1. GREENING YOUR EVENTS Ali Vandercook, Anoka County Recycling Program Assistant

2. Why? A lot of waste can be generated at events of any size, but with careful planning you can make your event low or no-waste. Benefits Economic In Minnesota, the recycling industry creates more than 37,000 jobs and creates $3.48 billion in gross economic activity every year. Environmental Each ton of paper recycled saves 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4,000 kilowatts of energy, and 7,000 gallons of water. Social

3. What Types Of Events Can “Go Green?” Trick Question: Every Event! – This includes birthday parties, family gatherings, meetings, weddings, special occasions, and the list goes on!

4. What Products Or Utensils Are You Using? VS. Reusable instead of disposable! If unable, compostable products if possible.

5. Consider Packaging Waste VS.

6. What is Compostable at an Event? All Food Scraps Tea Bags and Coffee Grounds Wooden Skewers or Popsicle Sticks BPI Certified Compostable Products – Compostable Plastic Cups, Straws, Utensils Non-Recyclable Paper – Napkins & Paper Towels – Paper Plates, Cups & Bowls Anoka County Organics Container Event Signage

7. BPI Certification Logo “Biodegradable” does not always mean“compostable” Not all plastics made from plants are compostable Certified Compostable Products must have this logo stamped on the product and/or the original packaging

8. Consistent Products: Avoid Different Products At Same Event

9. How Will Waste Be Handled? Collection of Material – Is collection service available for recycling and/or composting? Assess location in advance Containers – Are there containers on site for specific type of waste you are looking to collect? If not, reserve them for free from your county!

10. “Waste Stations” And Monitoring Very Important to Reduce Contamination -Always place recycling, composting and trash recepticles together to form a “waste station” -Volunteers at stations if larger event

11. Signage This includes on containers, carts, and dumpsters!

12. Don’t Forget About Back Of House Waste Collection! What will you do with the food waste created in food preparation? – Small event: Backyard bin or drop-off site available? If vendors at event that have food waste, provide with a container for organics, or a compostable bag for smaller volumes, to keep with them – Pizza boxes, coffee grounds, fruit waste, and corn husks are common

13. Event Tips Determine who is in charge of what Place stations in areas of high volume and make highly visible and convenient Realize less is more when it comes to containers-unless you want more work! If outdoors: – Account for weather: could be rain, high winds cause things to blow away – May not be possible to set-up until the day of event so allow plenty of time

14. So next time you’re planning an event, consider… Food Guidelines – What will food be served and eaten in? How else can you avoid creating waste? Recycling and Food Waste – How will the waste be collected effectively and transported appropriately? General Waste Reduction – What other things can my event do to reduce waste and be more “green”?

15. Reduce the Waste Your Event Generates- It Matters! Questions? Ali Vandercook Anoka County Recycling Program Assistant 763-323-5763 ali.vandercook@co.anoka.mn.us