Keeping It Green In 2019: How To Organize An Eco-Friendly Event

The Global Gathering

Once a year, the top leaders from Impact Hubs around the world come together for the Global Gathering, where in one of our locations they review, shape, and decide on the strategy and governance of our network.

While this event provides our changemakers with a chance to exchange insights on the social sector, debate challenges, share opportunities and identify trends across their markets and communities, it also presents an opportunity for innovators to simply connect: to build trust, share goals and form friendships.

Each year different Impact Hubs apply to host the Global Gathering. And as last year we saw it take place in Montreal and Ottawa, this year we’re headed to the Southern hemisphere to bring forth the diversity of our network, down to Brazil’s sunny Florianopolis!

Hosted by the amazing team at Impact Hub Florianopolis, this year’s event has been coined #FloripaWeek2019, and will see 100+ people from 57 cities travel to Floripa for a week of collective innovation.

As one of the world’s largest networks focused on building entrepreneurial communities for impact at scale, we understand the necessity of building in-person connections between our Impact Hub communities worldwide. By sharing common ground once a year, the people in our network ensure that everyone has the opportunity to have their voices heard, as we work together to build the better future that we all envision – no matter where in the world we put down our roots.

Going For Green

While we recognize the need to meet annually and check in on our progress together, we also understand that it comes with an environmental cost. Until the day when air travel becomes more sustainable, we believe we all must make conscious efforts to offset our climatic impact in light of journeying to meet in person.

From the designs of our workspaces to our communities’ recycling habits, we’ve taken measures to ensure sustainability in our network from day one. We embed eco-friendly approaches into every event we organize, and this year’s Global Gathering is no different.

Whether we’re travelling for a huge global event, for business meetings or for personal travel, we can’t ignore that whenever we travel, it comes with a big carbon footprint. This is why we’ve endeavored to make this year’s Global Gathering the #GreenGathering. Here’s how:

1. Keep It Local

Back in 2002, food transportation accounted for almost 20 billion vehicle miles. Now, supporting local food & beverage vendors means that fewer food miles have been generated during the production and transit. So while in Floripa, we’re supporting local coffee vendors Bijajica who work exclusively with local producers and serve up delicious food and coffee without using any plastic whatsoever.

2. Stick To Reusable Coffee Cups

Each year the world uses 500 billion plastic cups, and it’s easy to make the switch to one sustainable, reusable coffee mug. So for this year’s #GreenGathering, Meu Copo Eco are kindly providing every single one of our attendees with reusable, eco-friendly coffee cups. If each individual keeps their cup, we can save an incredible amount of collective waste from being produced during the event!

3. Plant Some Trees

For this year’s Global Gathering we’ve partnered up with waste management company Ejesan. Their team will be at the event planting a tree on behalf of every person attending, amounting to over 100 new trees in Pachuca, an environmentally protected area of Brazil. Planting trees hugely benefits the planet by reducing harmful air pollutants, cooling our cities, and reducing the risk of flooding. Check out this article to learn more about how trees make a difference!

4. Donate To Renewable Energies

There’s no denying the carbon emissions that will be produced through air travel as our changemakers travel to Brazil, so we’re challenging our attendees to use Atmosfair to offset their carbon footprints. This organization asks airline passengers to make voluntary climate protection payments based on the amount of emissions they create; and uses these contributions to develop renewable energies to save CO₂ that would otherwise be created by fossil fuels!

Floripa Week 2019

This year’s Global Gathering is full of firsts, being held in Brazil for the first time ever and also opening its doors to the public with the first-ever Global Social Innovation Festival organized by Brazilian Impact Hubs! Check out the three key events that will make up #FloripaWeek2019:

The Strategy Retreat (8-11 April)

We’re kicking off #FloripaWeek2019 with the Strategy Retreat, which provides local Impact Hub leaders the space in which to voice their opinions, advance our progress towards the collective agenda, and make global decisions. After all, if we don’t check in with each other as a network from time to time, how can we work effectively together to achieve the common good? The Strategy Retreat will result in an outline of what an impactful future looks like for all of us, and most importantly – how we can get there together.

The Makers Festival (12-13 April)

This is an event for the network’s dedicated Makers (what we in the community call employees of Impact Hubs all over the world). Through different sessions over the course of 2 days, our Makers will learn how to improve their pitches, foster impact investment, up their marketing game, develop and retain talent, and activate their real estate – among many other valuable skills – all in the name of impact.

The Global Social Innovation Festival (14 April)

As we want to leave a legacy for Florianopolis and for Brazil, we are opening our doors to the public in 2019 with the Global Social Innovation Festival! With workshops, lightning talks and panels on the most varied topics under the umbrella of social innovation, this day will close #FloripaWeek2019 on a high note.

Join The Conversation

To get a glimpse into the Global Gathering this year, follow our updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, subscribe to our Global Newsletter in time for a recap of what went down, and join the conversation with the hashtags #FloripaWeek2019 and #GreenGathering!

#FloripaWeek2019 contributes to the following SDGs: