Try to locate vendors
Consider asking guests to select their dishes
and suppliers who can complete your orders
in advance to minimize waste. And work with
locally to limit shipping and packaging. Print
your food provider to develop a plan to donate
any signs or paper needs on-site in Baltimore.
on the planet:
TURN OFF
THE LIGHTS
If lots of light is
important for your
event, consider a space
that off ers plenty
of natural light via
windows or a glass
ceiling. Use LED bulbs
wherever possible.
GO PAPERLESS
Try emailed invitations,
online registration
platforms, scannable
e-tickets, and digital or
app-based maps and
programs.
REDUCE
AND REUSE
Consider digital
marketing and
promotional items,
instead of cheap
giveaways, or make
sure any gifts can be
repurposed and reused,
such as stainless-
steel straws, silicone
collapsible water
bottles or
fl ower seeds.
any leftover food (CSI-DMC likes to use Food
Try designing signage that is general enough
Rescue, an organization that distributes fresh
to be reused at future events—or use materials
and reusable food to families in need). Q
like chalkboards or dry erase boards that can
be updated or changed. Add clear markings
to waste and recycling bins to make proper
disposal easy on guests and try digital menus
instead of paper.
Select reusable options whenever you
can, including water pitchers and glasses
instead of plastic water bottles. If reusable
fl atware and dinnerware isn’t an option,
buy compostable dinnerware from an area
supplier, such as HC Walterhoefer. After
Floral design and centerpiece-making
classes at Local Color Flowers are
the perfect group activity [right].
Local Color sources its flowers from
Butterbee Farm, just a few miles
outside the city, founded and owned by
Laura Beth Resnick [left].
your event, fi nd a local organization that will
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