Chicago Climate Week is a platform, not a conference. We support independently organized events that connect, celebrate, and accelerate climate action across Chicagoland and the Midwest.

Organizer Responsibility

Event organizers are responsible for all aspects of planning and hosting their events, including operations, safety, permits, insurance, accessibility, and compliance with any applicable laws or venue requirements.

Chicago Climate Week serves as a promotional platform for independently organized events. By participating, organizers acknowledge that Chicago Climate Week does not manage, oversee, or assume responsibility for event execution and is not liable for individual events.

Guiding Principles for Chicago Climate Week Events

Chicago Climate Week includes a wide range of events, from technical workshops and industry conferences to networking gatherings, artistic experiences, volunteer opportunities, career events, community conversations, and family-friendly activities. There is no single model for a successful Chicago Climate Week event.

The following principles offer ideas and best practices for creating welcoming, impactful events and, where possible, reducing environmental impact. They are recommendations, not requirements, and should be adapted to fit the needs of your event and audience:

ChiCW Event Organizer Guide

1. Be clear about your audience and purpose

Different events serve different goals. Consider who you are trying to reach, what experience you want participants to have, and what success looks like for your event. These decisions can help guide everything from format and content to speakers and venue selection.

2. Meet your audience where they are

Different audiences bring different levels of familiarity, expertise, and interest. Whether you're speaking to technical experts, industry professionals, community members, or people new to climate topics, tailor your content, language, and format to the audience you hope to reach.

3. Create opportunities for connection

Chicago Climate Week exists to help people connect - with ideas, organizations, opportunities, solutions, and each other. Consider how your event can foster meaningful engagement among participants and create pathways for continued action, collaboration, and connection beyond the event itself.

4. Design with accessibility, inclusion, and community in mind

Consider how cost, location, transportation, physical accessibility, language, scheduling, and event format may affect who is able to participate. Whenever possible, also look for opportunities to highlight local organizations, businesses, institutions, artists, entrepreneurs, workers, advocates, and community leaders helping shape our region's climate future.

5. Consider opportunities to reduce environmental impact

Thoughtful choices around transportation, food, materials, waste, and procurement can reduce environmental impact while often improving the participant experience. Focus on the actions that make sense for your event, budget, and goals.

6. Progress over perfection

Every event will have different opportunities and constraints. Chicago Climate Week encourages thoughtful planning and continuous improvement rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Inspired in part by Events of Purpose - Sustainable Event Strategy Accreditation Course

Reducing Environmental Impact: Ideas & Resources

The biggest sources of event emissions are: 

  • Travel & transportation: how guests arrive

  • Energy: how the venue is powered

  • Food: what's served and where it comes from

  • Sourcing & material procurement: what's purchased for the event

  • Waste: what gets thrown away at the end

Depending on your event type, budget, and goals, you may choose to focus on one or several of these areas.

Some common opportunities include:

  • Encouraging guests to arrive by transit, bicycle, walking, or carpooling

  • Minimizing food waste through thoughtful planning, donation, or composting

  • Sourcing food and materials locally when practical

  • Offering water refill stations instead of single-use bottles

  • Choosing reusable, compostable, rented, borrowed, or secondhand items when possible

Not every strategy will make sense for every event. The goal is to provide ideas and resources that organizers can adapt to their own circumstances.

Communication matters. If sustainability is a priority for your event, communicating those goals early with your team, venue, caterers, and suppliers can make planning easier and help align expectations. Being clear about what matters most to your event - whether that's reducing waste, sourcing locally, improving accessibility, supporting community partners, or something else - can help guide decisions throughout the planning process.

Key questions to ask before you plan:

  • Can supplies be borrowed, rented, or sourced secondhand?

  • Can you make do with what you already have?

  • If you're buying something new, will you be able to store, donate, or reuse it after?

  • What will end up in the landfill - and is there a better option?

You don't have to answer every question perfectly. The goal is to make thoughtful choices that align with your event's goals, audience, and resources - not to achieve perfection.

Putting the Principles into Practice

The following sections offer practical ideas, questions, and resources to help apply these principles throughout the event planning process.

  • Transportation:

    • Is the venue close to public transport, a Divvy station, or bike storage? 

    • Is it accessible by foot or wheelchair from nearby transit stops?

    Food & waste infrastructure:

    • Does the venue have a preferred/required caterer? Do they use disposables?

    • What is the default tableware? Reusables or disposables? 

    • Does the venue or caterer compost? What happens to leftover food? 

    • Are water (or drink) refill stations available? 

  • Clear communication helps attendees plan ahead and contributes to a smoother event experience.

    Go digital: Tools like Luma, Paperless Post, Canva, or a simple email make it easy to share event details, manage RSVPs, and communicate updates. 

    Encourage car-free arrival: Consider including the nearest CTA stop, Divvy station, parking information, and walking directions in your invitation. If appropriate, encourage carpooling for attendees traveling from the same area.

    Set expectations up front: Let attendees know what to expect before they arrive. This may include information about food and beverages, dietary options, accessibility accommodations, parking, what to bring, or anything else that will help guests prepare for the event.

  • Food can be one of the most enjoyable parts of an event - and one of the most impactful from a sustainability perspective. The goal is not perfection, but making thoughtful choices that reflect your values, audience, budget, and community.

    Food Sourcing & Menu Planning

    When planning food for your event, consider opportunities to reduce environmental impact while creating a positive experience for attendees. 

    • Consider local and regional suppliers when practical and appropriate for your event.

    • Offer plant-based options alongside other menu choices. A mix of plant-based and traditional options is often a great starting point.

    • Beef and lamb generally have a higher environmental impact than other food categories. Organizers looking to reduce food-related emissions may choose to feature them less prominently.

    • Make your menu inclusive by considering common dietary needs and restrictions, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free options.

    • Explore local CSA & sustainable food options or find local sustainable caterers. 

    Reducing Food Waste

    Reducing food waste is often one of the simplest and most impactful sustainability actions an event organizer can take.

    • Plan portions based on expected attendance and confirmed RSVPs whenever possible.

    • Consider offering attendees a way to take leftovers home.

    • Label recycling, compost, and trash bins clearly and include examples of what belongs in each stream.

    Leftovers & Composting 

    Consider creating a plan for leftover food and food scraps before your event begins. Options may include:

  • Beverage service can also create unnecessary waste if not planned thoughtfully.

    • Prioritize reusable serving options when practical.

    • Glass and aluminum are generally more widely recyclable than plastic.

    • Consider refill stations or bulk beverage service when appropriate for your event.

    • If serving alcoholic beverages, consider supporting local producers.

    • Straws and accessibility: plastic straws are a significant source of waste, but some guests might need them for accessibility or comfort. Offer paper or bamboo straws or keep plastic ones available upon request. 

    Water

    Water service is one of the easiest areas where many events can reduce waste. Single-use plastic water bottles are common at events, but there are often practical alternatives that can reduce both waste and costs. Consider the following options:

    • Skip the cases of bottled water. 

      • If individual bottled water is necessary, consider aluminum or glass options.

      • Set up a refill station instead: a large dispenser, a filtered pitcher, or rent a hydration station.

      • Work with Open Water to source resealable, aluminum bottles instead!

    • Provide a refill station using a water dispenser, filtered pitcher, hydration station, or venue-provided water service.

    • Encourage guests to bring a reusable water bottle in the invitation. 

    • For outdoor events, make sure refill stations are clearly visible and easy to access for all guests.

  • Single-use tableware can be a visible source of event waste and is often an area where organizers can make relatively simple sustainability improvements.

    For Venues, Caterers & Event Professionals

    Consider alternatives to styrofoam, polystyrene, and other single-use plastics. Options may include:

    • Reusable dishware and servingware

    • Bamboo, cardboard, palm leaf, or other compostable alternatives

    • Dishware rental services that support reuse at scale. Local examples:

    For Event Hosts & Community Organizers

    Depending on the size and format of your event, consider:

    • Borrowing dishware from friends, family, neighbors, or community organizations

    • Exploring local Buy Nothing, Freebox, or lending networks

    • Renting reusable dishware through organizations such as Eco Chic Events or the Party Kit Network

    If reusable options are not practical for your event, consider certified compostable alternatives and ensure attendees have access to clearly marked compost collection when available. Examples include:

  • Decor and signage are often areas where organizers can reduce waste while adding creativity, personality, and a sense of place to an event. Consider the following approaches:

    • Source from local vendors and makers when practical.

    • Rent or borrow decor items rather than purchasing materials that will only be used once.

    • Choose reusable, compostable, recycled, or upcycled materials when possible.

    • Use paper banners, compostable stickers, natural materials, or other lower-waste alternatives to single-use plastic decorations.

    • Select decor that can be stored and reused for future events.

    • Avoid balloon releases and other decorations that can create unnecessary waste or environmental impacts.

    Local resources and examples include:

    Food, greenery, candles, repurposed containers, and other natural or reusable elements can often create memorable event experiences without requiring significant new purchases. As with many sustainability decisions, the most impactful option is often to reuse what already exists before purchasing something new.

  • Before purchasing equipment that may only be used once or twice, consider borrowing or renting.

    The Chicago Tool Library offers a wide range of kitchen appliances and event-related equipment, including slow cookers, air fryers, bread machines, standing mixers, blenders, specialty baking pans, pasta makers, popcorn machines, and more.

    Borrowing, renting, or sharing equipment can reduce costs, minimize waste, and help make better use of existing community resources.

  • The single best way to reduce food waste is knowing how many people are attending. When possible:

    • Use an RSVP system for events where food or beverages are being prepared or ordered.

    • Set a clear RSVP deadline.

    • Plan portions based on expected attendance rather than maximum capacity.

    • Ask about dietary needs during registration to help ensure attendees have appropriate options while minimizing unnecessary waste. 

    For drop-in events without RSVPs, consider working with your caterer or food vendor to develop a flexible serving plan and a strategy for handling leftovers.

  • Vendors and suppliers are often more flexible than their default offerings suggest. If sustainability is a priority for your event, communicate those goals early in the planning process and explore options together.

    Questions worth asking may include:

    • What is your default setup? Reusable or disposable?

    • Do you compost or work with a composting service?

    • Can reusable cups, plates, or containers be used instead of disposables?

    • What happens to leftover food at the end of an event?

    • Where do you source your ingredients or materials?

    • Are there sustainability practices, initiatives, or certifications that you already have in place?

    Approach these conversations as opportunities for collaboration rather than criticism. Many vendors are already taking steps to reduce waste and may have ideas or solutions that can support your goals.

  • Clear internal communication can be just as important as conversations with vendors and suppliers.

    If your event includes specific sustainability goals or practices, make sure staff, volunteers, and co-organizers understand the plan before the event begins. Even a brief conversation can help everyone make more informed decisions and create a more consistent attendee experience.

    Consider identifying a point person for sustainability-related questions to help coordinate decisions and avoid confusion during the event.