George Washington University
IN-5: Green Event Certification

Our Green Events Guide is a tool available to students, staff, and faculty to use for planning a sustainable event. It provides suggestions for location, marketing, materials, decorations, and food, as well as a sample list of questions to help event planners work with outside vendors to host a sustainable event. Efforts to promote sustainable transportation options include urging event planners to provide information about nearby bike racks and metrorail stops. Efforts to promote sustainable catering include urging event planners to provide at least one venetariam option. Efforts to limit waste include urging event planners to choose beverage dispensers or pitchers over single use bottles, serving food "buffet style" instead of individually wrapped goods, and donating extra food to the Food Recovery Network. Efforts to promote energy efficiency include urging event planners to choose locations with natural lighting. Efforts to promote waste minimazation include urging event planners to compost food waste, as well as urging event planners to get an accurate head count of participants to avoid excess food products.