Zero Waste Event Guide

Use these tips to hold events with minimal waste!

Marketing and Communications

Minimize print materials:

Promote your event in the Daily Blast, use emails, and campus digital boards to reduce or eliminate printed posters. Use social media to promote your event if students are involved. Email fliers and post them on social media instead of printing them. Eliminate the year on banners so they can be reused next year for annual events (e.g., “BBQ” instead of “BBQ 2024.” If possible, use electronic registration and programs instead of printed materials. You can include your zero waste goals or sustainability goals for the event in communications.

Event Decorations

Select reusable or recyclable signage and table covers. Minimize items such as disposables and balloons.

Equipment and Energy Usage

Choose local vendors or Dining Services to minimize transportation costs and carbon emissions. Use natural light during the day if possible (e.g., hold the event outside or in an atrium). Borrow a solar speaker from the sustainability office and connect to your cell phone!

Waste and Recycling

Provide the appropriate number of garbage, recycling, and compost bins for your event. Ask caterers to provide reusable dishes or compostable plates, cups, and utensils. Announce recycling/composting goals at event and point out where to recycle and compost to guests. Avoid ordering food in plastic or Styrofoam containers. Contact the Sustainability Office for composting options.

Food and Beverages and Serviceware

Ask attendees to RSVP to avoid over-ordering food and ask caterer to lower portion sizes to reduce food waste. Consider asking guests to bring Tupperware to take home extra food.

Service ware – Use as few disposable things as possible: Choose reusable plates, utensils, cups and packaging whenever possible. Alternatively, avoid plates and utensils altogether by choosing finger foods. If reusables are not an option, choose recyclable or compostable containers or minimally packaged goods instead.

Green Your Food – Ask catering for foods with less packaging or bulk items. Finger foods don’t require plates and utensils. Use locally grown seasonal produce, organ­ically grown foods, Fair Trade foods or beverages, vegetarian/vegan options. Ensure that condiments, sauces, spreads, chips, and other items are served in bulk to avoid unnecessary waste from individual wrapping and choose food platters over individually-packaged boxed meals.

Beverages – Provide a water station with fillable water pitchers and reusable mugs in lieu of individual bottles of water. Have a post-event plan for composting or donating usable leftovers.

Transportation

Encourage attendees to carpool, take the shuttle or use alternate transportation to get to campus. Consider public transportation schedules and peak travel times when scheduling the start and end times for your event. Let guests know they can offset their travel carbon at TerraPass Events calculator and Myclimate event calculator.

Swag

Provide useful or eco-friendly products as promotional products or giveaways such as reusable bags, BPA-free reusable water bottles, reusable utensil sets, lunch kits that can be used at the event to take extra food, etc. Purchase from local, handmade, plastic-free, or otherwise “green” vendors.