2. I NT R O
C S U N
A B O UT
A.S. Sustainability and Recycling Services The recycling program at CSUN was
established in 1991 as a collaborative effort between Associated Students and the
University to divert recyclable materials from the University’s waste stream and to
promote the benefits of recycling. The program has recently been renamed to A.S.
Sustainability and Recycling and continues to support the campus community with
over 200 recycling bins and by supporting and implementing various sustainability
initiatives all over campus.
WHO WE ARE
WHAT WE DO
3. This guide is an all encompassing sustainable event planner. No matter the size
of your event, everything you need to throw an eco-friendly event is listed
here! As a university, we have a special role as educators, leaders, and
innovators to work together in creating sustainable alternatives for a
thriving human society.
Earn recognition for your event using the checklist at the end of the guide to
assess your events level of sustainability. Depending on the items checked off,
a ranking of bronze, silver, gold or platinum will be awarded.
For questions or an event consultant, please contact:
AS Recycling at ursrrr@csun.edu
C S U N
I NT R O
EVENTS WITH
POSITIVE
IMPACT
4. C S U N
0 1
Biodegradable Capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.
Carbon Footprint Amount of carbon dioxide or other carbon compounds emitted into
the atmosphere by the activities of an individual, company, country, etc.
Compost Organic matter which has been decomposed and recycled as a fertilizer and
soil amendment. Compost is a key ingredient in organic farming. At the simplest level,
the process of composting simply requires making a heap of wetted organic matter
(leaves, "green" food waste) and waiting for the materials to break down into humus
after a period of weeks or months.
Green Event Incorporate a wide spectrum of environmental and social considerations
throughout all stages in order to minimize negative impact on the world.
Green Washing This is the practice of companies untruthfully spinning their products
and policies as being “environmentally friendly.”
Locally Grown Foods Locally grown refer to food and other agricultural products, for
example wool or flowers that are grown or produced, processed and then sold within
a certain area.
WORDS TO KNOW
5. C S U N
0 2
Organic Food The product of a farming system which avoids the use of man-made
fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators and livestock feed additives. Irradiation
and the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or products produced from
or by GMOs are generally prohibited by organic legislation.
Recycle A process to change materials (waste) into new products to prevent waste
of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials,
reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution
(from landfilling) by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower
greenhouse gas emissions as compared to plastic production. Recycling is a key
component of modern waste reduction and is the third component of the "Reduce,
Reuse, and Recycle" waste hierarchy.
Reduce To lessen the amount individuals use of any particular resource or material.
Reuse- To employ for some purpose; put into service; make use of more than once.
Sustainable Relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so the
resource is not depleted or permanently damaged (reusing items or using solar
power energy, for example). In other words, it is meeting the needs of today
without sacrificing the needs of the future.
6. C S U N
0 3
• Concerts
• Banquets
• Fundraisers
• Campus Fairs
• Tabling Events
• Lectures, Presentations,
or Speaker Events
• Clubs, Organizations,
Sorority/Fraternity Events
• Meetings/Meet and Greets
• Food – Our food choices can potentially
make a huge impact on our environment,
so choose healthy and sustainable options.
• Water reductions – Save water in the
current drought through location and
food selection.
• Waste management – Reduce, reuse,
recycle! Cutting down the amount of items
we use and diverting those we do leads to
a healthier community and planet.
• Energy Conservation – You can save money
and natural resources by cutting down on
energy usage.
THIS GUIDE
APPLIES TO
AREAS OF IMPACT
8. C S U N
0 5
• Appoint a sustainability rep
• Choose a location
Include some
of these sustainable
alternatives to
lessen your events
environmental
impact.
QUICK TIPQUICK TIP
- This person should oversee all purchasing and planning for the event to
make sure everything is done in the most sustainable manner possible.
- They will make sure the methods used will save the most energy, water,
and waste from being sent to landfills.
- If you need advice on sustainable event planning, a meeting can be set
up with a representative from AS Sustainability and Recycling.
- For day events, host outdoors or in a building with an abundance
of windows for natural lighting.
- Hold the event near trees, when it’s too hot, this will cool down attendees
without the use of fans or misters.
- Host the event in popular areas that make alternative transportation a
viable option for attendees. Make sure people are able to walk, bike, or
carpool to the event and include information on nearby bus stops or
alternative options.
- Remind guests about campus programs such as Rideshare or Zipcar,
provided to help CSUN students make arrangements for carpool and
inexpensive car rentals.
BEFORE THE EVENT
9. PROMOTING THE EVENT
C S U N
0 6
• Steer away from paper communications for advertising events
• Utilize Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, mass emails, etc.
• If you’re a recognized club, AS Marketing will promote your event through Instagram for
free! Tag @csunas AND use the hashtag #CSUNASTakeover on your club and organizations
posts on Thursdays and they will repost!
• Tablets/laptops are great forsurveys, social media promotions,QR codes,or PowerPoint slides
• Chalk on sidewalks is a good way to advertise
• If paper is a must, use post-consumer recycled paper with soy or vegetable-based inks,
avoid lamination or bright colors. Present information in the most compact manner possible,
and don’t buy large quantities that will end up in the trash. Double-sided fliers or printing on
the back of scratch paper is another option.
• Reusing is one of the best practices for greening events. Order banners, posters and
organic cotton shirts without the date for annual events.
In this new age of information and social media,
paperless promotion has never been easier!
10. C S U N
0 7
• Partner with non-profits or organizations that promote sustainability
• CSUN has previously partnered with the Thirst Project, American Textile
Recycling, Heal the Bay, Grid Solar, Food Forward, Tree People, and others
• Incorporate a service component into the event to foster environmental,
for example, have attendees plant a tree or “leave no trace”
• Offer volunteer opportunities to students
• In addition to healthy food, add some sort of interactive element to
promote an active lifestyle
• Reach out to CSUN’s Community Health and Well being center for advice
on how to engage your campus community
11. C S U N
0 8
• Associated Students, USU, and Student Marketing &
Communications are departments with items available
for loan, just ask!
• CSUN regularly works with All Valley Party Rentals
and Town & Country Rentals, both offer competitive
rates, set-up and take down
• Publications, banners, and signs without dates can
be reused year after year
• Consider buying reusable dinnerware/silverware
and cups or drink coolers for smaller events
• Buy reusable water bottles as a giveaway for
attendees and have them use it at your event
• Incentivize “BYOWB” (Bring your own water bottle)
• Ask caterers if they can provide reusable utensils
• Use a solar powered generator to power the event
• This year CSUN’s Earth Fair, was solar powered for
one hour. If interested in solar power, contact us!
When available, opt for borrowing
items from other campus departments.
Remember, rent over purchase!
SUPPLIES
Bad Single use items of any sort and items
with excessive or individual packaging
Better Decorations made of live materials
(plants, food) and banners/flyers made of
recycleable materials
Best Bulk packaged products, reusable
decorations (no dates or specific names),
art that can be given away afterwards
Overall selection of sustainable supplies
12. C S U N
0 9
• To save resources, give away experiences rather than material items,
such as tickets to events on campus, or a massage at the Oasis, etc.
• Choose sustainable manufactured items, made of recyclable materials,
manufactured locally, from companies with strong sustainability policies
• Give away reusable items, this reduces the amount of items sent to landfills
• Give out tote bags, lunch boxes, water bottles, even home decorations
• Avoid excess packaging of individual wrapped promotional items. When
ordering promotional items, request items are not individually wrapped.
• Choose items that are useful, reusable, durable, or have educational value. Items
that will be used long after the event is over such as reusable cloth bags or water
bottles are preferable. Avoid single use items.
• Choose organic cotton t-shirts for all events, staff as well as for shirts to be sold
or given away. Other sustainable t-shirts
include are those made from bamboo,
recycled cotton, or recycled water bottles. COOL
GIVEAWAYS
13. C S U N
1 0
Food and Beverage Ware
worldcentric.org
preserveproducts.com
joannehudson.com
sustyparty.com
ecopartytime.com
ecoproductsstore.com
Reusable Dinnerware
lifewithoutplastic.com/store/
Giveaways
Weisenbach recycledproducts.com
Adapt Consulting Inc. adaptadspecialty.com
Busch Systems buschsystems.com
Target Marketing Group recycledpromos.com
FIND SUSTAINABLE
ITEMS ON THESE SITES
When purchasing, please be aware of something many
companies take part in: green washing. Green washing is
disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to
present an environmentally responsible public image.
Read more about it here:
greenwashingindex.com/about-greenwashing/
QUICKTIPQUICKTIP
14. C S U N
1 1
• Promoting a healthy lifestyle promotes
sustainable (organic) food systems
• Organic food options are best as they
are locally grown, pesticide free, and
have little negative environmental impact
FEEDFEED
SOULSOUL
Y UR• Reducing meat consumption saves
water and other natural resources
PROVIDE FRESH AND HEALTHY
OPTIONS ON THE EVENT MENU
PROVIDE VEGETARIAN
OR VEGAN OPTIONS
• Buying in bulk is beneficial because it
saves plastic and natural resources that
are put into manufacturing individually
wrapped items
BUY IN BULK
15. 1 2
C S U N
• Styrofoam is a very commonly used
material for to-go boxes, but takes years
and years to biodegrade in a landfill
• Here at CSUN we only recycle
#1 or #2 (PET) plastic
• Finger foods are simple and
mitigate the use for dinnerware
MAKE SURE VENDORS
DO NOT BRING STYROFOAM
SEE IF VENDORS CAN
BRING #1 OR #2 PLASTIC
• Locally grown food means less
carbon emissions and gasoline let
into the atmosphere
SERVE LOCALLY GROWN FOOD
SERVE FINGER FOODS
• This is important because out of
season fruits and vegetables require
much more water and resources to
grow. There are always plenty of in
season crops, see the CA list here:
cuesa.org/eatseasonally/charts
SERVE IN SEASON
FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
• Fair Trade products are food/crafts
produced under standards designed to
end, and prevent poverty, sweatshop
labor conditions, environmental
degradation, etc., that are endemic to
the free trade “race to the bottom” that
puts profits above people and the planet.
PURCHASE FAIR TRADE ITEMS
USE EATWELLGUIDE.ORG TO FIND SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANTS AND MARKETS NEAR YOU
16. C S U N
1 3
REDUCING EVENT WASTE
• Consult AS Recycling at least one month in advanced to set up recycling bins at events
• Simply call the office and ask to set up event recycling!
• Consult with the Institute for Sustainability to see if composting at the event is possible
• While the on campus composting site is still in its early stages, it could be possible
to compost organic waste from small events
• Reduce printing through centralized signage or larger signs at the event
• Ensure event vendors comply with zero waste standards
• No styrofoam, #1 or #2 plastic only, etc
• Check out csun.edu/as/recycling for information on what is and isn’t recyclable!
• If you have extra edible food after an event, please contact CSUN’s Food Recovery
Network at frn@my.csun.edu. They take excess food and donate it to local food banks!
Zero Waste is what we strive for in every event. This term means to maximize recycling, minimize
waste, reduce consumption and ensure that products are made to be reused, repaired or recycled back
into nature or the marketplace. To achieve this, plan ahead for waste disposal and recycling services.
17. DURING THE EVENT
AFTER THE EVENT
C S U N
• Ensure waste and recycling are bagged and
placed in the correct locations for collection
• Send electronic “thank you” notes
• Donate any extra food to local food banks,
CSUN partners up with MEND, a local
non-profit food bank
• Promote the events sustainability success
• Ensure every attendee receives
information on the sustainable efforts
• Turn off all unnecessary lighting
during the events
• Make sure all attendees utilize the
recycling bins
1 4
18. R ANKINGS
C S U N
1 5
Check off each item fulfilled during
events to rank your sustainability!
29 - 3521 - 28 36 - 4312 - 20
Each item has its
worth, add them
up to calculate
your points:
19. C S U N
Include sustainable efforts in
promotional materials (Bring your
own water bottles, for example)
Provide fresh and healthy options
on the event menu
Provide vegetarian or vegan options
(reducing meat consumption saves
water and other natural resources)
Buy in bulk (Nothing individually packaged)
Make sure vendors do not bring Styrofoam
(takes years and years to biodegrade)
See if vendors can bring #1 or #2 plastic
Serve locally grown food
Serve finger foods to mitigate the use
of silverware
Serve fruits and vegetables that are in season
Reduce printing through
centralized signage or larger
signs at the event
Purchase Fair Trade items
Consult AS Recycling at least one month in
advanced to set up recycling bins at the event
Consult with the Institute for
Sustainability to see if composting
at the event is possible
Ensure event vendors comply with
zero waste standards
Ensure all attendees receive
information on sustainable efforts
Turn off any unnecessary
lighting during the event
Monitor water usage during
the event
Make sure attendees are
utilizing the recycling bins
Ensure waste and recycling
are bagged and placed in the
correct locations for collection
Send electronic “thank you” notes
Donate any extra food to a local food
bank
1 6
20. C S U N
Have the event in an area with
natural lighting
Encourage ride share
Incentivize ride share or alternate
transportation (bikes, buses, etc.)
Utilize digital promotion
Paperless promotion plan
If paper is necessary, use recycled
content paper
Partner with non-profits or
organizations that promote
sustainability somehow
Utilize CSUN’s green events guide
for purchasing
Choose sustainable manufactured
items (Made of natural materials,
recycled materials, etc.)
Borrow items from other campus
departments
Incorporate a service component into
the event (Plant a tree, leave no trace)
Rent items rather than buy them
Buy items that can be reused
Reusable cups/water bottles
Reusable silverware
Reusable plates
Recyclable cups
Give away reusable items
Use a solar powered generator to
power the event
Purchase items in bulk that are not
individually wrapped
Give away experiences instead
of items
Promote the events sustainability
success
1 7
21. AS Recycling
818-677-4262
Institute for Sustainability
818-677-7710
Located at the USU
crsrrr@csun.edu
Santa Susana Hall, Room 116
sustainability@csun.edu
C S U N
1 8
JUST TO SAY HI
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,
CONCERNS OR
JUST TO SAY HI
22. C S U N
1 9
Greenwashing
Movement to stop: stopgreenwash.org/introduction
Examples: businesspundit.com/the-top-25-greenwashed-products-in-america/
For cleaning supplies: ewg.org/guides/cleaners/content/top_products
Identifying Eco-Labels: inhabitat.com/demystifying-eco-labels/
Waste Diversion (recycling, composting, reusing/repurposing)
csun.edu/as/recycling/services
calrecycle.ca.gov/recycle
compostingcouncil.org
athensservices.com
csun.edu/csundining/food-waste-composting
Carpool and Car Rental (Ages 18+)
zimride.com/csun
zipcar.com
Office Supplies
staples.com/sbd/cre/marketing/sustainability-center/shop-green-products/
RESOURCES
