In a 2010 article The Guardian asked whether litter-free festivals would be just around the corner. After all, there were reusable cups and recyclable tents. Six years on and we’re still hoping that litter-free festivals are around the corner. It feels like we are at the Silverstone circuit. There’s always another corner. But you can influence your event audience. Find out how! For more information about sustainable event management visit my website www.eventtutor.com.

1. 3 ways to influence
your audience
by Jarno Stegeman
The Event Tutor
www.eventtutor.com

2. During a busy Bank Holiday weekend in Brighton, with several
events taking place at the same time, litter surfaced in the streets
almost immediately.
That made me think. Why do people litter?
And when an event site is clean, who is the first person to litter?

3. in the UK
councils
spend close
to £1 billion
a year to tackle
littering
30 million
tons
of litter are
collected
each year
86% of
people
think that
littering is
disgusting

4. 5,000
abandoned
tents
6,500
sleeping
bags
54 tonnes
of cans and
plastic bottles
and that’s
just
1 festival

5. Encouraging Sustainable Behaviour is a report written by Lindenberg and
Steg. It’s about social norms and the so-called goal framing theory.
Social norms, they write, have in common that we take them seriously.
We disapprove of someone if they leave the social norm.
There is also some kind of feeling that we have to live up to the norm.

6. As long as everyone
lives up to the social
norm we’re all good.
That is where the
problem about littering
comes in.
Not everyone is
living up to that
social norm.
Norms work under social
pressure but at the end
self-interest always
wins. So if 90% of your
audience act according
to the norm, it means
only 10% of your crowd
litters.

7. but that 10% can have a
huge impact

8. So why do people litter?
This is where the goal framing
theory comes in.
How we make our goals is based
on our perception,
thinking-process, and
decision-making.
When you are hungry or drunk,
your goals change (hedonic
goals).
When you are with friends your
goals change (normative goals).
Or you make choices based on
what will benefit you most
(gain goal).
Under different circumstances,
you make different decisions.

9. How clean is your event site?
Now, think of your event
site. Is it a clean site?
How often do you empty
the bins? How clean is
your toilet area or your
food court?
How much respect do you
show for your own event
site?

10. How to influence your audience?
You need an
audience that
has a pro-
environmental
attitude
Demonstrate
your support
of pro-
environmental
norms
Self-regulation

11. People with a pro-
environmental attitude
need to work hard as the
decisions they make go
against their egoistic
values.
Hence it is hard work
to go green.
So you, the event
organiser, need to make
it easy for them not to
litter.
Make it clear to them
what it is you want to
them to do.

12. Demonstrate your
support
for the environment
If your event supports
environmental initiatives
you need to shout about it.
You need to make it clear
that this is what you stand
for. Communicate with your
audience and educate
them.

13. Self-regulation
What you as an event planner organise for your visitors, will be considered the
norm.
If you offer alcohol then most likely your guests will drink alcohol.
If you offer vegetarian food, most likely people will eat vegetarian.
If you offer a clean site, people will keep it clean.

14. You, the event planner,
can influence the
behaviour of your
audience.
You need to make it
clear to them what you
want to achieve.

15. To change the
attitude of your
audience…
you might
need to
change
yours first!

16. For more information about
sustainable event management
visit
EventTutor.com
or follow me on
facebook and twitter