If you are planning an event – MAKE IT GREEN

Greening an event means taking steps to minimize your environmental impact. Start by looking at your event as a whole, break down each activity and use the 4 R’s – Rethink Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Planning and executing a green event is an easy way to adopt the practice of sustainability; not only will you reduce your impact on the environment, but you typically will reduce costs and set a leading example for others to follow.

An event can be large or small, a small event might be a coffee meeting where you ask everyone to bring a reusable mug, or you ask your caterer for glassware instead of plastic plates and cups for a lunch meeting or workshop. When planning a large event consider things like, electronic invitations, using local growers and organic food, encouraging guests to carpool or take transit. These are just a few ideas – the options are endless.

One large event we are helping to green on campus is the annual Chili Cup. Working with the Wellness Committee, the Office of Sustainability put forward these recommendations to reduce waste:

• To cut waste, we will promote that guests bring their own “bowl and spoon”.
• For those who bring their own bowl and spoon, we will provide an incentive – and enter them into a draw for a $25 dollar gift certificate.
• We will use compostable cups and spoons.
• Each taster will receive only one tasting cup, rather than several small cups.
• We will promote “How We Greened this Event” – and let people know how we have reduced our impact.
• We will contact the Recycling Team to make sure we have extra compost collection bins for the compostable cups and spoons and provide signage directing guests where to put their waste.

If you are planning a meeting, workshop or other event, and would like help making it green, contact Sue in the Office of Sustainability (204) 632-2144 or email shayduk@rrc.ca.

For more information on sustainability and what Red River College is doing to reduce waste visit the Red Goes Green blog.