Sustainable Event PlanningIlda T. HersheyOSU Sustainability Coordinator

Overview

• What is Sustainability?– Challenges

• Planning Sustainable Events– Meetings/Conferences– Merry Making Tips

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What is Sustainability?

• SustainabilityMeeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

• Sustainability = Good Stewardship

EnvironmentEconomySociety

≠ Saving the Planet= Protecting Nature

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Why Do We Care?…

“Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man [human beings].” —Stewart Udall, Secretary of the Interior, 1961-1969

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Sustainable Event Challenges

• Materials– We buy a lot of “stuff”– Dependency on disposable stuff– Dependency on plastic – Dependency on disposable, single-use plastic

• Food– We eat out of season– We waste a lot of food– We miss nutrients

• Trash– We make a lot of trash– It increases 25% between

Thanksgiving & New Year’s Day

Plastic Challenges

• Plastic is Fantastic– Used in a wide range of industries – Petroleum refining byproduct – 50% single-use (disposable)

• Too Much of a Good Thing– Does not decompose– Harms and kills wildlife– Consequences to human health

• Bottled Water: A Case Study– Not safer– Excessive waste

• Cost of Externalities– Cheap Styrofoam– Free grocery bags

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Food Challenges

• Eating out of season means– Crops are picked before ripe, travel thousands of miles & sit

in distribution centers– Longer time between harvest and table = fewer nutrients

• Buying local foods supports the local economy– Money spent stays close to home– Promotes entrepreneurship

• Food waste – Estimated at between 30-40% of U.S. food supply

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• Meetings/Conferences• Catering• Parties

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What Can We Do?

Good Steward Catering

• Reduce food waste by requiring that guests RSVP

• Request from Caterer…– Reusable silverware, glasses and china (free inside Union)– Water pitchers/dispensers and glasses– Cloth napkins; wood stirrers– Foods sourced from local producers – MIO– Nutritious foods – Go Bananas!– Serve in Bulk

• Sugar, creamer, condiments, jams, yogurt, trail mix– Leftover food donation policy

• Served Meal v.s. Buffet v.s. Boxed?– Celebrations Catering - Buffet costs less than boxed & less waste

• If must use disposable, choose paper over plastic– Single-use plastic serving ware is a leading source of litter

Good Steward Conferences

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle– Determine in advance what items are recyclable

• Recycling is local • Announce during Housekeeping Remarks• Used napkins, paper towels, food wrappers could be composted

– Ensure recycle bins are clustered with a trash cans– Purchase giveaways and other items made with recycled

content (lanyards, tote bags)– Provide materials electronically or printed double-sided– Collect used badge holders (clean for next time)

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Good Steward Merry Making

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rejoice!– Party Planning– Decorations– Gifts– Wrap It Up!

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More than 3 in 4 Americans wish the holidays were less materialistic

Good Steward Planning

• Invites– Canned food, clothing or toys

• Shopping for Party– Plan ahead to avoid impulse buying– Bring reusable grocery bags– Buy in bulk or recyclable containers– Buy from local farms or coop

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• Serving Ware– Use durable vs. disposable serving ware– Pull out the family china & linens– Rent dishes and glassware– If must be disposable, buy paper

• Day of Party– Cluster recycling bins with garbage can– Send leftovers home with guests, freeze for

later, or compost

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Good Steward Serving

• Live vs. Artificial trees – Look for an artificial tree made in the U.S.– Cut down your own tree at a nearby farm– Decorated a large houseplant instead of a tree– Use a live burlapped tree; plant it after– Recycle live trees curbside or chip

• Tree Decorations– String a garland– Make natural ornaments with seed pods,

leaves, twigs, pine cones, etc. – Personalize odd ornaments from thrift stores – Reuse old dollhouse furniture as ornaments

Good Steward Decorating

• Deck the Halls– Pull a few low branches from your tree

to decorate around the house– Seasonal fruits – can be eaten

afterwards and are biodegradable– Be careful with outdoor decorations

that may release into the environment • Balloons do not decompose• Paper confetti does

• Lighting– Unplug lights during the day– Use automated timers– LED lighting

Good Steward Decorating

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Village made from grocery boxes

• General Tips– Buy items with minimal packaging– Invest in durability - cheaper, less durable items

wear out quickly and create waste– Shop at antique stores, estate sales or flea markets– Look for items made with recycled content– Find easy to mail gifts that aren’t bulky/fragile– Give only to the children in your circles– Avoid plastic toys, battery-operated toys– Re-gift items or donate to charity

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Good Steward Gifts

• Consumable Gifts– Certificates/coupons for services - professional or not

• Cooking lessons, babysitting, housecleaning, spa– Donation to the recipient’s favorite charity– Homemade food in reusable containers– Tickets to sporting or cultural events– Membership to a non-profit org.– Plant a tree in someone’s honor

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Good Steward Gifts

• OSU Student?

Good Steward Gifts

• Promote Good Stewardship – Automatic, programmable thermostat control device – Rechargeable batteries and charging station– Outdoor solar lights, crank powered radio– Basket of non-toxic cleaning products– Water-saving showerhead

– Reusable travel coffee mug/water bottle– Reusable food storage containers

– Reusable insulated lunch bag– Reusable grocery bags

– Set of recycling bins– Bicycle

– Starter sets: Seeds, gloves, tools or bird feeder, bird seed, binoculars– Subscription to National Geographic

Good Steward Gifts

• Wrap it up!– Old maps, calendar photos, Sunday comics, kids’ artwork– Instead of new boxes - Cereal boxes turned inside out– Instead of store-bought bows - Festive items like seasonal cookie

cutters, a handmade ornament, or herb sachet– Stamp potato stencil designs on plain paper bags– Make the wrap a part of the gift with reusable containers like baskets,

Tupperware, dish towels, bandanas, scarves– Afterward - Save gift bags, paper, ribbons, bows, greeting card covers

Good Steward Gifts

• Things do not make people happy… Good experiences do

• Protect nature & be a good steward –best gift of all

• PPT URL – Last Slide

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Good Stewardship Takeaways

OSU Sustainability

• “Sustainability in the Workplace”– Elective for Leadership Development Program– Workshop 9:00-11:00 a.m.

• What is OSU doing?• What can you do in your dept.?

– Wednesday, Oct. 25 & Tuesday, Dec. 05

• Register: OSU Human Resources TrainingPage 23

Resources

•Today’s PPT: https://sustainability.okstate.edu/events-links

•Sustainability• Website: sustainability.okstate.edu• Email: sustainability@okstate.edu

•Utilities and Energy Management• Website: energy.okstate.edu • Email: energy@okstate.edu

•OSU Recycles• Website: fm.okstate.edu/osurecycles• Email: recycle@okstate.edu

•Follow Us• Facebook: facebook.com/osuenergy• Twitter/Instagram/Snapchat: OSUgreen