Sustainable Events
Engaging the Wolfpack with sustainability.
A sustainable event represents wise stewardship of resources, prudent financial planning and environmentally responsible operations. It also inspires attendees to live more sustainably.
Learn how to create sustainable events and receive Sustainable Event Certification using the following resources:
Before the Event
- Event Location:
- Host the event outdoors, in a LEED Certified campus building, or in a naturally-lit indoor area.
- Ensure the event location is accessible and offers alternative transportation options (bus, bicycle, carpool, walking).
- Promotional Materials:
- Go all-digital and paperless if possible.
- If using printed materials, post them in a centralized location to reduce waste.
- Include information about your event’s sustainable practices in your promotions.
- Exclude the date from promotional materials like banners and t-shirts to allow for reuse in future years.
- Sustainable Choices:
- Use the “Questions to Consider” provided by the University Sustainability Office for sustainability-conscious decisions.
- Evaluate vital and non-essential items to reduce costs and waste.
- Borrow or rent necessary items like tables and chairs from campus partners before purchasing new.
- Reduce Cost and Waste:
- Select reusable supplies for future events.
- Purchase compostable supplies or materials made of recycled content.
- Buy supplies in bulk and choose locally produced products.
- For giveaways, use services or consumable items to limit waste (e.g., coupons, tickets, gift certificates, plants, food).
- Choose t-shirts made locally from organic and/or recycled materials if required.
- Refreshments:
- Provide locally sourced food choices that accommodate vegetarian, vegan, and allergen diets.
- Opt for a menu that reduces the need for utensils and plates to minimize waste.
- Plan for excess food donation to minimize food waste.
- Waste Management:
- Evaluate your waste, compost, and recycling needs using Zero Waste Events resources.
- Contact NC State Waste Reduction and Recycling to rent event clearstreams and purchase compostable supplies.
- Enlist volunteers to set up and manage clearstreams correctly.
- Provide clear signage to guide guests on what is recyclable, compostable, or landfill.
- Set zero waste goals (e.g., recycle or compost at least 90% of event waste) and communicate these goals to volunteers and attendees.
During the Event
- Spread the Word:
- Announce specific sustainability opportunities for participants during the event.
- Place sustainability-related signs in visible locations (e.g., promoting locally-sourced menu items, compostable item information).
- Offer Rewards:
- Incentivize sustainable actions with prizes, online recognition or reduced registration fees for vendors and attendees who contribute sustainably.
- Reduce Event Waste:
- Utilize volunteers to ensure proper disposal of event waste.
- Provide volunteers with a reference guide on what can and cannot be recycled or composted.
After the Event
- Reduce Waste:
- Allow guests to take home excess food and donate remaining items to a local nonprofit.
- Promote Your Success:
- Spread the word about your event’s zero waste and sustainability efforts on social media.
- Evaluate Success:
- Use an online survey instead of paper surveys to evaluate your event.
- Say Thanks, Sustainably:
- Show appreciation to attendees sustainably with gift certificates, electronic or recycled thank you cards, plants, or consumables.
Certify Your Event Sustainable
STEP 1: INCORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY
Use the resources above to integrate sustainability before, during and after your event. The certification process uses a point-based system to evaluate the event based on your incorporation of sustainability practices. Certification is offered at the following levels:
- Contributor: 8-14 of total survey points
- Steward: 15-22 of total survey points
- Champion: 23 or more of total points
STEP 2: SUBMIT CERTIFICATION
Certify your event by completing the online certification form.
STEP 3: PROMOTE YOUR ACHIEVEMENT
Be sure to use the certification as a way to promote your event. Display your sustainable event certificate at the event and include it in press releases and/or media talking points.
Certified Sustainable Events: 2025
Event Name Sponsoring Organization Certification Level Events Associate, 1/15/2025 Center for Environmental Farming Services Steward Make-A-Thon, 1/23-26/2025 Campus-wide initiative; see go.ncsu.edu/MakeAThon Champion Organic Commodities and Livestock Conference, 3/4/2025 Center for Environmental Farming Services and Carolina Farm Stewardship Association Contributor Spring 2025 CALS & CNR HOT Jobs + Internships Fair, 3/5/2025 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Natural Resources Champion Sustainability Seminar, 3/19/2025 Sustainability Stewards Steward 2025 NC WRRI Annual Conference, 3/19-20/2025 NC WRRI Champion 2025 Sailpack Oriental Intercollegiate Regatta, 3/29-30/2025 NC State Sailing Team Steward NC State College of Veterinary Medicine Scholarship Dinner, 4/1/2025 CVM Philanthropy Team, NCVMF Contributor Farm Feast, 4/2/2025 NC State Dining Champion 4th Annual MEAS Symposium, 4/4/2025 Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Steward Farm to ECE Institute, 4/5/2025 Center for Environmental Farming Services Steward Events Associate, 4/8/2025 Center for Environmental Farming Services Steward Earth Fair, 4/9/2025 University Sustainability Office Champion Celebration of Sustainability, 4/22/2025 Climate and Sustainability Academy, Sustainability Council, University Sustainability Office Champion Farm to Fork Picnic, 6/8/2025 Center for Environmental Farming Services Champion CEFS Advisory Board Meeting, 7/15/2025 Center for Environmental Farming Services Champion CEFS Strategic Planning Meeting, 8/6/2025 Center for Environmental Farming Services Champion
Certified Sustainable Events: 2024
Event Name Sponsoring Organization Certification Level Make-A-Thon, 1/26-28/2024 Campus-wide initiative; see go.ncsu.edu/MakeAThon Champion CVM Annual Scholarship Dinner, 2/20/2024 NC State College of Veterinary Medicine Steward Eco+Pack Signature Event, 3/18-21/2024 Eco+Pack Champion 2024 WRRI Annual Conference, 3/20-21/2024 NC Water Resources Research Institute Champion Farm Feast, 4/4/2024 NC State Dining Champion Earth Fair, 4/10/2024 University Sustainability Office Champion CEFS Advisory Board Meeting, 4/12/2024 Center for Environmental Farming Services Champion Out of Darkness Walk, 4/13/2024 NC State Department of Prevention Services Steward Celebration of Sustainability, 4/23/2024 Sustainability Council, University Sustainability Office Champion Turtle Tours, 5/9/2024 College of Veterinary Medicine Steward Farm to Early Care and Education Learning, 5/14/2024 Center for Environmental Farming Services Steward Bus Ops BBQ, 5/30/2024 Facilities Business Operations Steward Farm to Fork Picnic, 6/2/2024 Center for Environmental Farming Services Champion CVM’s Annual Curtin Society Luncheon, 6/13/2024 College of Veterinary Medicine Steward Carolina Meat Conference, 7/30-31/2024 NC Choices Champion Sustainability Stewards’ Fall Retreat, 8/16/2024 Sustainability Office Steward Sustainability Stroll, 8/21-22/2024 Sustainability Office Champion Your Sustainable State, 8/22/2024 Sustainability Office Champion Campus As A Classroom Retreat, 8/25/2024 Sustainability Office Steward Sustainability Involvement Fair, 8/27/2024 Eco Plus Pack Champion All Carolinas Dining Event, 9/7/2024 NC State Dining Champion Farm to Fork Charlotte, 9/29/2024 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion College of Natural Resources Career Fair, 10/2/2024 College of Natural Resources Champion 2024 NC Coastal Conference, 11/13-14/2024 NC Sea Grant Champion Flow Forward, 11/13/2024 NC State Sustainability Stewards Champion Envisioning Urban Futures: Charlanata, 11/13/2024 NC State University Champion All CEFS Strategic Planning Meeting, 11/20/2024 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion Green Grill Out, 11/21/2024 Sustainability Stewards Champion
Certified Sustainable Events: 2023
Event Name Sponsoring Organization Certification Level Discomfort Club End of Year Celebration, 12/9/2023 Discomfort Club Steward Staff Senate Winter Farmer’s Market Tour, 12/6/2023 NC State Staff Senate Resources and Environment Committee Champion Geospatial Forum, 11/17/2023 Center for Geospatial Analytics Champion Staff Senate Agroecology Farm Tour, 11/15/2023 NC State Staff Senate Resources and Environment Committee Champion 2023 Triangle Tango Intercollegiate Regatta, 11/11-12/2023 Sailing Club at NC State Champion Geospatial Forum, 11/2/2023 Center for Geospatial Analytics Champion Staff Senate Compost Facility Tour, 10/25/2023 NC State Staff Senate Resources and Environment Committee Champion All CEFS Meeting, 10/27/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion CEFS Field Research, Education and Outreach Facility at Cherry Research Farm Tour, 10/25/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion Farm to ECE Institute, 10/21/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion Geospatial Forum, 10/20/2023 Center for Geospatial Analytics Champion Envisioning Urban Futures, 10/18/2023 Office of University Interdisciplinary Programs, NC State Libraries, Initiative for Community Growth and Development Champion Extension Early Career Conference, 10/2-4/2023 NC State Extension Champion Farm to Fork Picnic (Charlotte), 10/1/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion 2023 SailPack Women’s Intercollegiate Regatta, 9/31-10/1/2023 Sailing Club at NC State Champion KIETS Climate Leaders Program Symposium, 9/28-29/2023 KIETS Climate Leaders Program Champion Staff Senate PULSTAR Nuclear Reactor Tour NC State Staff Senate Resources and Environment Committee Champion All Carolinas Dining Event, 9/7/2023 NC State Dining Champion An Afternoon with Our Pack: Celebrating NC State’s Red Wolf Conservation and Care, 9/6/2023 NC State CVM Champion CEFS Lunch and Intentional Workplace Facilitated Meeting, 8/31/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion College of Sciences Welcome Back Picnic, 8/31/2023 College of Sciences Champion ASPIRE Closing Lunch and Poster Presentations, 7/28/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion CEFS Small Farm Unit Demonstration & Field Day, 7/12-23/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion NC State CVM Terrence Curtin Society Annual Luncheon, 6/7/2023 NC State CVM Champion Farm to Fork Picnic, 6/4/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion CEFS Summer Internship Welcome Lunch, 5/22/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion CEFS Advisory Board Meeting, 5/5/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion Networking with CEFS, 4/20/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion All CEFS, 4/19/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion Celebration of NC State Sustainability, 4/18/2023 University Sustainability Office Champion Eco+Pack, 4/17-21/2023 Eco+Pack Champion Caring For Your Lawn, 4/13/2023 NC State Staff Senate Champion Earth Fair, 4/12/2023 University Sustainability Office Champion Reducing Your Food Waste, 4/6/2023 NC State Staff Senate Champion Next Level Marketing Strategies for Local, Niche Meat Businesses, 4/4/2023 NC Choices Champion 2023 WRRI Annual Conference, 3/22-23/2023 NC Water Resources Research Institute Champion Forging Our Food Future: 2023 Statewide Gathering, 3/15-16/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion FoodCon 2023, 2/16/2023 Poole College Business Sustainability Collaborative Champion NC State CVM’s Annual Scholarship Dinner, 2/15/2023 College of Veterinary Medicine Champion Southern Cover Crops Conference, 2/14-15/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion CEFS Advisory Board Meeting, 2/3/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion NC State Make-A-Thon, 1/27-29/2023 NC State Entrepreneurship, Sustainability, Libraries and Housing Champion CEFS Holiday Afterparty, 1/27/2023 Center for Environmental Farming Systems Champion
Questions: sustainability@ncsu.edu