Before the pandemic began last year, the meetings industry had already been considering ways to reduce the effects of events on the environment. Attendees flying to large conferences, food waste, and plastic consumption were just a few of the concerns many had, and continue to have. COVID-19 forced planners to move meetings online, and while vaccines paint a brighter picture for the future, hybrid meetings are still a viable option to help reduce the carbon footprint of conferences. Read on for ways that hybrid meetings are helping with sustainability.
Bridging the Distance
For many, conference travel used to mean traveling long distance either by plane or car. While there are certainly positives to everyone being able to meet together in one place, carbon emissions generated by this travel has become a troubling issue. The hybrid meetings model has the benefit of allowing smaller groups to meet locally (or regionally) at a venue, while attendees from greater distances can still participate virtually, thus reducing the environmental impact from travel.
Keep it Earth-Friendly
In person meetings bring with them the need for a glut of printed materials, like invitations, tickets, brochures, and more. By cutting down on the number of people present, a hybrid meeting naturally helps to produce less paper waste. Event management apps like Bizzabo, EventMobi, and CrowdCompass make it easy for all of your attendees to find important information in one place, and reduces the necessity for items like printed schedules and itineraries.
Waste Not, Want Not
Attendees of large conferences and even smaller meetings are used to having a constant array of food and beverages at their fingertips during an event. Keeping participants fueled throughout a long day of sessions is important, but the amount of food waste generated by bigger in person events can be substantial. Many venues, including The Otesaga, have taken steps to reduce food waste, including composting. With a hybrid event, less people meeting in person means less food that has to be served and potentially wasted.
When selecting a location to host the in person portion of your hybrid conference, be sure to consider how the venue prioritizes sustainability. The Otesaga has put into place many green initiatives that are part of our everyday routine at the resort. Contact us today to learn more about how our upstate New York hotel is perfectly suited to bring your hybrid event to life.
The Otesaga Resort Hotel remains steadfast in our efforts to ensure the health and safety of our staff and guests during the COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to adhere to our strict cleaning and social distancing guidelines. Please visit our website for more information on Otesaga CARE - our commitment to a Clean And Responsible Environment.