Reducing Carbon Footprint

Reducing Carbon Footprint  source: science reporter June 2012

Are conferences a waste of time and a drain on the resources? Recently, in the United States, head

have been rolling over since it was discovered that neatly one-million dollars were spent on a

conference held in Las Vegas in 2010 for General Services Administration (GSA) bureaucrats featuring a

mind reader, a clown, a comedian, free bicycles and lavish receptions in resort suites. A recent

editorial in the journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) even  questions the utility of

conferences, arguing that "there is virtually no evidence supporting the utility of most conferences."

And then. there is the increasing carbon footprint of conferences in a 2008 report in the British

Medical Journal, Malcolm Greene pegged at some 10,000 tons of carbon for participants attending a

mid-sized international conference. There are also the bulky abstracts, the innumerable fliers and

publicity material for which quite a few trees have laid down their lives and most of which have a

lifetime not more than a newspaper's.

But there are those who argues that meetings and conferences allow people in different areas and

fields and settings to mix leading to fertilization of new ideas, fructification of existing ones and

uncovering of new research opportunities. There are also the opportunities for young scientists and

even students to soak in the academic atmosphere and perhaps a chance that a truly inspiring talk

could catalyze and trigger their creative juices. These are benefits that cannot be denied.

While certainly working on enhancing the academic utility of conferences and meetings, can we not

at least make such events a little less burdensome on the environment and with a reduced climate

impact? There is a worldwide movement towards minimizing the carbon footprint of conferences. And

there are several aspects of conferences that provide this opportunity such as the choice of venue,

registration, transportation, food and beverage services, paper use and waste reduction.

Recently, in a report the American Chemical Society highlighted its efforts aimed at 'sustainable'

meeting, counting among others: a) Reducing carbon footprint of hotel shuttles (to carry passengers)

by 50%; b) Issuing of its meeting programme as a mobile app and PDF download- it claimed that

offering a digital alternative saved 1,600 pounds of paper and associated freight; c) Donating all

usable, uneaten food from meeting events to local community groups; d) Giving attendees reusable

water bottles because bottled water has a huge carbon footprint.

Some of the other climate-friendly practices that are being explored are minimizing waste, choosing

venue that employ energy and water efficient equipment and practices or use renewable energy, using

alternative fuel vehicles for ferrying guests, arranging accommodation for guest at walkable distances

from the venue, and minimizing use of paper and where essential using recycled paper. A compost

programme for all food waste could reduce the amount of waste going to landfill thus cutting down on

emission of methane.                                                                                         Hasan Jawaid Khan