Zero waste refers to diverting all non-hazardous waste away from landfills by reducing, reusing, recycling, upcycling, and composting. An event is considered zero waste if it diverts more than 90% of its waste away from landfills. These events are beneficial for the environment, can be more cost-effective, and serve as an inspiration both for other organizations and for other people.
Every event will be different in terms of the steps needed to make it zero waste. The key to hosting a zero waste event is to be detail-oriented. It is crucial to think through each phase of the event planning to deduce whether it will create waste and how to negate that waste. This guide is meant to help you think through your next event and take the necessary initiatives to make it zero waste!
Why is hosting a Zero Waste Event Worth My Time?
Trash is a part of most of our daily lives. When it is picked up from your doorstep, it eventually makes its way to a landfill. There, as the matter breaks down, toxins leach into the soil and groundwater, causing detriment to the surrounding ecosystems and local communities. Organic waste, that could otherwise be composted, releases large amounts of methane into the atmosphere, a potent greenhouse gas. By recycling or composting your waste it reduces the need for extraction of new materials for products, it uses the materials already created! This ultimately conserves resources and reduces emissions.
Steps to Zero Waste for Large Events
A larger event, such as an event you host for members of the larger community, requires a lot of effort. Planning a zero waste event requires even more intentional effort. Utilize this checklist alongside these steps to help yourself plan a zero waste event.
- Designate a person on the event planning committee to plan the zero waste aspects of the event. This will keep the zero waste effort on track and ensure that no details are left out.
- Set goals for your event. It may not be realistic to commit to 100% zero waste, especially for your first event. Instead, set goals that you can measure, such as tracking the number of bags of waste diverted from landfills.
- Choose a venue that is capable of meeting your goals for zero waste.
- Look into the venue’s waste collection services to determine if they have composting and recycling capabilities. If they don’t have these services, you’ll have to contract those services through a vendor or figure out a way to work with the current collection service. You can rent zero waste disposal bins and other zero waste event supplies from services like this one.
- Think about how the venue space operates in relation to your goals. A venue that only has disposable utensils may not be the best place to host a zero waste event.
- Determine what materials you’ll need for your event and how to obtain reusable, recyclable, or compostable versions of them.
- If you need disposable eating utensils, only use BPI-certified compostable utensils. “Biodegradable” utensils are not the same as compostable utensils; they can’t be broken down in commercial composting centers.
- If you are planning on having handouts, consider using a QR code to link to an electronic version of the handout or printing it on recyclable material.
- If you are going to be utilizing electricity, consider how that energy will be sourced and how to draw it from a carbon neutral source or how to avoid using it altogether. If you require it, think about purchasing carbon offsets. You can find more on carbon offsets here and where to buy them here.
- Evaluate the supplies for the event and make substitutions to reduce the amount of waste. For example, bulk condiment bottles instead of individual condiment packets, reusable silverware over disposable silverware, or water distributors to eliminate plastic water bottles.
- Set up liquid disposal bins to ensure that liquids are poured out before containers are thrown away–this will make work easier for volunteers supervising the waste disposal process.
- Consider setting up an “I Don’t Know” bin for miscellaneous items that people may be unsure of where to dispose of them. This will reduce the amount of waste that people throw into incorrect bins.
- Get in touch with caterers or vendors to communicate that it’s a zero waste event; work with them to source the correct materials.
- Consider electronic communications and other e-marketing strategies to invite guests to the event or advertise for it. You can use evite services like Paperless Post, Eventbrite, or even Facebook.
- In your invitation, encourage attendees to help you reach your zero waste goals by bringing their own reusable mugs, water bottles, plateware or silverware, etc. to the event.
- Recruit volunteers to help supervise zero waste stations to ensure that items are being sorted properly into recycling or composting disposal bins.
- Prepare signage for the waste disposal stations that communicates clearly what belongs in each bin. Use images to illustrate examples, or even tape examples to the signs to help people understand what goes where! It can be very harmful to recycle incorrectly.
- Check for contamination before recycling or compost bags are tied up and disposed of. This will require sorting through the zero waste bins to look for items that aren’t where they belong.
- Donate leftover food from the event to a food pantry, church, or shelter afterward. This will cut down on food waste. Learn more about food waste, its harmful effects on the environment, how you can reduce your food waste, and compost here.
- Measure and celebrate your success! Determine the amount of waste you diverted from landfills, communicate your accomplishments with your event attendees, and give yourself a pat on the back!
Steps to Zero Waste for Small Events
A small event, like an event you’re planning for just members of your Humanist group, requires plenty of intention, but much less effort than a larger event. For these events, follow the same steps for large events, but use these tips to help tweak those steps to a smaller scale.
- Utilize backyard composting to dispose of food waste. Don’t compost meat, fish, fat, oils, grease, or compostable serviceware (napkins, silverware) in your home composting bin because they do not reach temperatures high enough to properly compost these items. Find out more about composting here.
- Make use of reusable silverware and dishware to serve food.
- Consider using paperless modes of advertisement, like online invitations, even if it’s for a small event.
- Ensure that you have an RSVP option for the online event invitation to create an accurate headcount for catering purposes to reduce food waste.
Share Your Story
One of the most important things you can do to fight climate change is also one of the simplest: talk about it! Research shows that discussing the climate crisis with family and friends reinforces that the problem is real and the science unequivocal. Yet, nearly two-thirds of Americans say they rarely or never have those conversations. Share with your friends, family, and other community members about how you took steps to make a zero waste event and the great benefits of it! Make sure to let your event’s attendants know that they are a part of a zero waste event and why it is important to centralize a zero waste approach with every action!
Let us know how you plan to make more sustainable life choices. Tell us what changes you will be making in the name of sustainability. Use the power of social media and personal conversation to share your progress and get others involved!
Sample Social Media Posts:
- “I just pledged to transition my events to zero waste. I learned more by using the #HEREforClimate Zero Waste Event Toolkit! Check it out and learn how you can make more sustainable choices and conserve Earth’s resources! [URL Link]”
- “We all have a personal responsibility to combat the global climate crisis and live more sustainably. Learn how you can take personal action with your events using the #HEREforClimate Zero Waste Event Toolkit!”
- “The #HEREforClimate Zero Waste Event Toolkit made me more aware of how my lifestyle can sometimes be wasteful. I just pledged to push for and host zero waste events to help reduce my carbon footprint! Find out what else you can do at #HEREforClimate!”