Environment and Sustainability
Protecting the Environment is one of Rotary’s areas of focus, and we are committed to supporting activities that strengthen the conservation and protection of natural resources, advance ecological sustainability, and foster harmony between communities and the environment.
As such, we are working hard to include programming to educate our participants about the environment and sustainability and how that intersects with other areas of focus, like providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene and saving mothers and children. General session programming is in development. Breakout sessions will be offered on sustainability topics, including:
- Saving Endangered Species from Mountains to Marine
- Community Action for Fresh Water
- Net Zero Now
- Learn How Rotary can be Carbon Neutral by 2040
- Creating Hope to End Plastic Soup in the World
We are also making conscious choices in planning the convention:
- Minimizing shuttle transportation and using the public transportation system, which includes MRT (trains) and buses, to transport participants from their hotels to the Sands Expo and Convention Centre. All full convention registrants will receive a souvenir transit card loaded with credit to support this effort. Attendees will be able to add value to their cards at MRT Stations.
- Improving the convention mobile app to provide current schedules, locations, and updates to keep convention participants in the know and digitizing the printed programs and transportation guides
- Incorporating plant-based and meatless options into menus
- Providing water coolers around the venue to minimize single-use plastics
- Increasing the use of digital tools to distribute information and minimizing paper in the breakouts and the House of Friendship
- Digital signage throughout the Sands Expo reduces printing of one-use signs
- Actively repurposing banners and signage. Rotary also upcycles used banners into tote bags and other items sold in our Rotary Shop.
We are proud to be hosting the convention in a city where sustainability is a priority and at a venue deeply committed to the environment and sustainable practices. The Sands Expo and Convention Centre is proud to be certified triple platinum by leading industry bodies, including the Building and Construction Authority, the U.S. Green Building Council, and the Events Industry Council, in addition to being an ISO20121 Event Sustainability Management certified venue. It is also Singapore’s first carbon-neutral event venue, with 100% of electricity offset by investment in Renewable Energy Certificates generated from rooftop solar arrays in Singapore. Learn more about their numerous efforts and achievements.
Singapore as a city continuously works to be a truly sustainable event destination in alignment with the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals by collaborating with industry partners to develop and implement goals and track progress. Learn more about Singapore as a sustainable destination.
What can you do?
Learn more about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Consider your choices through an environmental sustainability lens:
- Plan to use public or shared transportation, walk, or cycle. MRT has sustainable and accessible options that will minimize the carbon footprint of your travel.
- Consider choosing a meatless or plant-rich diet for one day or one meal each day.
- Carry a water bottle to refill at our filling stations. Bring a reusable straw to eliminate the use of plastic or paper straws.
Using your preferred carbon footprint calculator, calculate the carbon footprint of your travel to and from the convention, and donate to The Rotary Foundation with a gift to the Annual Fund environment area of focus. Every dollar donated will help fund Rotary’s member-led environmental grants.
Together, we can work to protect and restore our environment.