Making History: Baltics' First Carbon-Neutral Festival
At a time when environmental issues are at the forefront of global discussions, Impact Day 2023 is proud to make history as Baltics first carbon-neutral festival. Taking into account the importance of dealing with climate change, the organizers have created an event that offsets their carbon footprint.
“Offsetting our carbon footprint has been a crucially logical step for us, given that we are a sustainability festival. Nonetheless, we believe all events should take responsibility to not just minimize, but also offset their carbon emissions," shares Merili Ginter, Head Organizer of Impact Day. "In the face of escalating environmental crises, this is a clear and necessary measure to take. While the carbon footprint is just one aspect of environmental preservation (i.e. with biodiversity being another significant element), managing this could forge the path towards truly sustainable events.”
The Path to Becoming a Carbon-Neutral Event: An Inside Look at Impact Day's Journey
Achieving carbon neutrality for an event is a complex, multi-step journey that necessitates a deep-rooted commitment to sustainability. Impact Day has set an impressive example in this realm. The tradition of sustainability was embedded into the festival's DNA from its inaugural year, as thorough sustainability guidelines were established and extended to all network partners. This foundational step significantly diminished the potential negative environmental impact of the event. Furthermore, in a critical move toward streamlined sustainability, the festival collaborated with PlanetPositive, a sustainability consulting service, to accurately forecast its carbon footprint. The process required rigorous analysis of anticipated emissions from diverse sources, such as energy use, travel by participants and suppliers, and overall festival waste.
With the carbon footprint established, event organizers must then formulate and execute comprehensive emission reduction strategies. For Impact Day, this encompassed a spectrum of proactive measures, including adoption of energy-efficient practices, prioritization of local and sustainable suppliers, and promotion of public transportation over private cars. Yet, even the most efficient reduction strategies can't completely eradicate emissions. Consequently, certified offset projects become essential for achieving carbon neutrality. Impact Day partnered with Kwota, a specialist in trading and verifying carbon reductions, to offset the residual emissions. By implementing this comprehensive approach, Impact Day successfully attained carbon neutrality, reaffirming the festival's commitment to environmental responsibility and paving the way for other events striving to reduce their carbon footprint.
Impact Day 2023: One Month Countdown Begins!
With just one month left until the festival kicks off, now is the perfect time to secure your place at Impact Day 2023. Don't miss the opportunity to be a part of this unique event.
Impact Day 2023 in numbers:
2000+ participants
nearly 150 performers
4 stages
100+ sessions
8+ pre-events
More info about the event & tickets: https://impactday.eu/