University of Texas at Austin
IN-18: Green Event Certification
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 0.50 |
Rocky
Baier Data Analyst and Reporting Coordinator Office of Sustainability |
Does the institution have or participate in a green event certification program?:
Has the institution held one or more certified events in the previous year?:
Does the institution’s green event certification program address the following?:
| Yes or No | |
| Sustainable transportation options, teleconferencing options, and/or carbon offsets | Yes |
| Sustainable catering (e.g., sourcing local and third party certified food and beverages, providing vegetarian/vegan options, using reusable/compostable materials) | Yes |
| Paper consumption (e.g., minimization and recycled/FSC certified content) | Yes |
| Energy efficiency (e.g., equipment and lighting) | Yes |
| Waste minimization and diversion | Yes |
| Communications and/or signage about the sustainable practices | Yes |
A brief description of the institution’s green event certification program:
The Zero Waste Event program, run by Resource Recovery, is an event training, consultation, and support program meant to help faculty and staff run sustainable events. During consultations and trainings, all of the above areas are emphasized, and resources are provided on the website such, as customizable waste bin signage and the sustainable caterer database.
Other support provided includes vendor guidance, compostable products, disposal assistance including compost bins, zero waste progress tracking, and planning feedback. Trainings are provided to teach staff and faculty about composting. They have chairs, tables, tablecloths, banners, and other materials to help reuse and reduce waste as well. Events supported include large college or unit-specific lunches or events during freshmen orientation.
Website URL where information about the green event certification program is available:
Optional Fields
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
There is also a student-focused group that provides the same support for student-run events, the Green Events team. They encourage students to use sustainable catering, compostable items, and digital promotion instead of paper promotion. The main focus of Green Events is zero waste, and they set up recycling and composting bins at each event, along with signage. They also sort the waste to prevent contamination. Before each event, the Green Events team gives presentations to student planners to teach them about zero waste and composting/recycling correctly.
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.