FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Office for Sustainability has launched a new resource to help any University of Arkansas department or organization host a zero waste event, one that diverts 90 percent or more of its total waste from area landfills through recycling or composting.

“It is our hope that the zero waste event program will lead to an increase in awareness of our solid waste challenges across campus,” said Carlos Ochoa, director of the Office for Sustainability.

The sustainability office has developed a process for event planners to follow, with three simple steps: register, host, and report. Event planners can register at the zero waste events webpage to schedule the use of equipment from the office such as ClearStream recycling containers, scales and other materials available for checkout, free of charge. Sustainability interns are available to consult with event planners on the best ways to host a zero waste event. The webpage also offers other information to help host a successful event.

The Office for Sustainability will help offer tips on publicizing the event and will promote all zero waste events on social media. Once a successful event is over – and the results have been reported – the office will feature it on a zero waste Hall of Fame webpage.

Zero waste events provide students, faculty and staff an opportunity to have a positive impact on the environment and to help the U of A achieve its sustainability goals. The university signed The American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007. As part of this the U of A committed to becoming a zero waste campus by 2021. The Office for Sustainability  has implemented two strategies, aversion and diversion, to help the university achieve this goal. Aversion prevents waste before it happens through source reduction and recovery. Diversion keeps waste out of the landfill through recycling and composting.

For more information, please visit http://bit.ly/1BvIhEA or contact the Office for Sustainability at sustain@uark.edu