Skift Take
Creating fully carbon-neutral trade shows may still be a mirage, but exhibitors wanting to cut their carbon emissions can now realistically do so. Here is one example of how to be a green exhibitor.
Unravel Carbon, a software company that builds carbon reporting tools, not only talks the talk when it comes to sustainability, but it walks the walk. When the company exhibited at the Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF), it not only wanted its trade show booth to look green, but it had to be green. The result was the Unravel Carbon Net Zero Booth.
SFF was held at the Singapore EXPO, that brings together the global FinTech community. Last year’s FinTech festival has more than 62,000 participants from 115 countries.
“As the official decarbonization partner for the Singapore FinTech Festival, we wanted to walk the talk and show what’s possible with data-driven decisions. The amount of waste produced at events is massive, but it doesn’t need to be that way. Our net zero booth is an example of that. The level of interest that it received at the event went beyond our expectations. We hope it will help create a movement in the MICE industry toward more sustainable practices,” said Grace Sai, co-founder of Unravel.
Net-Zero Features
- Reusable and easily-to-dismount booth panels made from agricultural residues.
- Recyclable vinyl-free decals used for decorating the booth.
- Reusable signage made from paper and bioplastic resin.
- Carpet free.
- Paperless. Digital business cards replaced paper ones.
- Staff used carpooling or public transit.
- High-quality verified offsets accounted for the remaining carbon emissions.
These measures helped the company cut carbon emissions by 40 percent.
“Getting to net zero didn’t just stop at the materials used to build our booth but also required us to think about emissions from the upstream and downstream transport of the materials, waste generated at our booth, and also the business travel of employees to get to the conference venue,” said Qiyun Woo, sustainability consultant at Unravel Carbon.
Sustainable Partners
reXtore, a Singapore-based interior design company focused on decarbonization and reducing waste, also helped create the booth. “Working with Unravel Carbon, we wanted to create a net zero booth without compromising on style and function. We achieved this by using eco-friendly materials and making deliberate choices to reduce energy consumption. After the event, we unclipped all the boards and returned them to the warehouse for their next mission. It’s a truly circular system that creates zero waste which we’re now helping other events adopt,” said reXtore co-founder Chris Morriss.
The booth featured a coffee service provided by Bettr, an impact-driven specialty coffee company that used composting to dispose of paper cups and coffee grounds.
Also involved were SaladStop!, a sustainable food company, and CARIUMA, a sustainable sneakers company from Brazil.
Photo credit: Unravel / Carbon
