LOS ANGELES — During a recent private event at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC), attendees were able to unwind and immerse themselves in the show thanks to specialty bar installations that were built specifically for the occasion. The attendees got an authentic bar-hopping experience and the LACC got 8,000 pounds — or four tons — of wood that needed to be dealt with.
This show generated 60% more wood than the average LACC event. Enjoli Ferrari, the venue’s Senior Sustainability Manager, sprang into action to ensure the materials did not end up in a landfill.
Thanks to a partnership with the ANE Foundation, a local crisis care organization serving vulnerable populations, the wood was repurposed to help families affected by last year’s Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif. — a disaster that destroyed more than 9,000 buildings. As a result, makeshift walls, fences and property lines will be created, and exposed pipes in the ground will be covered.
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Once the decision had been made, the logistics fell into place effortlessly.
“When we identified a partner willing to pick up the wood, it basically flowed pretty smoothly,” Ferrari explained. “Since it was such a large quantity of wood, we had to do the pickups on two separate days and needed a semi-truck. We were able to plan it, everything worked really smoothly and the client was actually very happy because they were technically going to just be sending all of it to some type of wood-waste stream.”
Ferrari’s work in boosting the show’s sustainability didn’t end with the wood, however. Several of the other materials were also donated to the ANE Foundation when the show ended.
“Every bar had swag items, so essentially, we were able to donate bags, water bottles, pins and a handful of umbrellas,” Ferrari said. “There were also some storefront awnings, metal shelves and glassware left over that we were able to donate as well.”
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Leveraging Environmental Experience to Achieve Event Sustainability Results
Ferrari came to the LACC about one year ago with a long history of environmental nonprofit experience, which helped her nurture the relationships that have been instrumental in building the convention center’s sustainability efforts. In fact, her goal is to use her background, which includes working for Tree People and LA Compost, to make a tangible impact in the events industry.
“I do all things sustainability at the convention center, but everyone knows my passion runs very deep just because of my years of boots-on-the-ground experience,” said Ferrari. “I just really wanted to go somewhere I could see the impact happening in a very large way. Community is a big part of my passion, but I also believe that people should be able to come together and have a fantastic time without it being at the environment’s expense.”
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