HOSTING EVENTS WITH THE PLANET IN MIND
Notes from our Director of Programming & Events, Michele Kaufman.
When we host events, we pride ourselves on creating memorable experiences that feel effortless to our guests. What folks may not realize is how much we pore over every aspect of our programming to keep our events as low-impact as possible on our environment. However, from time-to-time we have an opportunity to pull back the curtain and use our events to educate others about being better stewards of the planet. What does it mean to be a sustainable events venue? How can professionals in the hospitality industry push forth responsibly? Read on to learn about how Brooklyn Grange works with others to produce beautiful events with the planet in mind. 
Director of Programming & Events, Michele Kaufman, setting a table ahead of a dinner.
COLLABORATING WITH INDUSTRY PEERS
One of our favorite examples of this took place last month, when our Private Events Manager Claire Mahler was invited to speak on a panel at Brooklyn’s favorite events industry conference, The Love Union.The panel, “Co-Creating a Vision and Approach to Sustainable Events” was an opportunity to lead an honest discussion about the unique position that we as professionals in the industry are privileged to hold. The forum allowed space for introspection (as venues, florists, planners, and so on) about how small businesses can shape expectations around event production. From educating our clients about ethical sourcing and sharing knowledge with our vendors, there are many ways in which hospitality can contribute to the movement.
A beautiful bar by Patina using reclaimed furniture.
Indeed, the true power to shift the industry standard (which is historically often wasteful and exploitative) comes from collaborating with mission-aligned partners to create an expansive and imaginative network, building a new paradigm. We can meet clients (and fellow vendors) wherever they are and drive action toward a more sustainable future for the climate, for the world’s resources, and for people.
Lucky for us, there are so many businesses in New York City that share our values. Just downstairs at our Navy Yard farm, are our long-time pals, Patina. Patina reclaims vintage furniture and gives it a second life, transporting it the few short flights up to our roof to create transformative scenes on our farm. We seek out–and recommend to our clients – partners who are committed to sourcing locally and responsibly, incorporating the food we grow into their menus and seeking out the producers making incredible ingredients right in their backyard.
LEARNING FROM LIKE-MINDED CLIENTS
Collina Strada SS22 runway show, at Brooklyn Grange’s Sunset Park farm.
We also love working with clients who share our values in sustainability on all fronts. When the team at Collina Strada reached out to host their New York Fashion Week show at our farm last September, it truly felt like a match made in faRMshion! Collina Strada’s Creative Director Hillary Taymour’s commitment to taking a more environmentally responsible and creative approach to her design was reflected in the name of the Spring ‘22 collection, “Snail’s Pace.” From using deadstock fabric to educating show guests on green roof policies in NYC, there were so many shared threads that tied our missions together. Plus, we can 100% concur with Taymour’s 2020 quote in Vogue:
“It’s just about being as conscious as you possibly can. Like learning to grow vegetables; we all need to start learning these things, and how to be better. But you can have rhinestone garden hoes and rakes – be chic while you do it. It doesn't need to be so serious and granola.”
EDUCATING THROUGH PUBLIC PROGRAMMING
Compost Dinner menu by Winston Chiu of Bonbite
Of course, our efforts in sustainability extend beyond the private sphere. We love using public programming as an opportunity to share a behind-the-scenes look at our sustainability efforts with the wider world. Pre-COVID, we ran a series of farm dinners. One of our favorites was our Compost Dinner in partnership with Bonbite! If you’ve attended this event you know that everything you eat, drink, or engage with has been repurposed in some way, from the fabric-swatch napkins to the skewers from one course being upcycled as chopsticks for the next. Through our Compost Dinners, we took the opportunity to not only talk about food waste itself, but to highlight everything that goes into creating that food: the water used, the fertilizer, the fuel used to transport it on an air-conditioned truck. For die-hard Brooklyn Grange dinner series fans, the cat is out of hte back and the dinners are coming BACK this summer. In the meantime, for those looking to create an event that guests will remember for longer than it takes to break down a compostable straw, reach out!
Photos by: Valery Rizzo, Fernanda Calfat/Getty Images