Climate Change is Affecting Events. What Can You Do About It?

December 16, 2019

Julia Spangler

Julia Spangler is the owner of Ecosystem Events, a sustainable events consultancy company. Julia helps organizations and event professionals reduce the environmental impact of their events in order to preserve our planet and deliver powerful sustainability stories. 

Because I’m a sustainability consultant, you may assume that I believe in human-caused climate change. Until recently, I’ve avoided talking much about climate change to my professional audience, because I want to avoid being polarizing or political.

First of all, if you’ve made this assumption, you’re correct — I do believe, based on the consensus of thousands of scientists, that human activities are changing our climate. However, I no longer believe that climate change is a political issue. I wouldn’t even call it an environmental issue.

It’s an everything issue. The growing instability of our climate will affect — and in many cases is already affecting — national security, the economy, health, public safety, agriculture, and even tourism and event planning.

In my largely conservative state of Indiana, Republican Senator Mike Braun recently co-founded the Senate Climate Solutions Caucus, a group focused on starting bipartisan climate discussions in the Senate. People from all over the political spectrum are realizing the climate crisis is real, and they want to have a seat at the table as we design the solutions our communities need to adapt to the coming changes.

One of the most helpful frameworks I’ve found for understanding solutions to the climate crisis is Project Drawdown, a global research organization that analyzes the most viable and effective solutions to climate change.

The following list is just a handful of the Drawdown-endorsed solutions that you can put into practice at your events:

I encourage you to explore Drawdown solutions for inspiration, and also to find others in your city or state you can collaborate with — start by searching for “Drawdown” and the name of your city or state. 

Because climate change is an everything issue, it’s also an everyone issue. We all have a role to play, both professionally and personally, in helping our communities reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thereby limit the harmful effects of our changing climate.

 

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Partner Voices
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact