Sustainable Conferences

CU Campus Sustainability

Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose, Recover, Reciprocate

Housing & Dining Services and CU Conference Services engage in an ever-expanding array of sustainable initiatives that we both incorporate into our day-to-day operationsÌýand promote to our guests, providing opportunities to reduce their environmental impact.

Multi station water station

Be Green with CU Conference Services

CUCS prides itself in supporting green practices at all levels of the planning process. CUCS will:

  • Assure that catering events are zero waste (chinaÌýor compostable)
  • Develop menus that feature local foods and plant-forward options to reduce your group's carbon and water footprint
  • RequestÌýbulk cream, sugar, honey and other condimentsÌýfor catered eventsÌý
  • Discourage use of bottled water and offer bulk water refilling at catered events
  • Manage catering orders to reduce food waste
  • Purchase reusable/recyclable giveaways through local vendors
  • Offer carbon offsetsÌýon all registration and housing websites
  • Use recycled content paper
  • Provide electronic contracts, client access to registration data and guest visitor information including sustainability pointers
  • Encourage groups to use mass transit and local B-Cycle program

Green Meeting Checklist

We encourage you and your team to join us in the efficient use of resources when planning your group's program and visit to campus. The Green Meeting Checklist is our gift to greening your meeting. From out-of-the-ordinary green programming ideas to reducing carbon, energy and water use, we've got you covered!

Carbon Offsets

CU Conference Services has partnered with the Environmental Center at the University of Colorado Boulder to allow conference attendees to purchase carbon offset credits. The purchase of carbon offsets represents a reduction in emissions from a specific project to offset those created by air and auto travel to attend the conference. These carbon emission reduction projects would not be possible without the financial resources that your purchase provides. Funded projects vary in geographic location and scope. CU only purchases from vetted carbon offset vendors that have third-party certified offsets with social equity benefits and educational potential. Continental United States round-trip air travel averages one metric ton of carbon. Round-trip air travel outside of the continental United States averages two to three metric tons of carbon depending on the distance traveled.Ìý

Additional Resources

View the CU Green Venue list.

To find out more about all the sustainability operations, engagement and legacy that ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú´«Ã½ÎÄ»¯×÷Æ· is involved in, please visit the Sustainability website.

For additional information on what University Housing, Campus Dining Services and Housing Facilities does to contribute to sustainability efforts on campus, visit the .