Love is in the air this month. And we couldn’t think of a better Valentine than Mother Earth herself. While some rush to the store for flowers, candies, and trinkets for that someone special, we’re making sure to stock up on our compostable dining ware and recycling bins! After all, Riverbanks Zoo & Garden takes pride in being a “green” destination for events year-round and for every day visitors. Take a look at some of the sustainable efforts in place at our event venues and around the park:
Sustainable Green Efforts at our Event Venues
- ‘Over 30 varieties of delectable vegetables and herbs have been harvested from our very own garden for use in our restaurant and event dining.
- In 2019, composting efforts within our catering operations resulted in 25,822 pounds of waste diverted from landfills.
- Riverbanks Zoo & Garden has been leading monthly river sweeps since May 2018. Since then, over 5,000 pounds of toxic trash has been removed from the banks of the Saluda River. More than 2,100 pounds of that litter was recycled.
- Our cooking oil goes through a complete storage, filtering and disposal system. Not only does this system double the usefulness of cooking oil by removing fine particles daily, it also reduces landfill waste by eliminating the need for plastic jugs and reduces emission of harmful greenhouse gases by cutting down excessive transportation. Additionally, once the oil reaches the end of its usefulness, it is taken to an off-site facility for recycling.
- We have eliminated single-use plastic lids and straws in our concession stands.
Our flagship restaurant, Tuskers, was named one of the greenest restaurants in the state by the Green Restaurant Association in 2014. Tuskers is the usual “home base” for event food prep.
- Last year, Riverbanks Zoo & Garden raised over $30,000 from various activities with our guests, including the sale of compost, to help support our wildlife Conservation Fund.
- In 2020, we aim to be a zero-waste caterer by converting all remaining single-use plastic items to compostable, recyclable or reusable options!
A recent 2020 Event Trends report published by Eventbrite reflects survey results from event organizers around the world and attempts to predict how the industry may change in the coming year. We were excited to learn that planners’ priority in creating sustainable events increased 53% from 2019’s results! This means that organizers are becoming more conscious of their events’ impact and are taking more steps than ever to give back. This also means they’re choosing venues that can accommodate their greener vision!
If you’re looking for a chance to check out our event options in person, we’ll be hosting our semi-annual Private Event Showcase this March in the Botanical Gardens. Not only will we have some of our delicious food and beverage options available for tasting, you’ll also have an opportunity to view the Magnolia Room venue and ask questions about our sustainable practices. If you’re interested in taking advantage of this opportunity to see how events at Riverbanks can look and feel, let us know and we’ll add you to our invite list!
We’re proud to be a green event venue South Carolina
We hope everyone can find some time this month to show a little love to each other and our planet! As we head into a blossoming event season, we’re excited to keep showing our clients how little efforts make a big impact. We are proud to be a leading supplier of unique, fun events that you can feel good about hosting in the Capital city! Contact us today at 803.602.0900 or planyourevent@riverbanks.org to start your planning process.
