Carbon Footprints and You

After nearly a year of Zoom meetings and virtual conferences, many have forgotten about environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who gained global recognition for her international protests against government inaction towards climate change. Admirably, she lives by example, travelling to speaking engagements by train or zero-emission sailboat. But Greta’s actions aren’t realistic for everyone, including individuals whose careers depend on the connections and educational opportunities afforded by attending meetings – some of which are halfway around the world.

With news of vaccine rollouts in 2021, our industry is slowly beginning to entertain the idea of traveling once again. It may not happen right away, but when it does, let’s not forget about Greta.

So, what does that mean? After a year of meeting virtually, should we feel guilty of air travel? If we do fly, how can we still minimize our industry’s impact on the environment?

First, a hard truth: flying represents the biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a report stating that global warming must be limited to no more than 1.5˚C to reduce impacts on ecosystems and human health – a requirement that can be achieved by cutting global emissions in half by 2030 and reaching net-zero in 2050. That’s a tall order, though reducing flight emissions is a leap in the right direction. 

For meeting planners and attendees, reducing your carbon footprint should be approached holistically. It’s important to examine all facets of a conference that contribute to carbon emissions, not just flights. Meals for example – you can reduce the amount of animal products served, as they have a bigger carbon footprint than plant sources. The 2018 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, which took place in Chicago, served 100% vegan menus for all lunches and catered events, reducing its carbon footprint by more than 9.35 metric tons – that’s the equivalent of charging 1.2 million cell phones.

Another idea is for organizers to measure the environmental impact of their conference, working with suppliers to track metrics associated with waste management, energy and water conservation, sustainable procurement, community, and engagement. Team up with a local organization to offset greenhouse gas emissions or investigate offsetting water usage by purchasing a Water Restoration Certificate. 

One of the most useful ways to approach sustainable conference hosting is to gather data – specifically, tracking attendee travel emissions with the goal of improving future events. Using the ICAO Carbon Emissions Calculator, organizers can collect data from each delegate’s starting location through to arrival at the conference; the organization can then purchase the equivalent amount of offsets (alternatively, planners can find a sponsor that will fund carbon offsets for the conference).

Planners can also prioritize pre-research of the host destination to ensure the conference is as sustainably organized as possible. Participate in eco-minded CSR activities, such as planting trees or restoring degraded habitats in local parks; source catering and supplies from certified social enterprises; find venues committed to sourcing food locally and supporting sustainability.

Clearly, there are many methods for reducing the environmental impact of meetings. Ultimately the choice is yours, but let’s forget about the flight shaming and instead prioritize living and working as sustainably as we can.

Lacy Hawley, Tourism Vancouver

About the Author: Lacy Hawley is Chicago’s new point of contact for Tourism Vancouver. Based in Vancouver, Canada, she has been leading her organization’s Midwest Sales effort since March.