Creating Sustainable Events

Conference events play an important role in community development but there is an inherent environmental cost associated with professional meetings. In an effort to be responsible global citizens, we are taking some steps to minimize the ecological impact associated with SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2020 in Yokohama.

Sustainable Conferences

Sustainable Meeting Practices:

We are working with the convention facility to minimize plastic waste by using reusable, recyclable, and compostable resources wherever feasible. The recycling and disposal services in Japan are well-equipped to support this goal.

Carbon Offsets:

SPIE is launching a carbon offset program through Carbonfund.org to support conservation and reforestation in the Amazon rainforest. We have made an initial investment of $15,000, based upon Carbonfund's calculations, to neutralize the carbon footprint from air travel for the entire anticipated meeting attendance. We are also providing individuals and companies an opportunity to contribute to the fund as part of registration and/or exhibition sponsorship.

Presentation Recordings:

With author permission, presentations will be recorded during the symposium and made available on the SPIE Digital Library within 3-4 weeks after the event. People with Digital Library access will be able to view conference content after the meeting.

We will continue to look for ways to keep the astronomical engineering community connected, sharing information, and learning together. We will also do our best to minimize and/or offset the environmental impact of in-person conferences so the community can continue to gather in a collaborative, inclusive, and environmentally conscious meeting environment. We welcome your input on this plan, as well as any suggestions for future enhancements.