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Sustainability

Sustainability at the World Trails Conference

Trans Canada Trail and the World Trails Network have prioritized making the World Trails Conference 2024 a carbon-neutral and sustainable event. This includes reducing the environmental impact of the conference through intentional planning and choices while increasing positive social and economic impacts wherever possible.

To achieve this goal, we are working with Synergy Enterprises, a global leader in regenerative business and empowering climate action, that specializes in greenhouse gas accounting, decarbonization strategies, stakeholder engagement, and clean technology adoption. By offering recommendations and tracking the conference’s environmental impact, Synergy will help ensure the World Trails Conference is a carbon-neutral event.

Here are some of the actions we are taking to work towards a carbon-neutral conference.

Low-Carbon Menus

Food is typically the second highest source of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from an event (after flights and travel). The menus for this event will include more low-carbon protein options (legumes, poultry, or seafood) and locally sourced ingredients – without sacrificing any flavour! Our goal is to reduce the average tCO2e for food by 50%.

Transportation and Accommodation

The venue for this event is a Green Key Eco-Rating Certified hotel. Its central location makes transit, cycling and walking within the Ottawa centre easy. We are also encouraging all attendees to use more environmentally friendly methods of transportation, such as taking the train instead of driving, if feasible, and pool airport arrivals to minimize taxi/ride-share use to and from the airport.

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Carbon offsets

Completely eliminating air travel and car use from an international event like this one is not feasible. However, the emissions from this event are being calculated and, thanks to our partners at Carbonzero, carbon offsets will be purchased to support Canadian emissions offset projects in Ontario.
Carbonzero works with businesses and organizations to help them measure and mitigate their GHG emissions. Over their nearly 20-year history, Carbonzero has been a trusted partner to hundreds of clients, and remains an important solutions provider in the GHG emissions consulting and carbon offsetting landscape in Canada.

Sustainable purchasing

We aim to have a positive social and economic impact through the choices of products and suppliers, and choose products that have a high environmental standard. We have made efforts to work with local suppliers and will minimize waste in both delegate bags and speaker gifts.

Going Digital

We will be minimizing printed materials as much as possible at the conference. This includes prioritizing the Pheedloop app for all conference information, instead of traditional printed schedules or booklets, and utilizing digital display screens, to minimize printed signage. We also encourage all attendees and vendors to engage in environmentally responsible behaviour during their stay in Ottawa.

Energy Conservation

We have partnered with Bullfrog Power to power the conference with 100% green electricity. “Bullfrog powered” means that Bullfrog Power’s generators put 100% green electricity onto the grid to match the amount of conventional electricity the event uses, displacing energy from polluting sources. Across Canada, Bullfrog’s green electricity comes from a blend of wind, solar and low-impact hydro power sourced from new Canadian renewable energy facilities. For more information on Bullfrog’s green energy, visit bullfrogpower.com.

Waste Management

We are working with the venue and our vendors to ensure this event is as low-waste as possible. This includes eliminating single-use items wherever possible, limiting food waste and ensuring proper signage and bin location so attendees can properly recycle and compost.

Leave No Trace

Trail journeys are designed for memorable small-group networking out on the trail and are operating under a “leave no trace policy”, respecting the places that are visited.

Program Content

Environmental action is at the heart of the conference’s content. The program is designed to inspire and empower delegates with speakers and sessions that fit into three thematic tracks: Climate & Nature, Tourism, and a Resilient Trails Sector.

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