Sustainability at Commencement

HGSE is piloting professional sorting at the Block Party to separate recycling, compost, and trash. We will monitor contamination, gather data, and use what we learn to make future events even more sustainable.

For the Commencement event, HGSE has upgraded to reusable aluminum water bottles. Unlike plastic, aluminum is infinitely recyclable. This action eliminates the purchase of 1,000 single-use plastic bottles.

You’ll find stations with compost, recycling, and trash bins placed together. Signage with photos helps you quickly and confidently identify what goes where.

HGSE’s paper goods are compostable, including hot beverage cups and lids, cold drink/water cups, lids and straws, plates, utensils, napkins, stirrers, condiment cups, and to-go boxes. Also, all food scraps and our teabags are compostable.

Harvard’s campus locations employ single-stream recycling, so all recyclables such as metal cans, plastic water bottles, glass bottles, cardboard, and paper go in the same recycling bin. These items are later sorted by material at an offsite municipal recycling facility.

Trash bins are available for anything that is not listed as compostable or recyclable. When in doubt, throw it out in the trash bin, to prevent contaminating waste streams.

HGSE has increased our inventory of reusable serving items such as serving tools and platters so we can decrease our use of disposables.

HGSE intentionally reduces the use of extra containers and paper goods such as straws, lids, and condiment cups, which are only offered when needed.

To cut down on single-use packaging, HGSE provides dispensers instead of individual packets of condiments wherever possible.

HGSE donates leftover food from our events to a local nonprofit food rescue organization when permissible. This reduces food waste and supports community members facing food insecurity.