Organising Sustainable and Carbon-wise Events

Organising a Carbon-wise Event

“Organising a Carbon-wise Event” is an excellent guide to the planning and management of a sustainable orienteering event. It is based on the experience matured with the “Carbonwise Jukola” project, developed around the organisation of the 2023 edition of the famous Jukola relay, by a team that included the orienteering club OK Trian, development company Posintra Ltd., Aalto University and other companies and partners.

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The organisation of a sustainable event does not only contribute to mitigating climate change and protecting the environment, but also boosts the reputation of the sport, of the partners involved, of the host city and, ultimately, leads to economies of resources and to a positive effect on local businesses.

The reader will find in the book a wealth of information and suggestions that will prove useful for the organisation of events large and small. The book is useful for orienteering clubs but also to partners in the fields of mobility, accommodation, energy and water provisioning, waste management, as well as to municipal authorities and sponsors.

The emphasis is on timely planning, open communication, learning by doing, continuous improvement. Many tips and suggestions address common challenges and issues that may emerge along the way. Finally, a simple and clear guide to the calculation of carbon emission is provided in plain language, that makes the process logic understandable by non-professionals.

 

Sustainable orienteering events: Orienteering in harmony with nature

“Sustainable orienteering events: Orienteering in harmony with nature” is a concise but rich guide to the organisation of events with their sustainability as a core principle, in line with the IOF’s own fundamental values of a “sustainable, inclusive and ethical” sport.

We are grateful to the Czech Orienteering Federation, and to Matěj Burda in particular, for making this text available to all orienteers around the world.

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Sustainability is a concept that has entered the public discourse on the future of humanity in the last three decades. In plain words it means that we have a responsibility to deal with resources in a way that does not compromise the right of future generations to shape their own future. Knowledge, foresight, care, responsibility are the necessary ingredients of sustainability.

Orienteering is indeed already among the most sustainable sports, with almost no needs for permanent infrastructures, multiple re-use of materials, minimal impact on the natural environment. But that does not mean that further improvements are impossible or useless.

The mitigation of climate change, reductions in the use of resources, reuse or recycling of what we have to use, protection of the environment from waste and pollution are all areas in which we may adopt clever solutions without sacrificing the essence of our sport.

This text, the product of a collaboration of many experts coordinated by Matěj Burda, is an easy-to-read guide to the organisation of orienteering events with due consideration for their sustainability. It addresses mobility, by far the greatest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions for all sports, the use of materials, catering, waste management. You will also find suggestions to minimise the impact of orienteering events on wildlife and vegetation, useful for organisers and course setters; all solutions that are clearly described and easy to implement.

We are sure that you will appreciate and enjoy reading it!