University of Illinois Chicago
IN-18: Green Event Certification

The UIC Green Event Guides are used to help educate, assist and motivate student organizations, staff, and faculty that have on-campus events to make UIC more environmentally friendly by providing sustainable choices for their programming and activities. Simple measures highlighted on each checklist, such as being aware of their environmental impact, will help protect the earth and will help the unit/ organization be recognized as an official UIC Green Event! To use this guide, users simply check off completed event suggestions throughout the planning and management of the event. Organizations get more points as the more tasks they accomplish. To receive official recognition for hosting a green event, organizations/ units must complete the checklist(s), and then email a copy to the Office of Sustainability.

There are six guides organizations may use: Zero Waste Planning Guide (to plan a zero-waste event, from pre-event planning to waste sorting and beyond that can be used anywhere), Student Organizations Green Guide (if they are in a registered student organization), Departmental Green Guide (if they are a department on campus looking to have a sustainable event in their building or elsewhere), Student Centers Green Guide (if the event is in the Student Centers buildings (SCE or SCW)), Forum & Pavilion Green Guide (if the event is in the UIC Pavilion or the UIC Forum), Catering Green Guide (if the organization will be using UIC Dining Services to cater the event).

Sustainable transportation options, teleconferencing options, and/or carbon offsets:
EXAMPLE - From the Departmental Green guide: "If inviting participants from outside your building, give the option of web-conferencing (through Blackboard/ACCC), webinars, and/or conference calls to reduce travel costs like money, gasoline and greenhouse gas emissions, and the participants’ time. (2 points) If all of your participants are in the same building, skip this step and give yourself 2 points. Web-conferencing/video-conferencing through UIC Blackboard: accc.uic.edu/service/web-conferencing Free webinar services: anymeeting.com/adw/Free-Webinar-Service.aspx"
"Notify guests via electronic communication of public transportation options, Divvy stations, nearby bike paths, bike racks, and pedestrian access points.
Check out https://sustainability.uic.edu/campus-resources/transportation for details and locations. (1 point)
Choose an event location that is pedestrian, bicycle, and public transit friendly. See https://sustainability.uic.edu/campus-resources/maps for aiding your decision. (1 point)"

Sustainable catering: The entire Catering Green Guide http://sustainability.red.uic.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2018/01/Catering-Services_Final1.pdf

Paper consumption:
EXAMPLE - From the Student Organization Guide: "Use electronic means (email, listserv, websites, QR codes, social media sites, etc.) to publicize, conduct business, send our invitations and/or register participants. (1 point)
Only produce the amount of flyers/posters/handouts you think you will need. (1 point)
If you don’t use flyers/ posters, skip this section and give yourself 1 point.
If print outs are unavoidable, use UIC Office of Publications or another eco-friendly printing company and use double sided printing. (4 points)
If you will not be passing out print outs, skip this section and give yourself 4 points
Printing companies we love (but not limited to) include: UIC Office of Publications, Digital Hub in Goose Island (Chicago, IL), Consolidated Printing in Norwood Park (Chicago, IL)"

Energy efficiency
EXAMPLE - From the Student Organization Guide: "Have the event outside, weather permitting, at either the Lecture Center Plaza (aka the
Quad) or the Grove (Taylor Street and Morgan Street) (2 points)
If you can’t have it outside, have your meeting and/or event in one of UIC’s LEED certifiedand renovated buildings.
(2 points) If you have your meeting/ event outside, skip this step and give yourself 2 points.
Lincoln Hall, Douglas Hall
Seek naturally lit meeting rooms for your event if possible. (1 point) If you have your meeting/ event outside, skip this step and give yourself 1 point.
Contact the Building Managers or another appropriate contact to inquire about naturally lit rooms. Don’t know the Building Managers? Contact us at sustainability@uic.edu and we’ll help you!

Waste minimization and diversion
EXAMPLE - From the Departmental Green guide: "Recycling & Waste Minimization (Up to 4.5 Points)
Place recycling bins next to every trash bin to make recycling easier. (1.5 points)
Point out the features of the sustainable event to your participants. (1 point)
Suggestions include announcing where recycling bins are located.
Introducing the Eco-Educators or other volunteers
Remind participants during the event about recycling and its importance. (1 point)
Place Eco-Educators or other volunteers next to trash bins and recycling bins to
help participants correctly dispose of their waste. (1 point)
EXAMPLE - from the Student Organization Guide: "Promotional Items (Up to 12 Points)
If you will not be using any promotional materials, skip this section and give yourself
12 points.
Purchase items from vendors that produce items using recycled/renewable/reusable and /
or organic materials. (4 points)
Companies like Eco-swag or Lin Jen sell promotional items that are biodegradable,
plantable/seeded, recycled, recyclable, and/or reusable
Purchase fair-trade items that will really be used and appreciated. (4 points)
Choosing products that showcase your values and stories inherent to your club/
organization’s interest. For example, if you are an event organizer for a student cooking
club, you may want to purchase cutting boards that are made from bamboo or aprons that
are made from environmentally friendly products. (2 points)
Turn flyers into Campus Programs and promote that it is a Green Event. (1 point)
You can answer “yes” to the following questions (1 point)
Are they really “green” promotional items?
Are they significantly better for the environment than
other more traditional give away items?
For what you are spending, and the
energy impact necessary to produce the item,
will it have the return/outcome you desire?
Advertising (Up to 6 Points)
Use electronic means (email, listserv, websites, QR codes, social media sites, etc.) to
publicize, conduct business, send our invitations and/or register participants. (1 point)

Communications and/or signage about the sustainable practices:
Organizations must submit their checklist to the Office of Sustainability and they receive a certificate to use for their event.

a green guide checklists can be downloaded from https://sustainability.uic.edu/green-campus/recycling/zero-waste-events/zero-waste-event-planning-guide/