Smart and Sustainable Campus Conference 2014 Campus as a Learning Laboratory

1. Green Events Engaging Students in Sustainable Practice through On-Campus Event Planning Smart and Sustainable Campus Conference 2014 Campus as a Learning Laboratory Wesley Beckner B.S. Chemical Engineering '14 | Cockrell School of Engineering Assistant Director, Campus Environmental Center The University of Texas at Austin (817) 676-6617 | wesleybeckner@gmail.com

2. Green Events • Sustainability at UT • The University of Texas

3. The University of Texas at Austin -Engaging a Diverse Campus in Sustainability-

4. The University of Texas at Austin -Engaging a Diverse Campus in Sustainability- How does the university engage such a diverse student body with sustainability?

5. The University of Texas at Austin • The President’s Sustainability Steering Committee • Engineers for a Sustainable World -Sustainability on the 40 Acres- -Sustainability on the 40 Acres- • Facilities Services • The Campus Sustainability Policy • Student-led Groups and Initiatives • Institutional Initiatives • The Campus Environmental Center • Net Impact • DHFS • The Office of Sustainability 2005 1990 2000 1995 2010

6. The University of Texas at Austin -Sustainability on the 40 Acres- Despite efforts from the CEC and other organizations on campus, most students at the university are not actively engaged in sustainability Programs and Initiatives -Past and Present- Sponsors and Partners -university entities-

7. The University of Texas at Austin -Sustainability on the 40 Acres- “Green Events is a student run initiative that aims to make campus events more sustainable and create a culture of sustainability at the University of Texas at Austin” Key Objectives Form partnerships with campus entities to institutionalize Green Events and create a culture of sustainability on campus Mainstream sustainability at the University of Texas at Austin Teach student leaders of other organizations how to incorporate sustainability into their operations Programs and Initiatives -Past and Present- Sponsors and Partners -university entities- -Green Events mission statement

8. Green Events -The Model- Implementing and Sustaining Change Engaging and Enabling the Whole Organization Creating a Climate for Change Align Engage Communicate Educate Sustain Assess Support Create short term wins

9. Green Events -The Nuts and Bolts- Division of Housing and Food Service • Hires • Student Consultants • Staff Advisor • Provides • Office Space • Working Budget • Provides • Free work orders for Green Events • Provides • Access to organic recycle dumpster

10. Green Events -The Nuts and Bolts- Working Budget

11. Green Events -Case Studies- • Rez Week • 40 Acres Fest • Holi • Iron Spikes • One-time Events • Events Co-Sponsorship Board • Facilities • DHFS • Online Platform • Green Certification

12. Green Events -Case Studies- Mainstreaming Sustainability • Rez Week • 5 day event with performances • 24-hour a day coffee house and $1 lunches • Facilities provided free work order for tables, chairs, and stage • Served 3000 beverages (organic and free-trade tea, coffee, and cocoa) • Cups and serving utensils were industrially compostable • Composting bins were situated near serving area • Recycling bins were available for students who came with bottles and cans of their own

13. Green Events -Case Studies- Mainstreaming Sustainability • Rez Week Key Issues Tip: Key Outcomes • The event generated huge visibility for Green Events. • We established a long-term relationship with the student group. • Creating a sustainability budget for the student organization ensured that socially responsible and environmentally friendly products were used • The bins were contaminated with trash and had to be sorted at the end of the day. • The food vendor served food with both plastic and biodegradable forks. • Focus on methods to educate students about compost and recyclables while they attend the event • Work directly with food vendors when forming new partnerships with student organizations

14. Green Events -Case Studies- Mainstreaming Sustainability • 40 Acres Fest • Day-long campus-wide event • More than 50 participating student organizations • Recycling bins were situated around the event area • Participating student orgs came to a mandatory orientation where they received a presentation on green tabling and activities

15. Green Events -Case Studies- Mainstreaming Sustainability • 40 Acres Fest Key Issues Tip: Key Outcomes • Presenting to student organizations before the festival set the barahead of time and allowed the coordinators to not only ‘Green’ the event but educate as well. • The organization orientation allowed Green Events to broadcast their services to a wide audience • Some student groups still used Styrofoam or similar unrecoverable serving utensils. • When starting a Green Events program, set realistic goals for the student organizations and work with them directly to attain those goals. • Not all organizations will get a green event perfect the first time.

16. Green Events -Case Studies- Mainstreaming Sustainability Key Lessons • 40 Acres Fest • Mainstream sustainability by • targeting large, long-standing events on campus and • advertising Green Events as both a sustainable initiative and as a consulting service that can improve the overall quality of an organization’s event Tip: • Some student groups still used Styrofoam or similar unrecoverable serving utensils. • When starting a Green Events program, set realistic goals for the student organizations and work with them directly to attain those goals. • Not all organizations will get a green event perfect the first time.

17. Green Events -Case Studies- Co-Learning Opportunities • Holi • “Festival of Color” hosted by the Hindu Students Association (HSA) • Attracts 2000 students in 3 hours • Method of distributing colored powder ‘Gulal’ had previously been a major source of waste • GE and HSA worked together to reduce the use of single-use products • All waste was composted

18. Green Events -Case Studies- Co-Learning Opportunities • Holi Key Issues Tip: Key Outcomes New Method Old Method: • The higher cost per biodegradable bag was mitigated through improved logistics. • 1/5 of the amount of usual bags was used and all waste was recovered and composted. • The HSA officers were engaged in sustainable thinking. • Sustainable thinking was still for the most part limited to the core group of HSA officers. • Tackle one problem at a time, but keep improving annual events each year. • Co-learning happens most readily when solutions are tailored to the unique sustainability issues in each event.

19. Green Events -Case Studies- Co-Learning Opportunities • Iron Spikes Tailgate • Off-campus tailgate event • Recycled all plastic cups, cans, and bottles • Effectively communicated recycling initiative to organization members despite the high level of “rowdiness”

20. Green Events -Case Studies- Co-Learning Opportunities Key Lessons • New and non-annual events • Facilitate co-learning by • working with both small and large and new and annual events • have a Green Event coordinator research school resources, the impacts of waste, and other sustainability concerns so that they can communicate this information to other students • Events at the Community Garden • LAC Earth Week

21. Green Events -Case Studies- Partnership and Expansion • Facilities and DHFS Division of Housing and Food Service Large-impact events receive free work orders fulfilled by Facilities Services Green Events pays a fee to DHFS at the end of the year for the generated compost (by weight)

22. Green Events -Case Studies- Partnership and Expansion • Events Co-Sponsorship Board (ECB) • $70,000 in available funds • Sponsored by University Unions, a private entity on campus. • GE and ECB had one meeting in the Fall of 2013 to begin co-programming student events

23. Green Events -Case Studies- Partnership and Expansion • Green Events Website • Showcases past events • Advertising space for co-programmed events • Generates recognition on campus for student organizations engaged in sustainability • $70,000 in available funds • Sponsored by University Unions, a private entity on campus. • GE and ECB had one meeting in the Fall of 2013 to begin co-programming student events

24. Green Events -Case Studies- Partnership and Expansion • Green Certification • Showcases past events • Provides advertising space for co-programmed events • Generates recognition on campus for student organizations engaged in sustainability • Will allow us to quantify sustainability of a given event • Can be used to attract additional support from other departments at UT for these achievements

25. Green Events -Case Studies- Partnership and Expansion Key Lessons • Green Certification • Gain partners and expand a Green Events program by • Quantifying sustainability goals so event achievements can be understood by a general audience • Broadcasting these achievements so that other departments and organizations of the University will contribute to the momentum • Talking Points: • Diverted 15 lbs of compost from landfills • Sourced local food • Reused materials from previous years • Showcase for past events • Space for advertising co-programmed events • Generates recognition on campus for student organizations engaged in sustainability Green Events kicked off the semester with Hindu Student Association’s (HSA) Sankranti kite festival this past Sunday, composting 14 lbs of food and serve-ware! Green Events and HSA collaborated in the fall to ensure that compostable plates and cups and local food were sourced for the event. Keep an eye out for Green Events’ new compost bins at events on campus this spring!

26. Green Events -Review-

27. Green Events Special thank you to the following: • CEC staff advisor Jennifer Hobson • GE coordinators Christopher Nickelson and Kendall Vela • The office of Sustainability, Facilities Services, and DHFS