To reduce the impact of your event or meeting on the environment, we offer to compensate the CO2 emissions. You simply pay for this yourself, the only thing we do is make it easy for you. The rule of thumb we currently use is €2 per person per event. We donate this at the end of each quarter to Trees for All or Urban Reef; the choice is yours.
We currently donate the full amount from the CO2 pot at the end of each quarter. You can choose between Trees for All and Urban Reef. As mentioned, the entire amount that comes in is CO2 compensation and donated.
Trees for All
Founding Trees for All plant forests and trees in the Netherlands and abroad. Trees for All has a clear offer in CO2 compensation, with a clear amount per ton of CO2. Currently this is €30 per t CO2, which amounts to €1.09 per person per event or meeting.
Urban Reef
An alternative approach that you can opt for is offered by one of the startups in the Innovation Dock at the RDM, namely Urban Reef. Urban Reef works on greening cities by 3D printing objects, artworks and parts of buildings and infrastructure. Urban Reef currently does not have a clear proposition in the field of CO2 compensation. That is why we maintain the same amount of €2 per visitor, which is passed on directly to Urban Reef.
We have made a calculation of emissions based on an average event or meeting for 50 people: 1.8 tons of CO2. We divided this by 50 to calculate the emissions per person, namely 0.035t CO2. This consists of 87% transport to the location, 9% catering, 3% energy and 1% materials, transport and waste.
The costs for CO2 compensation projects are on average around €30 to €80 per t CO2. With 0.035t CO2 per person, you end up between €1.05 and €2.80. We take a clear middle ground here and then end up at €2 per person per event. Feel free to indicate if you prefer a higher or lower rate.
The calculation we made is based on a lot of assumptions. For example, we assume that 80% of those present come by car and travel an average of one hundred kilometers, and that half of those present eat meat. In addition, we assume the average event that takes place at our location. Do you want the calculation to be more tailored to your event or meeting? For example, look up co2.myclimate.org to calculate the footprint of your event, and google around to see what kind of projects there are in the field of CO2 compensation.
CO2 compensation is a subject that can also be looked at critically. The reasons for this are that consequences are only noticeable over a longer period of time (trees have to grow), and that compensation removes the motivation for reducing emissions. We are therefore also looking at ways to reduce emissions, such as stimulating online events, reducing our meat supply and encouraging people to the bicycle to grab.
Founders Pierre and Max of Urban Reef with one of their 3D prints that serves as a substrate and shelter for various forms of life. These photos come from the Urban Reef website.
As you can read from our calculations, a large part of the CO2 emissions of an event or meeting are caused during travel. Therefore, consider organizing an online or hybrid event.
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