Zero Waste Event Checklist & Recommendations
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Before event
- Hosting a Zero Waste event can be very difficult. If this is your first event, set yourself up for success by identifying a Zero Waste goal that you believe you can achieve. It could be as simple as offering reusable food serviceware at your office party or as ambitious as a 90% diversions rate.
- If you plan regular or seasonal events, consider moving further toward Zero Waste each time so you can build upon past successes and avoid taking on too much too soon.
- Determine what metrics you will use to track progress toward your goal with an understanding that different efforts may require different tracking methods. For example, tracking waste reduction through recycling and/or composting will be different than tracking waste reduction through source reduction (using less stuff) or reuse.
- Consider venues that already have Zero Waste systems in place, such as reusable service ware or access to composting and recycling, or venues that are interested in helping make your event Zero Waste.
- Consult the Resources Page for ideas.
- Determine what Zero Waste specifications you want your event vendors to comply with and create a vendor agreement. Here is a ZERO by FIFTY vendor notice from the Missoula Downtown Association, and here is a sample zero waste vendor agreement from Eco-Cycle.
- Communicate with potential vendors about your Zero Waste aspirations and send them the vendor agreement.
- Communicate with potential vendors about your Zero Waste aspirations and send them the vendor agreement.
- Choose vendors who are willing to comply with Zero Waste specifications. Vendors willing to comply with your Zero Waste specifications will go a long way to ensuring a successful Zero Waste event. For example, if all vendors use exclusively BPI-certified compostable food serviceware, attendees and volunteers will have an easier time understanding how to use Zero Waste Stations and chances of contamination are greatly reduced.
- Know ahead of time what you will be doing with the surplus food items, this will help prevent wasted food.
- See Resources Page for food rescue options.
- Determine the appropriate number of bins for each station. Will you have only Recycle and Landfill? Compost, Recycle, and Landfill? Will you want attendees to source separate plastic bottles and aluminum cans? Will you be using reusable food serviceware?
- A fleet of portable, color-coordinated Zero Waste Stations—Recycle, Compost, and Landfill—are available on loan to events wishing to reduce their waste. Email Charlotte Psick PsickC@ci.missoula.mt.us for information about how to use the stations for your next event.
- Create signs for Zero Waste Stations. Basic ZERO by FIFTY-branded signs can be downloaded here. You can also download ZERO by FIFTY sign templates with images to make custom signs. If you choose to create signs from scratch, please consider including the ZERO by FIFTY logo.
- Having signs on all Zero Waste Stations is very important. It is helpful to show exactly which event-specific items can be recycled or composted and which ones must be landfilled.
- If your event is large and requires services beyond what the venue typically offers, determine what services you will need and contract that service with an appropriate collection plan.
- See the Resources Page for a list of local collection service providers.
- Ensure back-end infrastructure is in place such as dumpsters or other bins as needed.
- Engage community members as event volunteers to help with your event.
- Decide how best to train Zero Waste Ambassadors, either by meeting prior to the event or meeting at the event.
- Determine the scope of their activities such as set-up/clean-up, maintenance, attendee education.
- See the Zero Waste Volunteer Guide for more on how to recruit and manage a team of Zero Waste Ambassadors.
- Create signs that are fun and educational.
- Create informative signs, such as table tent cards or “Zero Waste Zone” sandwich boards.
- Create wayfinding signs to orient patrons to the location of Zero Waste Station and services like bottle-filling stations.
- Recognize Zero Waste vendors to celebrate them and educate patrons about their commitment.
- Encourage guests to bring their own refillable water bottles or make reusable cups available.
- Rent a water fill station.
- See locally-available water options on the Resources Page.
- If gifts will be exchanged or goody bags given out at your event, consider Zero Waste options such as gift certificates to local establishments, vouchers or discount codes, coupons, e-books, seeds, or digital gift bags.
- Use reusable decorations, like paper lanterns instead of balloons. Rent decorations from local event rental businesses instead of purchasing disposable decorations.
- If serving alcohol, consider providing beer kegs and reusable cups instead of bottles and cans.
- Consider discounts to patrons who use past commemorative cups from annual events.
- Consider your Zero Waste goal in your merchandise choices. Try to sell items that are durable, likely to be reused, thrifted, locally-made, and/or made out of recycled materials.
- Find more tips for reducing and reusing at events here.
- Help make people aware beforehand that your event is going to be a Zero Waste event and how they can contribute or participate.
- If applicable, make on-stage announcements about the Zero Waste aspects of your event.
- Use these tags on social media: #ZERObyFIFTY and #zerowastemissoula.
during event
- At large events, you might consider designating a section of the event as a “Zero Waste Zone” where all the Zero Waste stations and food vendors will be set up.
- Zero Waste stations provide people access to waste reduction solutions at the point of disposal. The most basic station is a recycling bin paired with a garbage can. Where appropriate, a third bin for composting is present. Sometimes a liquid disposal bin is also provided to reduce contamination and keep recycling clean. Events where durable food service ware is utilized (plates, cups, utensils, cloth napkins) can also provide collection bins for those items.
- Some Zero Waste stations provide users the opportunity to source-separate into multiple streams such as paper, bottles and cans, food scraps and food-soiled paper, and more.
- The City of Missoula is leading by example by co-locating recycling bins with garbage cans at Fort Missoula Regional Park and has a fleet of Zero Waste Stations available to loan. Email PsickC@ci.missoula.mt.us to reach Charlotte Psick for information about how to use the stations for your next event.
- The only accessible disposal bins should be part of the Zero Waste stations in order to reduce confusion about where to dispose of items and facilitate proper separation of discards.
- Green Team volunteers at the Zero Waste Stations can answer questions and help direct proper disposal thereby reducing the need to sort through bins to remove contaminants from the compost or recycling streams.
- If there are not enough volunteers are available to be paired with each Zero Waste Station, schedule volunteers to circle the event area with gloves and grabbers to sort contaminants and keep the stations clean. Headlamps are essential for nighttime shifts.
- See the Zero Waste Volunteer Guide to learn more about recruiting and managing Zero Waste event volunteers.
- Post a large map of Zero Waste Station bin locations near food areas.
- Setting up a public map of bin locations within the Zero Waste Zone is helpful for both guests and vendors. Give each vendor a copy of the map to keep with them as well.
- Take photographs of set-up, Zero Waste Ambassadors, patrons using Zero Waste stations and service, as well as any other images that will help you tell the story of your Zero Waste event.
After event
- Proper food rescue can be time sensitive, so plan accordingly.
- Food rescue resources here.
- Hosting a Zero Waste event takes a lot of planning and work. Recognize that your efforts have made a difference in Missoula and have contributed to ZERO by FIFTY.
- Reflect on what went well and identify opportunities for improvement for your next Zero Waste event!
- One common metric is “diversion rate” or what you kept from going to the landfill through recycling and/or composting:
- Keep in mind that the diversion rate formula will not capture your source reduction and/or reuse efforts, so you may want to consider additional metrics to track those.
- Create a form with questions about planning and process for those involved with your zero waste event.
- This will help you understand what was successful and what needs to be improved.