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EVENT GREENING FORUM
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Your guide to sustainability lingo
It’s never been more important to know and understand the terminology around climate change and sustainable eventing, which is why this month the Event Greening Forum NPO brings you a glossary of important sustainability terms.
Absolute zero — refers to a state where no carbon emissions are emitted at all. No offsetting of residual emissions is needed because none are released.
Carbon dioxide equivalent — not all greenhouse gases are equal; some are more harmful than others. This is why the term ‘carbon dioxide equivalent’ or ‘CO² equivalent’ is often used, as a standardised measure to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases on the basis of their global-warming potential (GWP).
Carbon neutral — this implies that any emissions released into the atmosphere by an activity are balanced by an equal number being removed. Removals are typically achieved by carbon offsets.
Carbon offsetting — involves estimating the climate impact caused by an activity and paying to support a project that removes the emissions’ impact somewhere else. Carbon offsets can be used to help fund a wide array of renewable energy projects, nature restoration, carbon capture technology and energy efficiency projects.
Carbon emissions: Avoid what you can, off-set what you can’t avoid.
Climate change — changes in weather patterns and temperatures due to change in the composition of the earth’s atmosphere. (Note: This used to often be called global warming, but the term has fallen out of common use as some parts of the world may experience more extreme cold weather. Rather, climate change indicates more extreme weather patterns, including droughts, flooding, heat waves, snow storms and tornadoes.) We all contribute to climate change, largely by burning fossil fuels, clearing land, and increased farming, which has exacerbated the greenhouse effect.
Every time you switch on a light, have a hot shower, enjoy a cold drink or drive a vehicle you use energy which contributes to climate change.
Event greening — the process of incorporating socially and environmentally responsible decision-making into the organising, implementation and participation of an event. This is also known as sustainable or responsible event management.
Event-greening principles and practices — the actual application of sustainable principles (such as waste reduction or energy efficiency) or practices (such as implementing a three bin system or using LED lights) relating to event management.
Greenhouse gas (GHG) — a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect (global warming) by absorbing infrared radiation. The three main greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. It is also commonly referred to as carbon emissions.
Greenwashing — make false or misleading environmental claims. Greenwashing can take a variety of forms: vague language, lying or marketing claims without proof. It can be done intentionally as well as out of ignorance.
Greenhushing — refers to companies purposely keeping quiet about their sustainability goals, even if they are well-intentioned or plausible, for fear of being criticised or labelled as greenwashers.
Net zero — implies a balancing of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere with carbon removals, but goes farther than simply being carbon neutral. Net zero implies that emissions are measured and reduced, and not just offset.
Triple bottom-line — a balance between environmental protection, social development and economic benefit; also referred to as planet, people and prosperity™.
Many of these definitions are taken from the EGF’s website, which we encourage you to browse for more free event greening resources: www.eventgreening.co.za
Several definitions were also taken from the free-to-download ‘Climate Change & Net Zero FAQ for busy people’ e-book by Paul Cook and Shawna McKinley, which is a quick, easy and informative read. You can find it on Shawna’s blog: eventcellany.com
About the EGF
The Event Greening Forum (EGF) is a non-profit organisation that promotes sustainability within the business events sector. It does this by hosting educational sessions for industry and lobbying government in an effort to implement sustainability principles into the daily operations of the events industry.
The EGF was established through dedication and support of eight industry associations who are recognised as founding members. The founding members are key industry associations working together to promote South Africa as a destination for various types of events.
Want to know more?
If you would like to know more about event greening, visit www.eventgreening.co.za where you can browse the free resources, sign up to the monthly newsletter, or contact them directly with any queries.
Contact: Lynn Mcleod
T: 082 891 5883
E: lynn@eventgreening.co.za
