Are you planning your end-end of year celebrations or getting ahead on 2026 event organisation? Consider how you can run your event more sustainably with our Carbon Smart Events Guide.

Events are an important part of the university experience, but they also generate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The good news is there are easy steps we can take to reduce our environmental impact.

ANU Green has updated the Carbon Smart Events Guide to help you plan and host events – on or off campus – with a smaller carbon footprint. The Guide includes practical suggestions to help you Be Bin Smart, engage sustainable suppliers, minimise food waste and reduce your emissions while celebrating.

Be Bin Smart at your event

Throughout 2025, ANU has been piloting and has begun the implementation of a new and smarter waste-sorting system to keep valuable materials circulating and out of landfill. Proper sorting reduces contamination and improves recycling rates.

The new bin system uses up to five distinct bin streams to capture more materials before they reach landfill. The new system is currently available at ANU Sport, Marie Reay Teaching Centre, Chiefly Library, with rollout soon to the College of Business and Economics buildings.

Not all stations will have every bin type, and off-campus event locations may have different waste setups, so check what is available and which materials go in each bin before your event.

Top tips to reduce event waste:

• Reduce and reuse first: Minimise waste by choosing re-usable items wherever possible such as coffee cups, drink bottles, crockery and cutlery.
• Plan ahead: When booking your venue, check which bin types are available.
• Use clear signage: The Be Bin Smart Toolkit provides downloadable posters and bin “diet” visuals to help guests sort their waste correctly. Use these posters at your event to avoid contamination.
• Brief your colleagues or peers: Make sure those supporting you with your event, or attending, understand which items go in which bins.
• Monitor and adjust: Check bins during the event to prevent contamination, a quick reminder can make a big difference.

Make your celebration or event Carbon Smart

• Focus on experiences: Instead of emphasising food or drink to entice attendees, consider hosting an event that offers a unique experience. How about a National Botanic Gardens tour, a book swap or donating pre-loved books to Lifeline Canberra.
• Choose sustainable service providers: Use the sustainable service providers list to find suppliers that prioritise sustainable practices.
• Cater wisely: Try vegan or vegetarian-only catering and avoid over-catering. If there are leftovers, donate them to ANUSA or organisations such as Communities@Work, OzHarvest or St Johns Care. Hosting a morning or afternoon tea instead of lunch or dinner can also be more commitment-friendly for those with caring requirements.
• Bring your own: Host a potluck picnic featuring fair trade and seasonal ingredients.
• Choose accessible venues: Select locations reachable by active or public transport. If that's not possible, encourage carpooling. You can even consider organising your event around active transport. Consider a walking, cycling and scooter group from key Canberra locations to reach your event. Be sure to keep in mind your team's accessibility requirements.
• Review the carbon smart events guide: Explore more strategies to further reduce your event’s footprint.

Add a little friendly competition

Make sustainability part of the fun! Challenge attendees to calculate their expected commuting emissions to and from the event and choose lower-carbon ways to travel on the day. Alternatives may include active transport, public transport, carpooling or a combination of these.

Make your end-of-year celebrations memorable and impactful by integrating sustainable choices into your planning. We would love to hear about your efforts. Share your experience with the ANU community by posting to the ANU Green Network.