Green Event Guide

Student entry-plastic bottle stools and table

Rethink! Thoughtful and inventive planning can save time, money and resources. Here are some of the ways that we have greened our event, along with ideas and resources for greening future events.

Trash
What would it take to host a trash-free event? Consider each potential trash item, and how it could be reduced or eliminated.

• Provide recycling bins for glass, plastics and cans, and compost bins for food scraps, paper towels, napkins, and paper plates and cups. Station a volunteer next to the recycling/compost bins to encourage attendees to dispose of items in the right bin.
• Provide a basket for people to drop off their nametag holders when they leave; reuse them at the next event.
• Purchase Biobags, compostable trash bags made from starch, for your trash cans and recycling bins. Available locally at the Health Food Center at SW 73rd and Penn http://shop.thehealthfoodcenter.net or from http://www.greenhome.com/

Food and Drinks

• Serve locally produced food and wine. Vegetarian, local, and organic foods (in that order) are the most earth-friendly options. http://www.oklahomafood.coop/ Farmers Market at OSU-OKC, http://www.osuokc.edu/farmersmarket, http://www.madeinoklahoma.net/
• Locally grown flowers are available from the Farmers Market, or local gardeners.
• Serving dishes and utensils:We chose to rent dishes, glasses, silverware and tablecloths for our event in order to avoid the trash usually produced at art openings. Rental source: Veazey’s http://www.billveazeyparty.com,
• Biodegradable cups and cutlery made from plants is another option, as long as there is a working plan for composting them.  Many home compost piles don’t heat up enough to completely compost some of these items. http://www.greenhome.com/ Or, serve finger foods and skip silverware entirely.
• Don’t even think about using Styrofoam! Paper cups are easy to compost and are made from a renewable resource. Unbleached and uncoated hot and cold cups are available at many stores, including Office Depot and Staples. Or mail order from http://www.greenhome.com/ Akins and the Health Food Center carry 100% recycled plastic plates and cups.
• Plastic water bottles are a recent and impressively non-sustainable phenomenon. Other options include providing tap water in pitchers (remember when everybody did that?), 5 gallon refillable water coolers, or filtered tap water. Encourage attendees to bring their own cups/bottles, or provide paper, bio-plastic or reusable cups.
• Paper Supplies and Cleaning Supplies: Office Depot, Staples, Sam’s, Akins and the Health Food Center all carry paper towels, napkins, and tissue with high recycled content. Akins and the Health Food Center also carry non-toxic cleaning supplies, as well as 100% recycled aluminum foil.

Paper and Printing

• Use email, websites, etc. for publicity. Provide online event registration.
• Use 100% post-consumer waste (pcw) recycled paper, printed with soy inks. Target is now carrying 100% pcw recycled paper; $5 ream for copy paper and $7 ream for color/laser paper. Kinkos has 100% recycled paper in stock and will use it for your printing IF you ask them specifically; they also sell it by the ream. Xpedx on 69th and N. May has higher quality (and priced) 100% pcw paper and envelopes, as well as Showcase brand 100% pcw recycled labels with recyclable adhesive. 30% pew paper is widely available. Staples offers recycling of your inks, toner and plastic bags. We used Heritage Printer, who printed our materials with recycled paper and soy inks.
• Reduce paper usage by creative means, such as self-fold letters that need no envelopes.

Transportation and Green Power

• Encourage attendees to walk, bike, bus or carpool. We did this by offering door prizes to those who arrived by alternative means. Find out which Metro bus routes service your location and include that information in your PR materials. http://www.gometro.org/
• Purchase carbon offsets to help reduce the carbon footprint from travel and energy use at the event. Compare offset providers with this free & independent web directory: http://www.CarbonCatalog.com
• The most efficient kilowatt is the one never used. Open windows and use fans instead of turning on the a/c. OG&E offers a wind power option.

Education
Publicize what you’re doing to “go green” in your PR materials, letters to sponsors, on your website and at the event itself.

Other Green Event Guides:
http://www.sustainable.org/information/SusEvent_2003.pdf
http://www.circleoflife.org/resources.php