The City of Helsinki’s carbon footprint calculator will be launched at Sideways

The carbon footprint calculator is suitable for various types of events from outdoor events to virtual meetings. Its purpose is to help event organisers identify their sources of emissions. Identifying the main sources of emissions makes it easier to plan environmentally friendlier events.

“Many travellers want to reduce their carbon footprint, and research shows that they are increasingly interested in the sustainability of events. The carbon issue is an important part of sustainable travelling, and the calculator is a practical tool for event organisers,” says Team Lead Pirita Kuikka from the City of Helsinki.

Aiming to be the world’s most sustainable destination

Helsinki follows a tourism and events action programme which has been drafted for 2022–2026. The action plan has set environmental sustainability and carbon neutrality as developmental priorities, and Helsinki sees the sustainability of tourism and events as a good differentiator and competitive factor. Helsinki aims to be the world’s most sustainable destination. The deployment of the carbon footprint calculator plays its own important role.

The carbon footprint calculator describes the impact of events on global warming. The impact is measured by the creation of greenhouse gas emissions, the most significant of which are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. The calculator calculates the carbon footprint with the help of six sectors, which have been identified as the most significant emission factors. The sectors are traffic and transport, energy consumption, food, waste, procurement and accommodation. Sitowise Oy is responsible for implementing the calculator on the basis of principles of life cycle assessment and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol guidelines.

Sideways Festival wants to be an example of sustainable event organisation

The three-day Sideways Festival will kick-start the festival summer in Helsinki near Helsinki Ice Hall. The main acts of the festival’s wide selection of artists include Interpol, Phoenix, Fever Ray, Paperi T and Anna Puu. Alongside music, Sideways will also include house parties, Japanese arcade games, karaoke and workshops. The icing on the cake is the high-quality food and drink selection.

“The calculator is important for Sideways as it enables us to calculate our impact on the environment. With it, we can find factors that increase our carbon footprint unnecessarily and remove them in the future. This way, we can make our event even more sustainable and environmentally friendlier,” says Production Manager Mikael Neves from Sideways.

Last year, Sideways broke its record for the number of visitors at the festival with more than 26,000 people in attendance. The diverse Sideways Festival is an excellent opportunity to experience the best sides of Helsinki in one weekend. The City of Helsinki is a partner of the event.