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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Festival Network - Green Team Green Event Guide.pdf 1 3. shopping local 4. sustainable food choices 5. provision of tap water Whether you are organizing a large-scale festival, a one- off community event, or a neighborhood party, this guide is here to offer ideas, solutions, and resources to make your event a green one. Community events have a high profile. They can attract many residents and people from other communities. Committing to make an event green goes a long way toward showing that the environmental values we hold don’t end once we step out the front door. Events in our community range in size and are held in a variety of locations. Each has its own challenges and benefits and there is no “cookie cutter” solution to creating a green event. Luckily, there is a lot of infor- mation out there that can help you. With both small and large events, the main area to focus on is creating a waste management plan that reduces, reuses, and recycles the things that are brought onto your event site. You can also look at tackling: 1. energy manage- ment 2. green transporta- tion choices Why Go Green? Where Do I Start? 1. Make a Plan Read this guide, research what others have done to green their events and talk to them about the challenges and solutions they have worked out. Set your green goals. Don’t be afraid to start small, it will give you something to build on at future events. 2. Involve Stakeholders Meet with your stakeholders - these could include your fellow event planners, event owners, site owners, vendors and contractors - to let them know about your green event goals. Invite their input and advise them of any green expectations and requirements. 3. Train People Properly trained volunteers, exhibitors, and vendors are important to the overall success of greening your event. The largest job for green volunteers on event day will likely be to support zero waste at your event site. “The Community Festival Network celebrates the qualities of community that includes respect for our environment - fresh air, clean water, healthy food, and a temperate climate. We appreciate the quality of life we are privileged to enjoy in Maple Ridge and recognize that it is our responsibility to take action to support and sustain our environment” Spring, 2016 Making Events Green the Whole Year Through! Community Festival Network Green Team’s GREEN EVENT GUIDE!! In a nutshell, there are 3 basic steps to tackle before your event that we will go into detail with later in this guide: *NOTE: If possible, assign a Waste Reduction Coordinator who has strong organizational and communication skills, is a good motivator with a solid understanding of local waste management programs, and has a strong commitment to being green! 2 Community Festival Network Green Event Guide 1. Make a Plan Ask yourself:  What do you already do to green your event? What do you want to add/change to make it better?  What resources do you have (location, people on your team, connections to other groups) that can help you move forward? Do you want to: -reduce the amount of waste that comes onto your event site? (ie. create guidelines for vendors, monitor or cut down on handou ts & giveaways) -ensure that only recyclable or compostable materials are distributed at your event? (eg. recyclable food containers, giveaway s) -ensure that as much waste as possible is diverted from the garbage? (ie. having recycling and composting stations on site) -encourage attendees to use alternate transportation methods to get to your event? (eg. take transit, bike, walk - promote bus routes, highlight bike racks, etc.) -provide a water source and encourage the use of reusable water bottles? -promote your green event initiatives and the idea of green events at the event itself? (highlight it in your publicity & mark et- ing, use posters and volunteer helpers at the event) -display informational posters for attendees? (eg. way-finding to bike racks or proper waste sorting instructions) -encourage the use and purchase of local products and services? -encourage sustainable food choices? 2. Involve Stakeholders Meet with your stakeholders (these could include site owners, vendors, exhibitors, contractors, etc.) to let them know about your green event goals. Invite their input and advise them of any green expectations and requirements.  Coordinate with vendors and exhibitors  Select contractors and suppliers that have a commitment to and specialize in sustainable practices. Consider offering recogni tion or incentives to top performing vendors at subsequent events for their outstanding green performance. Ask vendors and exhibitors to: -ensure items for sale/giveaway and containers are made from recyclable or reusable materials. -select items with less packaging. -select reusable or recyclable materials for the construction of booths, displays and exhibits. -avoid single-use giveaways and handouts. Encourage vendors to distribute information using other electronic methods. 3. Train Volunteers Properly trained volunteers, vendors and volunteers are important to the overall success of greening your event.  Recruit volunteers interested in sustainability and be sure they know the types of tasks they may be required to perform prior to the event day.  Review assignments with recycling volunteers and how to coordinate with maintenance staff.  Distribute supplies to waste volunteers (e.g. gloves, extra bags and tongs).  Remind volunteers to thank attendees for supporting your green event.  Identify locations of green equipment and services. Before the Event If your budget is tight, you may consider: -Vendor/Booth stewardship - the majority of waste produced at events often comes from vendors, so have them share some of the responsibility for the expenses related to waste management. These could be calculated into vendor fees or on the quantity of waste generated. -Deposit recovery - recover some costs by collecting and using bottle deposit fees to offset the cost of your waste management plan -Group Honourariums - enlist a group (sports team, youth group, faith organization) to help with your waste management plan in exchange for a donation to their group 3 Community Festival Network Green Event Guide Rolling Out Your Zero Waste Plan Litter and waste is the responsibility of the event organizer and managing waste can be challenging. Establish a plan early Coordinate with your planning committee or service provider to establish your waste management plan. Will you be hiring someone or coordinating it yourself? Professional waste, organics, and recycling service providers: If you have budget for a service provider, these specialists can help shape your waste management plan and provide you with helpful information, such as the best type of collection container for your particular event and instructions for volunteers. If you are hiring someone, ask: Will the service provider pick up directly from your site(s)? Where will they be collecting from? What hours do they collect? How many pickups will you need? Whether you hire someone or coordinate your waste management plan yourself, think about:  What types of recyclables will be collected during the event? (eg. plastic, glass, paper, metal, & food scraps)  What containers will be used for collecting waste, recycling and compost (food scraps) separately? Who can provide these containers? (Note: if you are borrowing containers, you will need to determine the location and timing for cont ainer drop-off and pick up and the logistics for waste removal) What happens if the containers fill up? Where can you empty them?  If you anticipate having dumpsters, or locations to empty filled containers during the event, mark them on your site plan. Al so map out the location of Zero Waste Stations and/or garbage cans.  What outreach methods can you use to reduce contamination? (eg. staff and volunteers ensuring waste is being sorted and handl ed properly, clear signage, etc.) Remember! It will be important to understand from your service provider or to decide what materials you will be accepting and to train staff and volunteers accordingly. Clear signage, well - trained staff & volunteers, and a fully thought-out waste management system can drastically reduce the amount of garbage created on your event site. Tips: -prepare signage to direct people to Zero Waste Stations and how to use them properly -assign at least two trained staff or volunteers to each station -for smaller events, such as a block party or picnic, think about following the “Pack it in, Pack it out” rule and arrange to take your waste home to add to your household waste/ recycling/composting systems -a range of recyclables can be dropped off for free at the Maple Ridge Recycling Depot, located at 10092 - 236th Street, more info at www.rmrecycling.org -Note: Keep your recycling and food scraps in separate containers or bags as you will have to sort it out later or throw it aw ay if it has been mixed with garbage Event Set-up - Educate through signage Use signage to educate attendees about recycling, composting, tap water availability and possibly menu selection (sustainable choices). Clearly mark all recycling stations, bike parking, and water equipment. Signage should be visible and consider pedestrians and crowds. Be safe. Signage should be wind tolerant. Be sure to avoid signage that could become a tripping hazard or is installed at head height. Another idea is to put signage in bathroom stalls or portable toilets to inform people at the event about the green initiatives. During the Event - Monitor and Maintain your Zero Waste Stations To ensure waste gets sorted properly and recycling doesn’t become contaminated, designate volunteers to: -welcome and encourage exhibitors and attendees to a “green event” by identifying and providing directions to recycling statio ns -monitor recycling stations to avoid contamination and help educate attendees on proper waste sorting -adjust waste bin locations to higher traffic areas as needed -ensure garbage and recycling areas are clean at all times and replace containers or bags when full. -tape or cordon off existing garbage receptacles and have signs explaining where the recycling station(s) are located -transport full containers or bags to main collection area(s) and re -line bins with empty bags if needed NOTE: Signage for waste stations need to be simple and clear; use graphics with minimal text. Other recycling/waste companies may have signage available. Don’t forget to communicate to your vendors about proper disposal procedures. After the Event - Event closing procedure Develop a check-out procedure that requires exhibitors to interact with event staff prior to departure. Ensure the area is clean and waste free. Consider penalties for exhibitors who leave discarded materials, garbage, or anything they took to the event. Developing a Zero Waste Plan 4 Community Festival Network Green Event Guide Performance Measures for Recycling Stations Usually you can tell if your recycling stations have been successful or not: -were there attendants at the recycling stations the entire time or did they wander off from time to time? -did the attendants clearly direct people where to put their waste items? -were there overflowing garbage, organics, or recycling containers? -does each bin or bag have a “clean stream” that is properly sorted & separated or have people put things into the wrong bag or bins? -can the bag of items be recycled or composted or does the entire thing have to go in the garbage because there are too many t hings in it? -is there a minimal amount in the garbage containers? Is it all “real” garbage or are there things in it that could have been recycled or composted? Note: Once your Recycling Stations are working well with clean streams, performance measures can switch to the weight or volume of recyclables, organics, and/or garbage collected. Inviting Feedback Ask for feedback from other organizers, volunteers who ran the recycling stations, vendors, etc. to see how your plan worked and what can be improved on in the future. Measuring Performance and Collecting Feedback Your Role Water Did you know it takes 1.85 gallons of water to manufacture the plastic for the bottle in the average commercial bottle of wat er? We have some of the best drinking water in the world. By providing tap water and avoiding individually portioned bottled wate r, you can help reduce the environmental impact of your event. Identify water access at event grounds, and if needed, arrange for a water service provider. Encourage event attendees to bring their own reusable water bottle. Note: Metro Vancouver has a FREE “Tap Map” app at iTunes that can help you find nearby public water sources For smaller events, such as block parties and picnics, consider organizing water stations offering free tap water in containers or jugs. Transportation Choices Many events show parking on their site maps, but you can encourage other methods of transportation by: -Highlighting bike routes to your event site and identifying bike racks on site. Some events even have a bike valet service! -Highlighting bus routes & times to your event site, maybe offer a prize for people who show their current bus pass or ticket -Highlighting electric vehicle recharging stations if there are some nearby -Encouraging people to walk, bike, take transit, or carpool to the event For the duration of the event, the waste is the responsibility of the event organizer and clean up staff. Your role is to ens ure that attendees properly sort their waste into the bins provided and keep the recycling contaminant -free -make sure your staff are properly equipped (eg. Do they need gloves? Tongs? Bags? Safety vests? Printed instructions?) -familiarize yourself with the venue. Ensure you know where the main waste collection area is and what the procedure is for emptying recycling, organics, or garbage bins. -be familiar with what types of waste to expect and what bin they should be placed in. -make sure the event site and especially area around recycling stations & garbage cans is kept clean, tidy, & litter -free -make sure volunteers are clear in their role as recycling station attendants and know how to set up/take down the stations at the beginning/end of the event -congratulate yourself & your team for helping the event reach its green goals!! Other Areas to Consider 5 Community Festival Network Green Event Guide Benefits of Going Green -Reduce negative impacts on the environment -Align with the values of event attendees by striving to go green -Reduce solid waste from landfill or incinerator by diverting recycling & organic materials Food and Menu Choices You have an opportunity to lighten the footprint of your service by including the following choices on your menu: -vegan and vegetarian choices (more resources, including land area and water, go into producing 1lb of red meat vs. 1lb of white meat or vegetables) -organic foods (avoid & discourage the use of harmful pesticides) -local seasonal foods (cut down on the energy needed to transport & store food items) -if serving non-vegetarian options, choose sustainable seafood, free-range chicken, and grain-fed beef -use only recyclable, compostable, or reusable items (keep items out of the landfill or incinerator) -minimize single-use containers (serve condiments from large containers, avoid straws or stir sticks, etc.) -use items that are made from recycled content (eg. Plates and napkins, or better yet, use reusable dinnerware, flatware, and/or linens Checklist to review with your vendor staff before the event: -know the location of the nearest recycling station -let customers know which of your containers are recyclable or compostable -have containers to keep your recycling & compostables separate from garage -flatten cardboard boxes and know where to place them for recycling Ask Food Vendors to:  Select local, organic, and seasonal foods  Provide vegetarian and vegan options  If serving non-vegetarian options, choose sustainable seafood, free -range chicken, and grain-fed beef  Offer reusable containers for purchase and single-use containers that are recyclable or compostable  Discourage the use of unnecessary, disposable items (eg. Straws & stir sticks)  Use items that are made from recycled content (eg. Plates & napkins), or, if possible, use reusable dinnerware, flatware, and /or linens  Use large containers for condiments and beverages instead of individual packets, cans or bottles  Donate excess food to a charity, partner with a local charity for the collection of refundable beverage containers, or donate the proceeds to a local environmental group  For small events, like block parties and picnics, consider a potluck as a sustainable option and bring your own utensils, cup s, and plates Events With Food Vendors -AJM Disposal - 604-590-1857, www.ajmdisposal.com -Captain Recycling - 604-783-1221, www.captainrecycling.com -Pioneer Disposal - 1-844-646-6337, www.pioneerdisposal.com -Progressive Waste - 604-525-2072, www.progressivewaste.com -Waste Management - 1-800-774-9748, www.wmcanada.com Contact information for Waste Companies that Provide Garbage & Organics Pickup Service in Maple Ridge 6 Community Festival Network Green Event Guide Ridge Meadows Recycling Society - 604-463-5545, www.rmrecycling.org