The 2016 90% Club

Which are the greenest events in St. Louis? Recycling On the Go tracked waste diverted from landfills at all 112 of our events this year. 12 events recycled or composted more than 90% of the waste generated! Who’s number 1? Well let’s look at what it takes to achieve this feat.

#1  You need to have a goal of being a sustainable, zero waste-producing event.

#2  You take a hard look during your planning at all areas of your event to see how you might be creating waste unintentionally.

• Will your event be open or closed to outside food and beverage brought in by attendees?
• Food service is the biggest generator of waste so ban the use of Styrofoam and individual serving packets for food service
• You can require food vendors to use certified-compostable service ware only
• You can use plants and flowers for decoration that can be composted after the event rather than plastics
• You can make signs that can be reused annually because they do not have special dates on them.

Ask the question: Do I really need this? Am I supporting local?

#3  You communicate your intentions clearly to all attendees, vendors and sponsors so that they can support your zero-waste goal.

• Have a meeting of all vendors, especially food vendors, to clarify your requirements in person before your event
• Publish information online about your 100% made in the USA organic cotton t-shirt with water-based ink.
• Place a notice in the event program about keeping the grounds litter free and using the recycling containers.
• Make announcements from the stage about recycling.
• Let the world know that you value reducing waste and need their support and participation.

#4 You hire Recycling On the Go to help manage waste stations and sort the event waste to be certain we capture everything we can for recycling and composting before it ends up in the landfill. Our staff help engage with attendees to promote better recycling habits, even when away from home.

Of course, the largest event with an open footprint in our 90% club happens annually in Forest Park and had 62,000 people with 25 food vendors and 200 other booths with 3 stages of entertainment. Our St. Louis Earth Day Festival is one of the least-producing waste/person events and collected over 5,000 pounds of recycling and compost (the most of any 90% Club event). Beyond waste diversion, it takes a team of committed individuals and we look at 7 different areas of event sustainability to be the greenest event in St. Louis.

Congratulations to the teams at Missouri Botanical Garden’s Earthways Center, Perennial and Schlafly Beer for their 97% diversion rates! Thanks to all of our 2016 90% club events for fantastic leadership in sustainable event planning and execution:

If you would like to see more St. Louis Area events in the 90% club next year, consider a donation to St. Louis Earth Day.