In honor of Earth Day 2009, we bring you 10 simple ideas to make your nonprofit's next event greener--courtesy of our friends at Event 360.

  1. Apparel. Use eco-friendly apparel including organic cotton, bamboo and recycled polyester.
  2. Bottled water. Avoid serving individual bottled water. Encourage participants and spectators to bring their own reusable water bottles (ex: Klean Kanteen, Nalgene) or use biodegradable recyclable plastic water bottles. Also consider providing compostable cups for water service at rest stops or water stations.
  3. Styrofoam. Make your event styrofoam-free.
  4. Recycle. Provide marked recycling containers throughout the venue. Use recycling bins that are visually different from other waste receptacles. Use clear plastic bags as liners for recycling bins for easy identification and removal of contaminants. Use opaque black bags in garbage bins. Compost too!
  5. Train. Know the local rules for recycling & composting. Train volunteers about procedure and restrictions. Post volunteers near all recycling bins to monitor deposits.
  6. Go paperless. Consider whether or not your event materials can be viewed on the event website instead of being printed and mailed.
  7. Reuse. When printing is necessary, print materials on recycled paper. Print double-sided when possible. Use soy-based ink.
  8. Transportation. Choose sites that are accessible by public transit and are bike friendly. Promote transportation alternatives. Encourage the use of public transportation, ride-sharing, fuel-efficient vehicles, cycling and walking.
  9. CO2. If car and air travel are necessary to attend your event, encourage participants and spectators to offset their CO2 emissions by purchasing carbon credits.
  10. Biodiesel. Look into biodiesel fuel for trucks, busses and diesel generators.

Event 360 is the nation’s leading designer and director of fundraising, advocacy and awareness events for nonprofits. In six years we have worked with our clients to raise more than a third of a billion dollars. For more information, visit http://www.event360.com/.