NAVC Cares

As hosts of the largest gathering of global leaders in veterinary medicine, the NAVC is dedicated to improving event sustainability and social responsibility. Our efforts reflect our dedication to making a positive impact on the planet and in our community. While we know that the NAVC has helped the veterinary community make significant contributions to society by protecting both animal and human health, ensuring food safety, and supporting biomedical research and development, we wanted to add a strong sustainability component to our annual conference, VMX, and other events that we host throughout the year.

With careful planning, effort and time, our exhibitors, event partners and hosts are doing so much to support our sustainability and social responsibility mission.

It is important to us that our events are environmentally sustainable and socially impactful, but we can't do it without

How Can YOU Support Sustainability at VMX?

You won’t need to go out of your way to be sustainable and socially responsible at VMX. Here are some easy ways you can make an individual impact on the event’s sustainability and social responsibility efforts.

When Traveling To and From VMX

If You Are Driving to Orlando:

If possible, carpool with colleagues who are also attending VMX. According to Sustainable Travel International, the carbon footprint of a single person making a 200-mile car trip is 120 pounds of CO₂e. If that driver takes three passengers, the pounds of CO₂e emitted per passenger is reduced to 30!
When it’s feasible, choose the most fuel-efficient vehicle, such as an electric or hybrid car.
Other things that can reduce your carbon footprint while on the road: Use cruise control, avoid idling, make sure the vehicle’s tires are inflated properly and replace the air filter if needed.

If You Are Flying to Orlando:

Take direct flights from your home destination whenever possible. Nonstop air travel is better because takeoffs and landings are fuel-intensive phases of the flight that consume a significant portion of the total fuel used.
Take public transit to/from your home airport.
Pack light. Less luggage means less fuel is required to transport it.
If possible, choose airlines that use sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs)—an increasing number of airlines are using these lower-carbon alternative fuels. SAFs are produced from sustainable feedstocks, including waste oils, fats, municipal solid waste, cellulosic waste and energy crops.

Tips for Both Car and Air Travelers:

Pack reusable items, such as water bottles, straws, utensils, shopping bags and food storage containers to reduce waste.
Look for recycling bins in the airport or at rest stops to dispose of recyclable items.
When purchasing food or other necessities, decline single-use items when offered, such as plastic drinking straws and bags.

While Attending VMX

Did you know that every minute, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature says that a dump truck load of plastic waste is emptied into the planet’s oceans? You can do your part to reduce this waste by bringing a refillable bottle and insulated coffee/tea mug to VMX. We provide water fountains with built-in bottle-filling capabilities and coffee/tea break areas where you can refill your mug for free. You’ll save money and time, too!
Recycling reduces waste and promotes conservation of resources. At VMX, recycling bins are clearly labeled and always near waste bins.
Walk or use our shuttle service to VMX event locations and host hotels. Once you register for VMX, you’ll receive a notification about downloading the VMX events app, which will have the shuttle map and route information.
Take only what you need while eating at the conference. By eliminating food waste, you reduce carbon emissions associated with food production.
Recycle your name badge/lanyard at the end of the conference.

While in Your Hotel

At check-in, decline daily guest room housekeeping. Follow your hotel’s linen re-use program. These initiatives help hotels conserve water and energy, use fewer chemicals that are found in cleaning products, and lower waste generation and pollution.
Be energy smart. Turn off lights, air conditioning and all electronics, including unplugging chargers, when leaving your hotel room.
Take shorter showers—heating water uses a lot of energy, often from fossil fuels, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

While Out and About in Orlando and Around the OCCC

Use alternative transportation to get to restaurants, shopping and local attractions. Many restaurants are within walking distance of the OCCC. The City of Orlando has implemented the HOPR bike share program, with hundreds of dockless bikes available throughout the area, including near the Civic Center.
Use a reusable tote when shopping.

Thank you to our generous sponsor of our NAVC Cares Sustainability efforts:

What is the NAVC doing to support sustainability?

Reusing show site materials for 3 or more years.
Switched to recycled and recyclable materials for signage and builds at the VMX 2024 event that are not reusable.
Replacing printed signage with digital signage where possible.
VMX signage recycled to make pouches and tote bags to sell at SHOP NAVC and to donate to schools.
VMX postcard mailers printed on recycled paper.
Placing recycling bins around the Expo Hall.
Launched a Sustainability HUB at VMX 2024 that included:
Waste Sorting Stations
Sustainability pledge opportunities for exhibitors and attendees
Live Sustainability Art Demonstration/Experience

Expo Sustainability

Our trade show, exhibit and event partner, Freeman has a commitment to net zero carbon by 2050, and by 2023 to reduce GHG emissions by 50%. With both an ISO 14001 and ISO 20121 certification, Freeman can help exhibitors implement sustainable offerings while at VMX.

We invite our exhibitors to join our sustainability pledge to take simple actions that can have a big impact when we join together. These actions include:

waste reduction
water and energy conservation
sustainable procurement

Convention Sustainability

Our VMX host location, the Orange County Convention Center has demonstrated industry and community leadership by pioneering pathways for large venues to achieve continuously improving levels of sustainability stewardship.

Walkability and mobility allows attendees to avoid emissions from gas-powered vehicles
Pedestrian bridges connected to surrounding hotels help attendees safely avoid ground vehicle traffic
Visitors may access buses, trolleys and shuttles for travel around the VMX campus and to neighboring restaurants, shops and attractions
In partnership with Sodexo Live!, the OCCC's circular food program provides local and socially impactful produce and food options
• 81 indoor aeroponic grow towers produce over 50,000 lettuces and herbs annually
• The OCCC contributes regularly to local hunger-relief organizations like Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and Orlando Union Rescue Mission
Renewable energy and building efficiency reduce the carbon impact of VMX
• Rooftop solar farm and five on-the-ground solar arrays offset an average of 100 kWh of energy use per month
• Natural lighting from floor-to-ceiling windows and LED lighting conserves energy around the convention center
• Escalators and moving walkways are powered off outside event hours and lighting is reduced during show move-in and move-out
Water use reduced
• 100% reclaimed water used to irrigate the 400-acre campus
Environmental waste footprint reduced
• 575 outdoor and indoor landfill & recycling receptacles, made with recycled plastic, allow easy recycling for visitors
Multiple water fountains with built-in bottle-filling capabilities allow attendees to eliminate single-use water vessel options.

The NAVC, Our Community and the Planet Thank YOU!

We hope you join us in our commitment to putting action behind our mission to encourage sustainability and social responsibility at VMX and all our NAVC events, so one final tip: Encourage and inspire the attendees you are traveling with or meet to adopt similar behaviors!

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