Events are an integral part of the Emerson experience and there are many ways to make them more sustainable! To obtain permission to use the Green Emerson Event seal when advertising your event, we ask that you commit to at least nine of the following twelve best practices. Also remember, Emerson is committed to a plastic water bottle free campus!
Best Practices
Before the event:
- Promote your event digitally and use fewer than ten sheets of paper for publicity.
- Ask that attendees bring their own mug for coffee/tea, bottle for water, and/or utensils to reduce the need for single-use products.
- Make sure there are recycling and compost bins in the room and that they are next to the trash bins. If your space does not have a compost bin, reach out to sustainability [at] emerson.edu (sustainability[at]emerson[dot]edu) to request one.
- Require an RSVP for your event so that you can purchase just the right amount of food and book a space that is the right size for the group.
During the event:
- Make your event zero waste by diverting at least 90 percent of the waste from your event from the trash stream through recycling and composting. You can improve waste diversion by making an announcement about sorting waste properly, stationing a staff member near the bins, or posting signage. Reach out to sustainability [at] emerson.edu if you need help.
- Serve only vegetarian food. Even better, serve vegan food! Review a list of restaurants and sample orders for your reference.
- Opt for buffet style catering instead of boxed meals and opt out of plastic utensils and individually wrapped items.
- Go fully digital at the event by refraining from printing agendas and other materials.
- Refrain from providing “swag”/giveaways at the event. (Helpful hint: If you must provide a giveaway, consider referring to PLAN’s Hierarchical Ethical Guide to Swag.)
- If using decor, use decor that can be reused for other events
After the event:
- Assign a member of your team to turn off all lights and equipment after the event.
- Donate any leftover materials, including food and decorations, instead of throwing them away. If you need help figuring out where to donate items, please contact sustainability [at] emerson.edu (sustainability[at]emerson[dot]edu).
To get your event certified, fill out this form and the sustainability office will reach out to you.
