Commencement Goes Green

Recognized as a leader in campus sustainability planning and action, Stanford is committed to achieving sustainability in event planning and execution. The latest College Sustainability Report Card released by the Sustainable Endowments Institute (SEI) named Stanford as one of 26 "overall sustainability leaders" in Canada and the United States for its environmental achievements.

Stanford’s Commencement Weekend, the largest of the “big-five” events at Stanford, attracts thousands of people to campus each year. As part of our campus-wide commitment to sustainability, Stanford Events, Sustainable Stanford, Building and Grounds Maintenance, PSSI, Event and Labor Services, and the academic departments and programs at Stanford are working to integrate “Green” practices into every step of the planning and implementation of the weekend’s celebrations.

Below are some of the efforts we have made to make this important event sustainable. To learn more about green event planning, please visit the Sustainable Stanford events site.

An online guide to Green Event Planning at Stanford is also available.

Minimizing Print Materials

We have made great strides towards reducing the amount of paper produced in the planning and publicity for Commencement Weekend.

In past years, Stanford Events produced 8,000 Commencement brochures and 13,000 weekend schedules to be distributed before and during the event. In 2009, only 2,500 Commencement booklets were printed. In 2010, additional efforts are being made to streamline our communications and mimimize print materials. The distribution of most information will take place electronically by email and on the Web.

All planning materials for Stanford academic departments have been distributed in electronic form and are available to download on the Commencement website for staff members involved in the planning.

We are using e-mail reminders whenever possible to reduce printed material. The faculty information packets for Commencement participation and student reminders will be sent via email.

Green Event Planning

In preparation for the many ceremonies and dinners taking place over Commencement weekend, Green event guidelines have been included in the training and planning meetings. Tips for hosting a Green event include:

Event Decoration
Using banners that can be reused each year.
Using air-based balloons whenever possible to reduce the use of helium.

Food and Beverage
Choosing environmentally-friendly catering companies for the weekend lunches, dinners, and receptions. Our bartenders and caterers recycle everything they use.
Providing meals and containers that are 100% compostable.
Redistributing extra meals after events to local churches and food shelters.

Waste and Recycling
Serving meals with compostable corn-starch cutlery and sugar cane fiber paper products.
Clearly labeled recycling, trash, and compost bins throughout the event locations, and making them available on a 1-1-1 ratio.
Providing trash, compost, and recycle bins that are made out of recycled materials. Compost containers should have compostable liners.
Instead of roll-offs dumpsters, providing smaller dumpsters which reduces the number of trips to landfills - estimated 150 miles of highway trip.

Signage
Producing signage that can be used for multiple Commencement years and other large-scale events on campus.

How You Can Help

Download the Commencement schedules and information to your PDA. If you must print materials, please recycle them after the event.

During the weekend, place your compostable products, recyclables and garbage in the correctly labeled bin. We will be providing garbage, recyclable, and compostable bins in all of the lunch and tailgate tent areas; please take a moment to identify the right bin for your item.

Carpool or use alternate transportation to get to campus.

Recycle your Commencement materials when you are finished with them (they are all made with a minimum of 10% post-consumer product).

Bring your own refillable water bottle to Commencement. Help us reduce the number of water bottles and containers and bring your Sigg, Nalgene, etc.

Campus Initiatives

http://sustainablestanford.stanford.edu
http://environment.stanford.edu

If you have comments, suggestions, or would like to help volunteer please contact:

Fahmida Ahmed, Manager, Sustainability Programs , 650-721-1518 for campus-wide initiatives
David Geeter, Students for a Sustainable Stanford, [email protected] for student volunteers