Zero Waste Pennsylvania’s 2016 event season is wrapping up and has been more successful than ever! ZWPA’s events range from large, fully-staffed festivals to smaller private parties. In fact, ZWPA’s current combined diversion rate for all audited events in 2016 was 82 percent!
Pittsburghers may have seen ZWPA working at The Three Rivers Arts Festival, the Pittsburgh Marathon, or perhaps at other local community events, such as the Penn Forest Picnic or the Colfax Carnival.
As part of ZWPA’s services, the waste produced from most events is audited to track the “greening progress.”
The nationally recognized Zero Waste standard is diverting 90 percent of an event’s waste away from landfill, and ZWPA strives to have all of our events reach that standard. Diverted waste can be sent to be composted, recycled or even repurposed or reused.
Overall, there is a positive trend over time for our events, and we are proud to say that some events have already risen above the Zero Waste standard!
Once ZWPA audits the waste from an event, we can calculate energy savings and greenhouse gas reduction from the amount of waste diverted using the EPA’s WARM Model, which helps us better understand our environmental impact.
Recycling and composting significantly reduce energy use as well as greenhouse gas emissions.
Imagine the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from 15 passenger vehicles for one year – ZWPA has reduced emissions equivalent to those produced by the 15 passenger vehicles!
Not only that, but this value only represents audited events from 2016.
When considering ZWPA’s years of service, the program has reduced much more greenhouse gas emissions than that, and the number will only continue to grow!
More information on waste reduction programs is available at the Zero Waste Pennsylvania webpage.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the PA Resources Council website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates, follow PRC on Twitter or Like them on Facebook. Click Here for PRC’s Events Calendar.(Reprinted from the November newsletter from the PA Resources Council. Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)
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