The Office of Sustainability is launching an updated Green Event Certification on March 1 that makes it easier for event organizers to create and get recognized for sustainable events at Yale.
The updated certification streamlines the process, with one page of quick at-a-glance guidelines and a simple survey.
Green Event Certification has been popular since its naissance in 2010. It is free for Yale events small or big, on campus or offsite, and catered by Yale or a local business. Organizers can receive a bronze, silver, gold, or platinum certification award based on the amount of points they earn while filling out a questionnaire.
In 2016, events such as the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies Reunion Weekend, YHack, and the Peabody Museum’s David Friend Hall Ribbon Cutting were Platinum Certified.
The previous version of the certification had organizers fill out a spreadsheet checklist that they emailed to the Office upon completion. With the new version, event organizers fill out a simple online survey that sums up points based on the sustainability of the event’s transportation, catering, use of materials and communications.
The survey includes a downloadable checklist that provides tips and ideas for planning a sustainable event. It also links to additional information and resources if organizers need more details or examples.
Certification aims to encourage and celebrate the voluntary efforts of event organizers to reduce the environmental, social, and financial costs of their events.
Have an event coming up? Get tips on how to make it sustainable or get it green certified here.
Yale is committed to building a more sustainable world. By doing what we do best—integrating science, the humanities, and our community—Yale creates, tests and adopts innovative solutions to the environmental and social challenges we all face.