Evaluation
After each event, get participant feedback. In addition to substantive and organisational issues, include questions about the environmental solutions used. Check which activities were noticed and received positively, and which ones need improvement. You can obtain feedback through online surveys, conversations and evaluation workshops. Remember to also collect data evaluating the event from the organisational team and partners – they have practical knowledge about the production processes.
Reporting
Include both quantitative and qualitative data in your event summary report. Collect information on waste generated, energy consumption, transport solutions used (e.g. number of participants using public transport or bicycles), as well as materials used and their reuse. Measure the effectiveness of your actions, e.g. the percentage of waste recycled or the level of plastic reduction. Also describe the decision-making process – include the dilemmas, compromises and alternatives which were considered. Such data will not only help to improve the planning of future events, but can also be a starting point for implementing broader, systemic changes in the institution. If possible, make the report publicly available – it will not only be proof of transparency, but also a valuable source of knowledge, good practice and inspiration for other event organisers.
> See examples of advanced reports from music festivals, along with descriptions of the methodology used: Impact, source: Roskilde Festival, Interactive Reporting Platform 2024, source: Shambala Festival.
> Based on the experience gained from the exhibition “Waste Age: What can design do?,” a guide was prepared for institutions planning sustainable exhibition production: Working to Make Change, source: Design Museum.
> German cultural institutions have carried out a pilot project to measure their carbon footprint based on the GHG (Greenhouse Gases) protocol – one of the standards for reporting greenhouse gas emissions. See: Carbon Footprinting in Cultural Institutions, source: Kulturstiftung des Bundes.
> Read the report showing, among other things, the emissions of specific areas of art and culture (p. 12): A Net Zero Roadmap for the Events Industry, source: Net Zero Carbon Events.
Carbon offsetting
The carbon footprint that could not be eliminated despite reduction measures can be compensated for by offsetting. This means supporting projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions (restoring ecosystems, protecting forests from logging, developing renewable energy sources). It is crucial to use reliable, certified offset programmes (e.g. Gold Standard, Verra VCS or Plan Vivo). It is worth being aware that the concept of offsetting is often criticised today, and that offsets cannot replace emission reductions – they are only a supplement to them. Therefore, the best and simplest alternative may be to allocate a certain percentage of the event budget to support local environmental initiatives, such as urban tree planting or climate education.
> Read about the doubts surrounding offsetting and why it is important that offsetting is not treated as a solution ‘instead of’ emission reduction: ADE Green: Reflections on the Carbon Offsetting Panel, source: Julie’s Bicycle.
> An example of a local offsetting initiative: Local offsets, idea, objectives and results of the project, source: Carbon Footprint Foundation.
> For those seeking advanced knowledge about offset standards and regulations: Carbon Offset Guide.
Green events in my organisation – environmental standards
Write down the rules associated with the environmental aspects of event organisation at your institution. Create simple guidelines that will become an internal standard and ensure that the entire team knows and follows them. Share them with external partners and artists you work with so that you can implement the expected practices together. Include these rules in contracts and agreements – this is a concrete way to build responsible habits together. Use a shortened eco-checklist on a daily basis – a practical tool for planning and implementing green solutions in every initiative. (see: ECO-ETHICS OF COOPERATION)
> Use Culture for Climate’s eco-checklist or get inspired by similar tools available online, e.g. Sustainable Event Planning Checklist, source: Lehigh University, Green Rider, source: Julie’s Bicycle.
> Read how Documenta, one of the most important international contemporary art events, shapes the ecology of production: How Documenta is Redefining Sustainability in the Arts, source: Museum Next.
> Become inspired by other examples of cultural productions striving for climate neutrality: Zero: Climate-Neutral Artistic and Cultural Projects, source: Kulturstiftung des Bundes.
