Earth Friendly Events
Let's start with the basics. Sustainability is the ability to exist at a constant, meaning that we meet our current needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future. Being "sustainable" should be applied to most of our decisions - the environment, social impact, the economy, human rights, work life balance, stamina, etc. Luckily, a large amount of these sustainable decisions positively correlate. For instance, positive work life balance has a positive impact on stamina. Positive environmental practices have a positive social impact.
Are events environmentally sustainable?
Currently, the event industry has an enormous impact on the environment and the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere. Here are few stats illustrating the impact that events currently have on our environment:
Overall, the largest contributor to an event’s carbon footprint is travel, which can account for 90% of the event’s overall environmental impact. (Reference: Conferences and Carbon: The Impact Behind the Event (triplepundit.com)).
Air travel emissions of carbon dioxide reached over 1,000 million metric tons in 2019 and is projected to triple by 2050. Flying from my home in Seattle to a conference in Orlando generates about 531 kg of CO2, which is less than some people produce in an entire year of daily activity. (Reference: Draft assembly working paper (icao.int), How your flight emits as much CO2 as many people do in a year | Environment | The Guardian).
Meetings and events spend about $48 billion on food and beverage each year and 43% ends up as waste. That is about $21 billion that meetings and events spend on wasted food and beverage per year, impacting both the bottom line/budget and the earth’s wellbeing. (Reference: Figuring Out Food Waste at Events (pcma.org))
Hotels spend enormous amounts of money on water since the average hotel room can use up to 73,000 gallons of fresh water per year. That is just one room. The MGM Grand Las Vegas, one of the largest hotels in the world, has 6,852 rooms. The city of Las Vegas has over 42 million visitors per year. These numbers are so high that I cannot even fathom the amount of water we use and waste globally per year. (Reference: Measure Your Hotel's Water Consumption, Then Start Saving. : 4Hoteliers & Frequently Asked Las Vegas Questions | LVCVA Research).
Who’s doing it right?
The multibillion-dollar event industry is the perfect place to implement sustainable practices if we want to see results fast! Here are some examples of organizations that are committed towards bettering the environment:
McCormick Place, North America’s largest convention center and 11th largest in the world, has 3 million annual visitors. In 2017, they committed to more sustainable practices like onsite recycling, composting, supply-chain adjustments, and excess-food donations, which diverted 40 tons (59%) of food waste in one year. They also implemented technology that converts food waste into energy, as well as nutrient-rich fertilizer. (Reference: Emerson Helps North America’s Largest Convention Center Convert Food Waste to Energy | Emerson TR)
Cultivated, a New York based food provider, holds a Platinum-level Sustainable Event Standards certification for their commitment towards organizational management, air quality, climate action, water and energy conservation, waste reduction, and supply chain management. This has an enormous impact on the environment since they are the preferred food and beverage provider for the Javits Center, which hosts over 170 conventions per year. (Reference: EIC Insights > Sustainability > Sustainability Standards and Registry (eventscouncil.org))
Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany attracts over 7 million visitors using 2.7 million kWh (15% of the total electricity requirement for the entire city) and over 29 million gallons of water. To combat this potentially enormous footprint, the event banned disposable tableware, sourced organic produce, green energy, and recycling of products and water. The water used to wash the reusable dishware was repurposed for flushing the toilets! (Reference: Sustainability in Action: 6 of the World's Most Sustainable Events | Enhance Entertainment (enhancentertainment.com.au), The Oktoberfest statistics - Oktoberfest)
What can we do right now?
We have a basic understanding of the impact that human-activity, specifically events, has on the atmosphere, resulting in harmful changes to our climate and environment. There is no time to ignore, deny, or question our intellect to work towards improved products, services, and practices. Let’s list a few things we can do right now that will result in positive change:
Offer digital attendance options for your event to limit the amount of required travel. By offering a hybrid in-person and digital event experience, you will minimize the environmental impact while also advocating for more inclusive participation.
Examine your use of swag at events and the value the items truly provide to the attendee and the event’s goal. Ask yourself if the swag is sustainably sourced, if the items serve a purpose towards lowering your footprint (eg: water bottles to use during the event and keep post-event), can the offerings be served digitally instead (eg: wellness memberships), and outline your plan for excess donations and/or recycling.
Eliminate waste by reducing signage, offering water stations and reusable cutlery, using reusable resources, and employing digital solutions like an event app.
Pick partners and vendors that have the same prioritizations. Look for vendors that have sustainable plans and practices in place that can be clearly displayed and explained. Ensure that there are proper certifications in place like Certified Carbon Neutral, Certified Organic and Marine Stewardship Council Standards, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certified, and commitments towards carbon offsetting. (Reference: Sustainability Certifications: Which Can You Trust? - ethical.net)
Even the organizations striving to be eco-friendly need to continue innovating to continue our progress towards a safer and greener earth. We are personally responsible for modifying our daily life to off-set this impact, but most importantly, responsible for making systemic change to transform entire industries from negative climate impact to positive, sustainable practices.
This "Earth Friendly Events" series of articles and interviews will focus on environmental sustainability regarding the event industry. Let's prioritize solving the challenges we face with one of the largest industries - events!
Additional recommended reading: Overview of Greenhouses Gases and Earth's Changing Climate by Ricard Wolfson
