How to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions with Zero Budget

February 17, 2020

Julia Spangler

Julia Spangler is the owner of Ecosystem Events, a sustainable events consultancy company. Julia helps organizations and event professionals reduce the environmental impact of their events in order to preserve our planet and deliver powerful sustainability stories.

Did you know that the biggest climate change impact from your event happens before your event even begins? That’s because travel is the top contributor of greenhouse gas emissions from events.

According to calculations by MeetGreen in 2014, for an association conference of 5,000 attendees, 80% of the event’s emissions came solely from travel.

Thankfully, there’s a helpful tool event organizers can use to negate the impact of attendee travel: carbon offsets. The concept behind carbon offsets is that an individual or company can offset the impact of their greenhouse gas emissions by supporting projects that reduce global carbon emissions by an equivalent amount.

Carbon offsets are relatively inexpensive, typically just a few dollars per flight. But what if your event doesn’t have any budget to cover offsets for attendee travel?

Quick Tip: Share carbon offset information with guests so they have the option of offsetting their own travel.

Even if you can’t afford to purchase carbon offsets on behalf of your attendees, it’s free to share information about carbon offsets in your communications or registration form.

First, find a carbon offset provider like Native Energy that helps guests easily calculate the impact of their travel and purchase the equivalent offsets. Next, share the link to the provider and a blurb about why carbon offsets are important. That’s all you need to do!

The Oracle OpenWorld conference offers a voluntary carbon offset option to attendees during the registration process. For their 2017 event, 3,670 attendees chose to offset their own travel emissions, resulting in 2,884 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions being canceled out.

By simply offering the green option of carbon offsets, you’ll help many of your guests make a sustainable choice they might not have known how to make otherwise.

For more information about carbon offsets, check out the Climate Action Reserve’s list of reputable carbon offset providers (use the Retail filter to find options that individuals can purchase).

Don’t miss any event-related news: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter HERE and engage with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram!

Add new comment

Partner Voices

HERE, EVENTS HELP YOUR COMPANY AND THE COMMUNITY

MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy. Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative. Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates. The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities. MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025. MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.

Learn More