Green Events Planning Guide - City of San Antonio

Oct 3, 2026

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Green Events Planning Guide for the City of San Antonio outlines objectives and requirements for hosting events on City property or with City funds using green practices. It explains a planning approach that emphasizes early stakeholder involvement, coordination with maintenance staff, volunteer roles, and effective recycling operations with approved messaging and signage. The guide provides a Green Events Scorecard with tier thresholds and detailed Waste Reduction & Prevention actions, including eliminating single-use plastics, tracking waste impacts with the EPA WARM model, and expanding sustainable outreach and collection initiatives.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages27

Reading Time1 h 8 min

AccessFree to download

About this Guide

Green Events Criteria

Scorecard

Objectives ofthe Green Events Ordinance

Planning

Involve Stakeholders Early in the Planning Phase

Coordinate with Maintenance Staff

Designate Roles for Volunteers

Green Events Scorecard

Waste Reduction & Prevention

City of San Antonio Green Events Planning Guide CONTENTS 01 About this Guide Green Events Criteria Scorecard 03 Objectives ofthe Green Events Ordinance Education: ensure community event managers are empowered and have the knowledge to minimize their environmental impact Measure: enable events to measure their environmental impacts and improvements Recognize: encourage events to promote their sustainability initiatives Regulate: require events on City property or with City funds to implement green practices • Demonstrates environmental leadership • Reduces waste, energy and materials consumption at City events • Increases awareness to reduce the amount of waste, energy and materials consumption for event coordinators, vendors and attendees • Encourages other community events to voluntarily participate in the Green Events Program • Expands the market for sustainable commodities and services • Enhancement of green job opportunities 04 05 Planning INVOLVE STAKEHOLDERS EARLY IN THE PLANNING PHASE Meet with your stakeholders, such as event executives, site owners, vendors and contractors to inform them of your sustainable event initiatives, invite their input and advise them of any requirements and expectations. The event organizer will need to determine what sustainable event initiatives within the “Green Events Scorecard”will be incorporated. COORDINATE WITH MAINTENANCE STAFF Coordinate with your maintenance team to assess the number of trash and recycling containers needed and identify appropriate locations for each container. You will need to ensure there is an adequate number of trash and recycling receptacles (i.e. 1:1 ratio) and that they are paired. Also, consider establishing convenient bulk areas for full bags of trash and recycling as it - ing with multiple parties but it is crucial to reducing contamination. Be sure to communicate your plan to the facility, hauler or City representative to make sure placement is approved prior to your event day. htoopos/ng for a recycling servicet/pSoldioenr-? DESIGNATE ROLES FOR VOLUNTEERS • Welcome and encourage volunteers, discuss the event’s green initiatives. • Before the event, post recycling signage in the designated areas. • Monitor recycling stations during the event to ensure the right items go into recycling or trash receptacles. • emergency vehicles remain clear. • Replace full bags. • Take pictures of recycling successes or lessons learned, share on social media. 06 Green Events Scorecard SILVER Silver: 100-124 GOLD Gold: 125-149 PLATINUM Platinum: 150-199 VERDE Verde: 200+ 07 Waste Reduction & Prevention | | Actions for Waste Reduction & Prevention | Points | | --- | --- | --- | | R1 | BE BOLD! Eliminate promotional gifts and materials | 50 | | R2 | BE BOLD! Eliminate single-use plastics (e.g. beverage containers such as water bottles, cutlery, straws, etc.) | 50 | | R3 | Provide incentives to event attendees in order to encourage recycling (e.g. Battle of Flowers) | 30 | | R4 | Innovative recycling messaging throughout the event (requires approval) | 30 | | R5 | At least 50% of the event materials are durable, broken down and reused the following year | 25 | | R6 | Use the EPA’sWARM model to show the Greenhouse Gas reductions from diverting waste at your event | 25 | | R7 | Allow attendees to safely use reusable containers brought from home or enable them to use one container given to them while on-site | 20 | | R8 | Make arrangements to take excess food to a food bank or shelter | 20 | | R9 | Educate participants and/or spectators about the importance of waste diversion or invite the City’s Solid Waste Management Dept. to provide outreach at the event | 20 | | R10 | Host an e-waste or other specialty recycling collection in conjunction with the event | 20 | | R11 | Volunteers that monitor and collect materials from the bins a

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Green Events Ordinance according to the guide?

The guide states that it aims to empower community event managers to minimize environmental impact, help events measure those impacts and improvements, and encourage and regulate green practices for qualifying events.

How should event organizers plan for waste and recycling operations?

Organizers are instructed to coordinate with maintenance staff to determine container needs and placement, communicate placement plans for approval, and set up volunteer roles to monitor recycling stations during the event.

What are the Green Events Scorecard tiers and how are they determined?

The guide lists Silver (100-124), Gold (125-149), Platinum (150-199), and Verde (200+), based on points earned through actions such as waste reduction, recycling outreach, and related initiatives.

Oct 3, 2026

Upload by Riley