Zero Waste Event

A Zero Waste Event (or "ZeeWee" as it has been nicknamed) is one in which event organizers plan ahead to reduce solid waste from the event, reuse various elements such as banners, and set up Zero-Waste Stations for those recyclable and compostable materials such as paper cups, food scraps, and plastic water bottles that are generated by the event. ZeeWees can range from large scale sports events to weddings and parties.^[1][2][3][4]

Background

As sustainability becomes ever more accepted as a concept within organizations and communities across the nation, the idea of Zero Waste Events is spreading. Additionally, the steady expansion of recycling and commercial composting infrastructure makes it possible to offer recycling and food composting at events in many locations. Increasingly Zero Waste Events are sharing best practices and developing new ways to divert event materials from landfills.

Strategy

ZeeWee's utilize many if not all of the following strategies.

Front-end waste prevention

• Eliminating race packets in favor of emailed sponsor coupons for participants;
• Eliminating commercial bottled water distribution in favor of bulk water stations and compostable cups;
• Purchasing recycled content products, from event t-shirts to paper products; and
• Providing discounted entries or incentives for participants who travel to the event using alternative transportation. ^[5]

Reuse of event equipment

• Reusable, weatherproof banners and stands;
• Adaptable date panels on banners and signs so they can be reused year after year; and
• Use of durable dishware "lending libraries"^[6] instead of always buying disposables.

Recycling event materials

• Many items from unsoiled paper, cardboard, glass, plastic bottles and jugs, aluminum cans and plastic tarps to corrugated polypropylene signs can be recycled depending on the services available in a given municipality or county. In many cases, such services are less costly than disposal of the same items;
• Having a dedicated Recycling Team onsite throughout the event to supervise recycling stations and sort materials to maximize landfill diversion and minimize contamination;^[7] and
• Where programs require subsidy, ZeeWee organizers may use a "green fee" to help move the event toward sustainability by paying for waste reduction, buying recycled products, or more recently purchasing carbon offsets.^[8]

2012 Olympics

When the bid was submitted for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, LOCOG, The London 2012 Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, pledged not just to host the biggest sporting event in the world but also to stage the first truly sustainable Games.^[9] Central to this was an ambitious target to send zero waste from Games-time venues directly to landfill ^[10] – something that no Games has attempted before. In February 2012 an initiative was launched to share the lessons learnt from delivering a zero waste games with the wider waste and events community.^[11]

References