Green Events Certification

1. Green Events Certification

2. The Goals of a Green Event • For your event specifically • Near Zero Waste and low environmental impact • Translate what you learn into how you live your daily life • Demonstrate your organization’s commitment to sustainability For the Carolina Green program Promote sustainability throughout campus UNC Carbon Neutrality by 2050 Demonstrate top sustainable practices

3. Green Events Checklist

4. Point Structure Two Credits 1. Fundamental 2. Champion Event Shade Grades Light Green: 100% Fundamentals Medium Green: 100% Fundamentals + 25% Champion Dark Green: 100% Fundamentals + 50% Champion

5. 1. Venue

6. Venue • Fundamental • Choose a destination that requires minimal travel for attendees • Reduce energy usage: • Turn off equipment when not in use (including lights) • Set thermostat to appropriate temperature • Monitor and reduce water use whenever possible • For outdoor events: monitor litter and liquid spills. Ensure that pollutants do not enter storm drains.

7. Venue • Champion • Host at a venue which uses environmentally friendly products and promote these features • Low-flow flush toilets • Captured rainwater for irrigation and toilets • Renewable energy uses • Energy-efficient appliances and electronics • Recycled-content building supplies • Hold the event outside or use daylighting/natural lighting when possible • Use nontoxic, environmentally friendly cleaning products

8. 2. Transportation

9. Transportation Fundamental Display transit links prominently on the event’s website and other publicity materials The chosen venue has access to safe, secure, and visible bike parking

10. Transportation Champion The event gives attendees incentives to travel via bicycle, public transit or carpool Low-emission vehicles are in use for internal operations Teleconference to reduce transportation costs and impacts Travel Offsets for attendees

11. 3. Communication

12. Communication • Fundamental: Signage & Promotional Material • Electronic advertising! • Reusable signs and banners for recurring events (print without dates or use inserts) • Other signage made from recycled content & recyclable materials • Use public signage to minimize individual printing • When Printing: • Use at least 30% post-consumer recycled content • List the amount of recycled content on all printed materials • Use double-sided copying and printing when possible • Use newspaper, organizational newsletters or radio rather than a direct mail publicity campaign

13. Communication • Fundamental: Get the word out! • Attendees • Green Event info on promotional material • Announcement and signage at the event • Internal Communication • tell everyone involved that you are going green! Champion Reuse one-sided printed materials for internal printing Use soy or vegetable-based inks Electronic ticketing Green Features section on website Avoid direct mailings; use postcards if necessary.

14. 4. Food and Beverage

15. Food and Beverage Fundamental • Provide healthy options • Feature 25-50% of food items that are one or more of the following: • Locally grown and seasonal • Organic • Fair trade • 25-50% vegetarian meal selections • 25-50% of seafood is environmentally friendly • Local, organic, and fair trade food is labeled

16. Food and Beverage • Champion • Feature 50-100% of food items that are one or more of the following: • Locally grown and seasonal • Organic • Fair trade • 50-100% vegetarian meal selections • 50-100% of seafood is environmentally friendly

17. 5. Waste Reduction & Purchasing

18. Waste Reduction & Purchasing Fundamental All event materials must be reusable, recyclable, or compostable-- this includes dishes, cups, utensils, napkins, serving bowls, and linens Meals, snacks, and condiments are served in bulk (no individual wrappers) Work with caterers and vendors to correctly portion meal size and number Examine event needs to reduce or replace wasteful products Use reusable decorations and centerpieces

19. Waste Reduction & Purchasing Fundamental Contact OWRR to use compost and recycling bins Recycling, compost, and trash bins are placed together and staffed if needed Disposal methods are announced to attendees Purchase recycled content products when applicable Champion All reusable dishes, cups, utensils, napkins, linens, and other items Purchasing and waste disposal guidelines are included in vendor contracts Donate leftover food to local food bank or soup kitchen Borrow or buy used instead of buying new Donate, repurpose or upcycle unwanted materials

20. Rethinking Waste

21. Waste Reduction: Composting & Recycling

22. Composting 101 • Compost “is the product resulting from the controlled decomposition of organic material that has been sanitized through the generation of heat and stabilized to the point that it is beneficial to plant growth.” • US Composting Council Carbon + Nitrogen + Air + Water = Compost “Fun” Fact: 35% of the garbage (i.e. food, yard waste, paper) in landfills could have been composted – that’s 60 million tons!

23. Composting 101 COMPOSTABLE NOT COMPOSTABLE

24. Composting 101 COMPOSTABLE NOT COMPOSTABLE

26. Composting Biodegradable ≠ Compostable 100% Compostable* ASTM D6400 ASTM D6868 *in a commercial composting facility NOTE: Contamination of compost will end up in the soil-- so it is important to staff composting sites with volunteers at all times

27. Recycling 101 Recycling 101

28. Plastic Bottles

29. Non-bottle shaped Plastics Non-bottle Shaped Plastics

30. Metal Metal

31. Glass Glass

32. Mixed Paper Mixed Paper

33. Corrugated Cardboard Corrugated Cardboard

34. Waste Reduction: Purchasing

35. Purchasing Recyclable or Compostable Items Reusable Items

36. Purchasing

37. Purchasing

38. Purchasing: Close the Loop The OTHER 3 R’s… Do you close the Loop? Recycle Diversion & collection of usable material Re-buy Buy products made with recycled content Remanufacture Use recyclable material in making items people use

39. Green Giveaways • Recycled Content – close the loop! • Reusable (and useful) • Energy Efficient • Organic, Local, Fair Trade • Gifts of experience

40. Cost Comparison www.staples.com/sustainableearth

41. Resources Compostable Products Ecoware (www.ecowareproducts.com) Birchware (www.birchware.com) EcoProducts (http://www.ecoproducts.com/) World Centric (worldcentric.org) Green Products TS Designs T-Shirts (tsdesigns.com) Twig (www.twigliving.com) Ten Thousand Villages (http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/) NC Craft Gallery (http://www.nccraftsgallery.com/)

42. The Outcome

43. Innovation Points • Service Component • Community Involvement • Health & Wellness • Education • Other Environmental Elements • Carbon neutrality • Alternative energy

44. Steps to Greening Your Event Visit go.unc.edu/GreenEvents Fill out the Green Event Checklist OWRR will review checklist and assign Green Shade Grade OWRR will contact you to determine event needs and logistics Follow the guidelines throughout the event Your event will be Carolina Green!

45. Initial Tips Initial Tips Think local, organic and fair Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Think about ways to engage attendees & vendors Contact OWRR during the planning process

46. Questions?

47. Congratulations! You’re trained to host Carolina Green certified events.

48. OWRR Resources http://www.wastereduction.unc.edu/