The organization is focusing on transportation, energy, food, and waste to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – and new equity strategies to improve the positive legacy of the conference
ASLA has released its 2023 Sustainable Event Management Report, a comprehensive gap analysis of its 2023 Conference on Landscape Architecture, which brought more than 5,000 attendees to the LEED-certified Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 27-30, 2023.
The assessment details the energy used and greenhouse gas emissions and waste generated. It also outlines the many positive actions ASLA has taken to make access to the conference more equitable, donate EXPO products, reuse materials, and support the communities that host the conference.
Based on these findings, ASLA has advanced new event sustainability strategies that will improve the outcomes of its 2024 Conference, which will be held in Washington, D.C., October 6-9, and its 2025 Conference, which will be held in New Orleans, October 10-13, 2025. These include a communications campaign on the benefits of train travel for attendees and a new sustainability pledge for EXPO exhibitors.
“This year’s assessment taught us a lot about what it will take to achieve our ambitious Climate Action goals,” said ASLA CEO Torey Carter-Coneen. “We will need to continue to work as a collective – with the entire landscape architecture community – to decarbonize our conference. Our commitment to transparency and accountability continues to guide us.”
2023 Assessment
The assessment, which was developed in partnership with Honeycomb Strategies, a sustainability consulting company, includes key findings.
Over four days and per attendee, the conference released 0.68 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, which is 17 percent higher than the 2022 conference.
This is due to:
- The energy mix in Minneapolis, Minnesota included more fossil fuels than San Francisco, California, where the 2022 Conference was hosted
- ASLA collected additional transportation emissions data
- Updated methodology and calculations were used to align with the Net Zero Carbon Events Initiative. (See 2023 assessment for updated 2022 baseline data).
Due to procurement decisions made by ASLA and sustainability measures adopted by the organization:
- 100 percent of electricity from the grid used by the conference was generated from off-site solar and wind through renewable energy credits. The credits were then retired.
- 29,850 pounds of EXPO materials were donated to Habitat for Humanity, which is nearly
- 40 percent less than in 2022. This means exhibitors are leaving behind lower amounts of booth materials.
- A waste diversion rate of 71 percent was achieved, which is 4 percent higher than 2022. Recycling increased by 700 percent and composting increased by 165 percent in comparison to 2022.
- More than $43,000 in positive climate contributions were collected from ASLA members to purchase 1,225 offset credits, a 614 percent increase over 2022.
- 475 pounds of food was donated to People Serving People.
Explore key findings
To reduce adverse climate and environmental impacts and leave a positive legacy in Minneapolis, ASLA has implemented these strategies for its 2024 Conference at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center:
- Selected host city with train and public transit access and LEED-Gold Certified Convention Center
- Created climate change and biodiversity educational tracks at its Conference
- Implemented a communications strategy to reduce transportation emissions from attendees and exhibitors traveling to and from the conference and in the host city. Preliminary data shows a 1,226 percent increase in train travel and a 24 percent decline in air travel to the 2024 conference in comparison with the 2023 conference (as of September 18, 2024).
- Implemented a range of measures related to food, energy, water, and waste to reduce impacts.
- Made a positive carbon contribution by purchasing up to 3,500 tons of emission offsets
- Enhanced a sustainability pledge for EXPO exhibitors
- Provided free registrations for invited Washington, D.C.-based climate equity and justice leaders to attend the conference
- Provided free registrations for invited Washington, D.C.-based young climate leaders to attend the conference
See all conference and business operations commitments and progress to date at the Sustainable ASLA hub.
Positive Climate Contributions
While it pursues its near-term goal of reducing emissions 20 percent by 2024, ASLA has committed to purchasing up to 3,500 tons of carbon dioxide emission offsets from the National Indian Carbon Coalition (NICC).
This partnership will also advance the cultural empowerment and climate equity goals of the ASLA Climate Action Plan, which was released in 2022.
The carbon offsets NICC will provide have been generated in the Tribal Forests of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Minnesota. The Fond du Lac Band’s forest carbon project is a natural climate solution that generates carbon credits through Improved Forest Management.
Attendees and exhibitors: Please make a positive climate contribution at the ASLA 2024 Conference during the registration process or via this contribution form.
Next steps
By the end of 2024, ASLA will release a sustainability impact assessment of its ASLA Center on Landscape Architecture, the association’s LEED Platinum and WELL Gold-certified headquarters in Washington, D.C; student-led LABash Conference; and Landscape Architecture Magazine.
ASLA will use its own headquarters assessment to educate its members and partners on how to reduce their own office operational impacts and meet the goals of the ASLA Climate Action Plan.
By the end of 2024, ASLA plans to have a fuller understanding of its climate, environmental, and social impacts across the conference, EXPO, and headquarters operations.