Somehow, some way attendees of your in-person meetings and events have to get to your venue - the majority probably preferring to drive in their own cars. But every car on the road that's coming to your meeting contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and thus, air pollution and climate change.
When attendees live close together or along the same route, the midfielder of the Green Squad, #6 Car Pool, is one of the best players to bring more than just environmental benefits.
For attendees, the benefits of car pooling are two-fold. First, the cost of fuel can be shared, so the ride is cheaper for everyone. Secondly, it's a more social option, where business can be discussed and relationships can begin, even before reaching your meeting.
For planners, here are three ways to facilitate easy carpooling for your next meeting:
- Start talking about carpooling from the very first communications with participants. State the benefits of carpooling clearly. Ask participants to note in their registration form if they are interested in carpooling so that you can begin to facilitate matching drivers and riders.
- Connect members who live close together to help facilitate their travel together. Create a Facebook group where drivers can find a car pooling partner. Consider offering an incentive for attendees who travel together, such as free parking or a special welcome beverage.
- In the Netherlands, www.samenrijden.nl is a platform where you can offer or search for shared car rides. In the US, websites like this exist on a city-by-city basis. These sites are linked to multiple social networks, so you even get a picture of those who are offering rides. Planners can create their own page for their events where your attendees can set their cars as available to others.
Car Pool: It's easier (and more fun) than you think!
Read more: The Green Team: 11 Sustainable Measures for Each Event
Source: GMIC
