Sustainability

Zero Waste Stations

Suggested number of Zero Waste stations to number of people attending:

*Total depends on materials generated and if stations will be serviced (ie: emptied throughout the event)

Facilities Service Request Form

In order to have three stream systems at your event, a facilities service request form must be completed.

*Don’t forget to include: name, phone number, email, specific location of event, department, and type of request

Tips

• Find volunteers for Zero Waste stations
  • It is important to have volunteers working at the 3 stream waste stations helping direct people to the correct bin to place their waste. This has a major impact on ensuring waste is properly diverted from the landfill. Volunteers are a cost saving element as they can then empty full bags and take them to the dumpsters rather than having custodial staff working during the event to do so. We recommend two volunteers per station.
  • Volunteers may require some training.
  • "Waste-Watchers" can be requested through the Sustainability Office. Availability will vary. Please Contact Lacey Raak ( lraak@csumb.edu) for more information.
• If food is provided, rent Otterware from dining services
  • Otter-ware are sets of reusable dish-ware and silverware available for fee to any student or student group to utilize at on and off-campus events on in place of the traditionally used and more wasteful disposable utensils. The sets come in a plastic container in which the renters will receive clean sets, and return the dirty sets in the same container to be cleaned and sanitized by the Dining Commons for future use.
  • If you order from catering all plates/cups and napkins are required to be compostable per the Food Service Contract.
  • If you have condiments, request pump stations rather than individual packets (ie: ketchup and mustard).
  • Try to avoid “lunch boxes” from catering. They contain a high volume of waste that cannot be recycled or composted. (ie: chip bags, small packaged snacks, etc.)
  • Request multi-gallon beverage containers and restrict food providers from serving personal-sized drinks. (ie: bottles waters, sodas, juice pouches, etc.)

During Event

Maintain Zero Waste Stations

• Make sure waste bins are not overflowing and are being staffed by volunteers.
• Help answer questions and ensure people are disposing of products correctly.

Post Event

• Collect Otterware and return to Dining Commons at designated time.
• Thank your volunteers for their support!

• Consider the restriction of balloons (note: Any Associated Students event restricts the use of balloons) Here’s Why; As a beachfront campus the use of balloons is irresponsible, because of the potential danger of this type of waste ending up in marine ecosystems.
• Limit the amount and type of “swag” or giveaways. “Swag” and giveaways create more unnecessary waste. Alternatives to physical giveaway items can be “experience” items. An experience item can be anything from whale watching tickets, to tickets to the next world theater event.
  
• Depending on the size and type of events you are hosting please, consider communicating to guests that this will be a zero waste events and encourage everyone to bring their own water bottle or other service-ware as necessary.