Green Planning: Transportation

Some Considerations

• Post public transportation options on your event website as well as around the event
• Information systems are in place to facilitate carpooling
• Organizers are encouraged to walk, bicycle, carpool or use public transit to attend meetings and events whenever possible.

Offset the number of miles traveled and energy used to neutralize carbon pollution generated by the event [carbon calculators on our planning resources page]

Travel: First, calculate the total distances your attendees are traveling by car, train, and plane. Accounting for transportation is the first step to making your conference carbon neutral.

• Option 1: Set up a mode of travel section on your online registration form. You can calculate the distances traveled and the associated emissions that need to be offset.
• Option 2: Estimate how many will attend by various modes of transportation (example: 120 are driving about 150 miles, 35 are flying). The sites mentioned here can also calculate estimated emissions and offsets, so you can still offset your emissions even if you don’t have exact per/person travel information.
• Promote trains and shuttles over cars (if necessary urge carpooling).
• Include travel during the conference, such as shuttles transporting attendees to/from hotels to the event.

References:

• "The National Recycling Coalitions Green Meetings Policy"
• "Making your Conference Sustainable & Climate Neutral"
  by Marie-Claire Munnelly, 2007
• "EECOM Green Conference Guidelines"
• Convention Industry Council's Green Meetings Report

Contact Information

If you have general questions or comments, contact:
Shalini Suryanarayana (shalini@mtu.edu) and please put
"ESC Question/Comment" in the subject line.

Electronic mail

If you have any questions on the recycling program at Michigan Tech: recyclinginfo-l@mtu.edu

General Information: shalini@mtu.edu