Green Events & Meetings

The Opportunity

Events are one of the easiest places to make a dent

A single catered event can generate the food-related emissions of dozens of households in a day — and most of it comes down to two decisions organizers already control: what's on the menu, and what it's served on.

Menu Design

Make the plant-based option the default, not the ask

The single highest-leverage change any organization can make is a behavioral one: instead of a plant-based dish as a special request, make it the standard menu item, with meat available as the opt-in. This is the model behind Greener by Default, a nonprofit that helps hospitals, universities, corporate offices, and conference organizers redesign menus this way — with partners including Harvard University, NYC Health + Hospitals, and Sodexo.

Source: Greener by Default. Full citation on our About & Sources page.

Beyond the Plate

Cutting single-use plastic

The U.S. EPA recommends a simple hierarchy for food-service ware at any gathering — work down the list based on what your venue can support:

1. Reusable first. Real plates, cutlery, and glassware — rented if you don't own them — use the least energy and resources over their lifetime. This is the preferred choice whenever a washing setup is available.
2. Certified compostable, second. Only where a commercial composting facility actually exists nearby and accepts the specific items — check first, since "compostable" packaging in a landfill provides no benefit.
3. Certified recyclable, last resort. Food contamination makes most food-service ware hard to recycle in practice — treat this as the fallback, not the plan.

For drinks specifically, the EPA's top recommendation is a refill station with reusable cups, or single-use aluminum as the next-best option — both beat single-use plastic cups by a wide margin.

Source: U.S. EPA — Identifying Sustainable Food Service and Food Service Ware.

The Checklist

Your next event, greener

• Make the plant-based entrée the default menu item; let meat be the opt-in, not the other way around.
• Ask your caterer for a plate-waste and food-waste estimate up front, and plan portions to match your real headcount.
• Use real plates, cups, and cutlery wherever a washing station or rental service is available.
• If disposables are unavoidable, choose certified compostable ware — and confirm your venue actually composts before you order it.
• Install water and beverage refill stations instead of single-use bottles and cups.
• Skip individually packaged condiments, creamers, and snacks in favor of shared servingware.
• Donate excess food through a local food-rescue organization instead of discarding it.
• Set up clearly labeled compost, recycling, and landfill bins side by side, so guests sort correctly on the first try.