zkipster and event sustainability

The carbon we have offset through Climate Neutral to date (990 tCO₂e) is equivalent to:

• Carbon sequestered by 1,156 acres of U.S. forests in one year
• Greenhouse gas emissions avoided by 43,002 trash bags of waste being recycled instead of sent to landfill
• Greenhouse gas emissions from 236 passenger vehicles driven over one year

The Change Climate Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It is governed by a Board of Directors and works with an extensive group of external advisors, who are listed here.

We’re a company that is taking immediate and rigorous climate action. We have measured and offset all of the emissions it takes to run our business, produce products or services, and deliver them to our clients. We are working to reduce our carbon footprint and improve event sustainability in our industry.

It’s no secret that it’s been a challenging few years for business. In the face of unexpected obstacles, radical pivots, and new ways of working, we’ve learned that we are able to face big challenges as individuals, a team, and a society. Globally, we emit almost 60 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases every year. These are the carbon emissions that cause climate change, and the events industry should also do its part. We help our clients tackle event sustainability by providing best-in-class, cloud-based event planning software that maximizes efficiency and minimizes waste.

We’re acting now because scientifically-vetted solutions to climate change exist, and they are accessible to brands like ours. As Olivia, our Chief Revenue Officer put it, “we understand that carbon emissions are the root cause of climate change, and we understand how our activities lead to greenhouse gas emissions. We are keen to start now in making a difference.”

A carbon credit is a standard unit which represents carbon emission reductions. One credit equals one tCO₂e (tCO2e stands for tonnes (t) of carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalent (e). People who eliminate GHG emissions can generate and sell carbon credits. People who want to offset their emissions can buy carbon credits. Carbon credits are generated through a variety of projects and technologies, ranging from reforestation initiatives that sequester (suck up) CO₂, to micro-grid solar projects which substitute fossil fuel-based energy production with reliable clean sources of energy that don’t emit greenhouse gases into our atmosphere.

There are six main GHGs, so it’s helpful to count them with a single unit: tCO₂e. tCO₂e stands for tonnes (t) of carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalent (e). “Tonne” is a fancy way of writing metric ton, or 2,200 pounds. “Carbon dioxide equivalent” is a standard unit for counting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions regardless of whether they’re from carbon dioxide or another gas, such as methane.

Offsetting drives investment into climate change solutions. The UN projects that it will cost roughly between $1 and $3 trillion USD annually to avoid the worst effects of climate change. As more and more companies mobilize, offsets can greatly speed up the rate at which this finance gap is filled, accelerating the global transition to a low carbon economy.

‍

Oftentimes projects which generate carbon credits will not only reduce emissions but also simultaneously achieve a wide variety of other social and environmental benefits (known as co-benefits). These co-benefits are commonly aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and support areas such as biodiversity conservation, boosting rural income, providing clean water, protecting the ozone layer, and much more.

No – all companies should reduce as much as they can internally while offsetting unavoidable emissions. It’s not an ‘either or’. Buying quality offsets for the emissions that can’t be reduced today will always be better than leaving them unchecked.

‍

A 2019 report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) show that human-caused emissions must fall 45% below 2010 levels over the next decade. The window to achieve our needed reductions is closing quickly, and we need to pull out all the stops, combining internal reduction measures with immediate action through offsetting. Both are essential, and purchasing carbon credits is an option that we have right now that drives critical funding into carbon-reducing projects all across the globe. Supporting offset projects can both remove carbon from the atmosphere and prevent it from being emitted in the first place.

The market for carbon offsets has a strong system of third-party verification and Climate Neutral only allows offsets that are generated from the most trustworthy and scientifically rigorous standards. The current offset standards that Climate Neutral allows can be seen as follows:

‍

• Verified Carbon Standard
• ‍American Carbon Registry
• Gold Standard
• Clean Development Mechanism‍
• Climate Action Reserve

‍

These programs help ensure the integrity of offsetting projects by verifying that carbon credits meet the big six requirements: real, permanent, quantifiable, verifiable, enforceable, and additional.

Event sustainability involves planning and delivering events that minimize negative environmental, social and economic impacts, and ideally generate positive impacts in these areas instead. To run more sustainable events, event planners should take a long-term, holistic approach and aim to reduce waste, conserve resources, and integrate more eco-friendly practices. There are also ethical considerations: events should promote social responsibility and engage with the local community to leave a positive legacy.

An event can be sustainable if it incorporates climate-positive measures such as waste reduction, energy efficiency, and sustainably sourced materials. Encouraging responsible consumption, sustainable travel for attendees and minimizing carbon emissions also contribute to making events more sustainable. Using digital, paperless tools like zkipster and minimizing printed materials will also reduce the environmental impact of an event.