How can we reduce conference venues' use of single-use plastics?

Abstract

Society-level discourse on single-use plastics (SUPs) increases awareness of their negative environmental impacts and reduces their usage by environmentally aware individuals, firms, and governments. This article makes a unique and timely contribution to the literature by exploring why conference venues have not been proactive in reducing their usage of SUPs. Application of a questionnaire approach to collect primary data about venues’ attitudes and practices towards their level and reduction in usage of SUPs reveals that although venues claim to be motivated to reduce delegates’ use of SUPs, they state that excessive costs inhibit their ability to do so, and that legal and government regulations have the strongest influence on their use of SUPs. Our findings provide a frame of reference and an order of policy priority to ensure SUPs reduction by venues