Temperature control

• Avoiding energy-intensive appliances such as electric heaters lowers energy consumption and reduces CO₂ emissions.

• Carpets can be used to minimise energy consumption for heating: They keep the heat in the room.

• Draught excluders reduce heat loss and thus lower heating costs.

• Sealed doors and windows with curtains or draught excluders reduce the consumption of heating energy and keep the room temperature stable.

• If radiators are free-standing, the heat can circulate in the room. This in turn reduces the amount of heating required.

• The room temperature for office, test or storage rooms can be checked on a regular basis, for example by sustainability officers, to determine the maximum or minimum level required. The energy consumption can then be adjusted to requirements.

Biodiversity

• Landscapes, terraces, façades and green roofs are green corridors. They connect buildings with green spaces and promote local biodiversity.

• Green roofs promote the well-being of employees and local biodiversity.

• Green spaces with native plants in outdoor areas strengthen local biodiversity and promote the ecological balance.

City of Leipzig: Honig von den Leipziger Opern-Bienen

Light source

• Energy consumption can be significantly reduced by switching lights off in empty rooms. However, the requirements for escape and rescue routes must be complied with.

• LED lamps reduce power consumption and have a longer service life than conventional light sources.

• Warm white, dimmed and timed outdoor lighting protects the environment and promotes biodiversity.

• Energy consumption can be regulated automatically and efficiently using motion detectors and timers.

• Outdoor lighting that is not required can be switched off.

• Outdoor advertising that is illuminated but not needed during a certain period can be switched off. This reduces not only electricity consumption, but also light pollution.

• The use of energy-efficient lighting with warm colour temperatures (2400 to 3000K) helps save energy.

Goods transportation

• Express shipping is often not necessary when ordering goods. Switching to regular shipping means lower CO₂ emissions.

• Express delivery is often associated with high CO₂ emissions.

• Purchasing or borrowing from local suppliers instead of ordering from distant sources avoids transport costs and conserves resources.

• Many returns can be avoided with careful planning. This also reduces emissions, simply because there is no need for transportation.

• The use of (e-)cargo bikes or transport bikes enables more environmentally friendly and efficient transport.

• Shipping by bicycle courier significantly reduces the CO₂ emissions caused by transport.

• Limiting transport by car to what is necessary is helpful in the endeavour to reduce emissions and conserve resources.

• Choosing haulage services with low-emission fleets improves the carbon footprint of transport.

• Using ground-based transport for shipments within Europe compared to air freight minimises the environmental impact of transport.

• Organising intercontinental tours as sea freight instead of air freight significantly reduces CO₂ emissions.

• Scenographers and technicians might consider replicating stage sets on site. The emissions associated with transporting stage sets can be eliminated by using replicas.

• Logistics companies with fuel-efficient vehicles enable sustainable and efficient transport.

Accommodation

• With the consent of its guests, an event organiser may arrange for hosting by private individuals. This not only reduces travel costs and CO₂ emissions; it also requires fewer resources and less cleaning than hotels.

• Some accommodation may be reached on foot, by bike or by public transport. Where no cars are used, no CO₂ is emitted.

• Those who book EMAS-certified accommodation comply with high environmental standards and support sustainable travel.

Guest mobility

• For journeys lasting up to ten hours, taking the train significantly reduces CO₂ emissions.

• Especially within Germany and for journeys shorter than 600 km, avoiding flights makes a significant contribution to climate-friendly travel.

• If air travel is unavoidable, direct flights can reduce emissions and optimise travel times.

• Travelling can be avoided and emissions reduced by means of digital meetings and discussions.

• The organiser can make it easier for guests to get around in an environmentally friendly way with rental bikes or cooperation with local bike hire companies.

• If travel by taxi is the only option, for example due to accessibility issues, using an e-taxi is more environmentally friendly.

• Anyone who wishes to avoid travelling for one-off performances can combine the event with workshops or other residencies.

• Limiting car travel to what is strictly necessary reduces emissions and conserves resources.

• Information on the best cycle route makes it easier for guests to cycle to the venue in a safe and environmentally friendly manner.

• Detailed route descriptions and information on long-distance transport connections make getting there stress-free and sustainable.

• Organisers can select hotels based on whether they rent out bicycles. This also facilitates sustainable mobility.

• Information on apps from local transport associations helps guests to plan their journeys in an efficient and climate-friendly manner.

• Planning tools for guest trips and tours make it easier to arrange sustainable and resource-saving routes.

• Shorter journeys are created when several venues offer events concurrently when planning tours and guest performances. To achieve this, the venues need to be located in close proximity.

• Travelling can be avoided by pooling multiple meetings in one visit. Digital meetings are an alternative to on-site meetings.

• The incorporation of sustainability clauses or addendums into contracts
  with guests ensures commitment to environmental standards.

Audience mobility

• A mention of bicycle stands, for example on tickets, makes it easier for visitors to opt for an environmentally friendly journey.

• Communicating the best cycle routes makes travelling by bike safer and more convenient.

• Directions and information on long-distance transport connections help visitors plan their journey. This makes travelling to the event environmentally friendly and stress-free.

• Encouraging climate-friendly options increases the likelihood that visitors will use sustainable modes of transport. It can be easily included in event advertising.

• Asking visitors which mode of transport they are using raises their awareness of sustainable mobility.

• Incentives such as reduced entry fees or drinks vouchers as a “reward” for travelling by public transport make climate-friendly travel more attractive.

• Event tickets may also be used as public transport tickets in cooperation with transport service providers.

• Ideally, the venue or festival will support visitors in organising carpools or a shared journey. Carpooling reduces CO₂ emissions, as well as promoting interaction between visitors.

• A limited number of parking spaces makes the use of sustainable transport more attractive.

• Visitors can be informed via the apps of the local transport associations so that they can conveniently plan their journey by public transport.

• Offering shuttle services and carpooling makes it easier to opt for a more sustainable and flexible journey.

• Adapting event times to the timetables of local transport networks is particularly worthwhile in rural regions as it makes it easier for visitors to get to and from the event by public transport.

Employee mobility

• Flexible home office arrangements reduce commute times, saving time and reducing emissions.

• Scheduling meetings outside rush hour ensures a stress-free journey and reduces traffic at peak times.

• Employees with a company subscription for public transport benefit from sustainable mobility: it is more cost-effective.

• When venues and festivals encourage their teams to use public transport or bicycles, this significantly reduces CO₂ emissions from commuting.

• Information on providers of bikes for hire and initiatives to promote bicycle mobility make it easier to decide in favour of an environmentally friendly mobility option.

• Employees can quickly repair minor bicycle breakdowns themselves if they have a kit with repair items for bicycles “on board” or if these are offered at the workplace. This keeps them mobile in the long term.

• An e-bike charging station, covered bicycle parking spaces or bicycle stands make the switch to bicycles even more attractive and convenient.

• Company bicycles for meetings outside the office are a practical and environmentally friendly alternative to the car.

• Showers and changing rooms at the workplace establish the conditions for a fresh start to the working day after commuting by bike.

• Sustainability workshops can be held to raise awareness of low-carbon mobility among employees. Sustainable alternatives can be demonstrated here.

• Offering appropriately priced car parking spaces can encourage the switch to sustainable modes of transport.

Electrical devices

• Buying used or refurbished electrical appliances conserves resources and avoids electronic waste.

• The right choice of hob in relation to pot size significantly reduces energy consumption when cooking.

• Switching from old cast iron hobs – including mobile hobs – to modern induction or glass ceramic hobs conserves energy and conserves resources.

• Energy can be saved by making optimum use of the refrigerator volume and operating it at the lowest necessary cooling level.

• Switching off unused electrical appliances during theatre holidays, annual leave, for example, as well as at the end of the working day, avoids unnecessary power consumption and reduces energy costs.

• Energy consumption can be optimised by checking the number and utilisation of refrigerators on a regular basis. If some fridges are used efficiently or shared, other fridges can be dispensed with.

Waste

• Waste can be avoided and resources conserved by means of a labelled reusable system.

• Sustainable alternatives to aluminium and plastic exist. They reduce packaging waste and environmental impact.

• Avoiding capsule and pod coffee machines means no waste is produced and a more environmentally friendly coffee culture is promoted.

• Compostable packaging leads to significantly less plastic waste overall.

• If materials are reused as often as possible and then recycled, this reduces the consumption of raw materials and protects the environment.