A Sustainable Event integrates the concept of sustainable development in all its organization phases. It therefore aims to:

• Reduce the negative impacts of the event, especially on the environment (e.g. reduce waste generation, greenhouse gas emissions, consumption of natural resources, etc.)
• Increase the positive benefits of the event (e.g. local or fair trade, local integration organizations, event accessibility, especially for students and non-profit organizations (NPOs), etc.)
  

Would you want examples of sustainable measures carried out during events held in Québec? Visit our “Events” section!

Sustainable Event, zero waste or carbon neutrality? 

A Sustainable Event can fix an objective of zero waste and/or carbon neutrality, but the term “sustainable” also has social objectives and other environmental dimensions. It is therefore more inclusive.

An event can be sustainable without an objective of zero waste and/or carbon neutrality but one must not forget that the issues of waste and greenhouse gases constitute major impacts for an event. It is thus very important to take them into account when organizing a sustainable event.

Zero waste

A zero-waste event aims to reduce the burial of waste generated by an event. We try to apply the 3R principles; this means carrying out, in order, the following actions:

1. Reduce at the source
2. Reuse
3. Recycle
4. Compost (reclaim)
5. Discard

For example, if I want to avoid throwing away paper, I will start by reducing my paper consumption by using other technologies such as e-mail, or Internet sites. If it is not possible to reduce at the source, I will foster the reuse of an already used sheet of paper. If I cannot reuse, I will recycle my sheet of paper. If I don’t have access to recycling, I will place the sheet of paper in a composting bin; waste there decomposes without producing methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2). If, and only if, I cannot reduce at the source, reuse, recycle or compost, then I will use a new sheet of paper and throw it out later on…

Carbon neutrality

A carbon-neutral, or zero-carbon, event aims to reduce the environmental impact of the event on climate change. In Québec, greenhouse gases from an indoor event come mainly from the participants’ transportation. A carbon-neutral event is carried out in three steps, the first of which is absolutely essential and unavoidable to be entitled to use the carbon-neutral or zero-carbon designation:

1. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions, for example, by encouraging public transports and carpooling, reduce the energy consumed by the buildings and the materials used, give away or compost the left-over food, etc.
2. Calculate the greenhouse gases emitted using a computation grid.
3. Compensate greenhouse gases by purchasing carbon credits or planting trees: refer to the list of suppliers to find various organizations that can help you compensate greenhouse gases.