The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) is reinforcing its commitment to sustainability with the release of their first Sustainable Event Impact Assessment. This comprehensive analysis examined the environmental and social impacts of ASLA's 2022 Conference on Landscape Architecture in San Francisco.

The assessment provides a crucial baseline for measuring energy usage, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste generation. ASLA aims to use this data to improve their environmental and social contributions to each annual conference. The report also highlighted the steps ASLA has already taken, such as making the conference more accessible, donating expo materials to Habitat for Humanity, and actively supporting host communities. The ASLA intends to use the data from this report in planning for their upcoming 2023 Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

 
The Sustainable Event Impact Assessment, developed in collaboration with Honeycomb Strategies, revealed key findings from the 2022 Conference:

0.51 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions released per attendee, which they explain as roughly equivalent to driving 1,250 miles in a gasoline-powered car.

6.2 pounds of waste generated per attendee. According to the ASLA this figure is less than the national average of 19.6 pounds over four days.

12.75 kilowatt hours of electricity used per attendee, which is described as lower than the average American residence's consumption during a full day.

ASLA's environmentally conscious procurement decisions and sustainability measures played a significant role in these outcomes. For instance, the 2022 Conference was hosted at the Moscone Center, powered entirely by renewable hydropower and rooftop solar. Moreover, ASLA donated 49,500 tons of expo materials to Habitat for Humanity and offered more than 900 students free attendance in exchange for volunteering.

https://www.asla.org/NewsReleaseDetails.aspx?id=64287