Programme nearbyCommunityLjubljanaLjubljana hotel sector: reuse in hospitality and eventsFrom rooms to banquets: waste prevention in the tourism economy Ekologi brez meja worked with the Ljubljana Tourism Board and city waste operator VOKA SNAGA over two years to bring waste prevention and reuse into the hotel and events sector. The partnership surfaces what the ZWE report calls a systemic gap: hospitality generates high volumes of single-use waste but rarely has a reuse infrastructure to switch to. What the collaboration covers - Shared reusable tableware systems for hotel events and catering - Guidance for venues on reducing single-use room amenities - Pilot reuse programmes for public and private events in Ljubljana How to get involved - If you organise or attend events in Ljubljana, ask venues whether they offer reusable alternatives - Hotel guests can ask about refillable amenity dispensers instead of single-use toiletries - Follow VOKA SNAGA for city-level waste prevention updates Why it matters Ljubljana hosts millions of visitors per year. Embedding reuse in the hospitality sector shifts waste prevention from individual choice to city-scale default.hotelstourismreuse +1
Programme nearbyCommunityBrusselsBrussels zero waste events action planMaking every public event in Brussels waste-free Zero Waste Belgium developed a comprehensive strategic action plan for zero waste events across Brussels: covering event logistics, supplier requirements, reuse system specifications, and transition guidance for organisers. The plan, built from extensive research and cross-city case studies, is designed for full implementation in 2025. What the plan covers - Reuse requirements for cups, plates, and food packaging at public events - Case studies from cities across Europe that have already mandated zero waste events - Legal framework summary so event organisers understand their obligations - Practical tools and templates for municipalities and venue managers How to engage - Event organisers in Brussels: contact Zero Waste Belgium for support implementing zero waste standards at your event - Municipalities: request a copy of the action plan to adapt it for your local authority - Residents: ask your borough council whether events in your neighbourhood already follow zero waste guidelines Why it matters Public events generate disproportionate single-use waste in short bursts. A city-wide action plan removes the ambiguity: every organiser knows what is expected, every supplier knows what to offer, and every resident can expect a consistent experience across Brussels' festivals, markets, and fairs.eventsreusepolicy +2
Programme nearbyCommunityLuxembourgGreen Events logo: 364 events, 250,000 people, no single-use packagingA country that made reuse the norm at every public gathering Oekozenter Pafendall and SuperDrecksKëscht coordinate the Green Events programme across approximately 40 Luxembourg municipalities. In 2024, 364 public events: village fairs, cultural programmes, sports events: received the Green Events logo, covering nearly 250,000 attendees without single-use food and drink packaging. What Green Events certification requires - Elimination of single-use plastic, cardboard, and other disposable packaging for food and drink service - Use of reusable dishware or certified compostable alternatives where reuse is logistically impossible - A written sustainability plan submitted by the event organiser before the logo is awarded - Post-event reporting to verify compliance How to engage - Event organisers in Luxembourg: contact Oekozenter Pafendall to apply for Green Events certification - Municipalities: join the 40 municipalities already participating by making Green Events the default requirement for events on public land - Visitors: ask at the entrance whether the event is Green Events certified: your question makes certification matter Why it matters When 364 events in a small country all operate without single-use packaging, reuse stops being the exception and becomes the new normal. Luxembourg's programme shows that a relatively straightforward certification process can shift the entire events sector within a few years.eventsreusecertification +2
Programme nearbyCommunityLuxembourgSanem: mandatory Green Events standard for all municipal eventsOne municipality that made zero waste non-negotiable The municipality of Sanem requires every public event hosted on municipal premises to meet Green Events standards: eliminating single-use packaging at source. The municipality provides event organisers with guidance, reusable dishware, and logistical support, making compliance straightforward rather than burdensome. What Sanem's mandatory standard means in practice - All events on municipal land must submit a sustainability plan and use reusable or approved alternatives - The municipality acts as a service provider, not just a regulator: it lends dishware and connects organisers with the dishwashing facility - Enforcement is paired with support: no organiser is left without a practical reuse option - Other Luxembourg municipalities are now looking to Sanem as a model to adopt in their own event policies How to engage - Sanem residents and organisations: contact the municipality to use the reusable dishware service for your event - Other Luxembourg municipalities: contact Oekozenter Pafendall to learn how to adopt a similar mandatory standard - Event organisers across Luxembourg: ask your municipality whether it will follow Sanem's lead Why it matters Voluntary standards work until they don't. Sanem's mandatory approach removes the competitive disadvantage for organisers who want to go zero waste: everyone operates on the same terms. This is the policy design that makes reuse economically rational.policyeventsreuse +2
Programme nearbyCommunitySofiaBulgaria: zero waste event guide for businesses and organisersA practical guide making sustainable events the easy choice Za Zemiata published a practical zero waste event guide offering concrete advice on hosting low-waste and waste-free events: covering catering, packaging, waste station design, volunteering, and post-event reporting. The guide has been well received by business partners as well as civil society, positioning waste reduction as a competitive advantage rather than an obligation. What the guide covers - Step-by-step instructions for event planners: pre-event, during, and post-event waste management - Catering supplier checklist for single-use plastic alternatives and reusable systems - Waste station layout templates optimised for different event sizes - Communication templates for telling attendees what they can do - Case studies from Bulgarian events that have already adopted zero waste practices How to engage - Event organisers in Bulgaria: download the guide from Za Zemiata and share it with your catering and venue partners - Businesses hosting corporate events: use the guide as a starting point for your sustainability commitments - Municipalities planning public events: contact Za Zemiata for tailored support applying the guide to specific local contexts Why it matters Festivals and corporate gatherings generate concentrated waste in a single weekend. A practical guide lowers the barrier for organisers who want to do better, turning zero waste from a niche commitment into something any venue can plan for.eventseducationreuse +2
Programme nearbyCommunityNicosiaCyprus: festival zero waste certification: leading with eventsFestivals approaching Friends of the Earth Cyprus for zero waste guidance Several Cypriot festivals are proactively approaching Friends of the Earth Cyprus for waste reduction guidance: signalling that the events sector is moving ahead of regulation. FoE Cyprus has developed a festival zero waste certification pathway covering plastic reduction, waste stream analysis, reuse systems, and post-event reporting. What the certification pathway covers - Pre-event: waste audit, supplier requirements, reusable system design - During: waste station placement, sorting guidance for staff and volunteers, data collection - Post-event: waste audit review and public reporting - Certification awarded when the event meets minimum waste reduction benchmarks How to engage - Festival and event organisers in Cyprus: contact Friends of the Earth Cyprus to start the zero waste certification process for your event - Attendees: look for the FoE Cyprus zero waste certification mark at events: and provide feedback to organisers who don't yet have it - Municipalities: hosting certified zero waste events on public land sets a visible standard and builds community appetite for broader policy Why it matters Voluntary certification creates early movers ahead of PAYT regulation. When PAYT eventually arrives in Cyprus, municipalities and event organisers who have already built the habits will adapt faster: and lead the rest.eventscertificationfestivals +2
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseViennaAustria: legal mandate for reusable containers at public eventsThree Austrian states where single-use is no longer legal at events In Salzburg, Upper Austria (Oberösterreich), and Vienna, there are legally binding requirements for reusable food and beverage containers at public events: Salzburg above 600 visitors, Upper Austria above 300, and Vienna above 1,000. Zero Waste Austria supports municipalities and event organisers in meeting these requirements and advocates for the obligation to be expanded to additional states. What the mandate covers - Reusable cups, plates, and food containers must be used for on-site catering at events above the threshold - Single-use alternatives must be replaced or offset by a reuse system - Zero Waste Austria provides guidance on compliant reuse systems and supplier contacts - The trend toward reusable cups is growing even in states without a legal obligation How to engage - Event organisers in Salzburg, Upper Austria, and Vienna: ensure your event catering uses a reusable system above the visitor threshold: contact Zero Waste Austria for a list of system providers - Event organisers in other Austrian states: adopt reuse voluntarily as the trend grows: the legal obligation in three states is making reuse the expected standard nationally - Advocates: push your state government to adopt a similar mandate: the three-state model provides a template Why it matters Legal mandates create level playing fields: no event organiser is disadvantaged for going reusable when everyone is required to. Austria's three-state approach is building the market for reuse infrastructure at scale.reuseeventspolicy +2
Programme nearbyCommunityVilniusJoin Miesto laboratorija centre, VilniusJoin Miesto laboratorija centre, Vilnius Miesto laboratorija is a community centre with cafe, events, DIY playground, and garden. Meet neighbours on Antakalnis. What you can do - Visit miestolaboratorija.lt - Pick a cafe, event, or DIY session - Come to Antakalnio g. 17-13 during open hours How it works Cafe, events, DIY, garden. Confirm open hours before travel. Why it matters Vilnius neighbours share a centre that is more than a single programme.vilniuscentreevents +1
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseCologneRescue deposit glass at street festivals in CologneRescue deposit glass at street festivals in Cologne At parades and mega-events, returnable glass often misses the deposit system. Zero Waste Köln volunteers collect bottles so they reach supermarkets and breweries instead of residual waste or incineration. What you can do - Join parade and festival glass collections, email aktionen@zerowastekoeln.de - Bring gloves and sturdy bags; many collectors focus on plastic, glass needs extra hands Recent impact (from their project stories) - Sülzer Veedelszug 2025: 600 bottles with KG Grüne Rheinfunken (logistics: Gaffel). - Cologne Pride 2025: 6,500 bottles with Rheinfunken, Cradle2Cradle, Zukunft feiern, Grüngürtelrosen, Veedelperlen. - gamescom festival: 120 beer crates of empties with Feiermacher. Why it matters Every bottle returned to Pfand keeps glass in the brewery loop instead of residual waste or street litter after mega-events.glassvolunteerevents
Programme nearbyCommunityFrankfurtSustainable event checklist for hosts in FrankfurtSustainable event checklist for hosts in Frankfurt Since 2019, GIZ has required sustainable minimum standards for events at its German sites, sharpened in 2024. Mandatory elements include barrier-free venues, vegetarian catering, and waste-conscious logistics. Country offices use the standards as flexible orientation adapted to local conditions. What you can do - Community organisers: copy the checklist for your next neighbourhood forum, accessible room, plant-based menu, reusable name badges - Conference planners: publish your sustainability criteria in the tender so caterers and venues bid against them - Co-working spaces: offer a “green event package” with veggie catering and bike-rack directions How it works Standards apply to internal and external events GIZ hosts or sponsors at German locations; several field offices have translated them into local guidelines. Why it matters Events shape norms, when vegetarian and accessible is default, guests expect it everywhere.eventsvegetarianaccessibility +2
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseLuxembourgMobile dishwashing trailers: reuse infrastructure that travelsA solution for every venue, including the ones without a kitchen Oekozenter Pafendall advises municipalities and event organisers across Luxembourg on building reusable dishware infrastructure, including mobile dishwashing trailers that travel between venues. The model makes reuse viable at smaller events, temporary locations, and one-off gatherings that lack fixed dishwashing capacity. What mobile dishwashing enables - Any field, square, or park can host a zero waste event: the trailer brings the infrastructure - Municipalities can share a single mobile unit across multiple events rather than investing in fixed facilities - The trailer model scales: as more events adopt reuse, more trailers enter circulation - Oekozenter Pafendall provides transition advice so organisers can plan the shift from disposable to reusable efficiently How to engage - Event organisers across Luxembourg: contact Oekozenter Pafendall to learn about mobile dishwashing services and availability - Municipalities: explore co-investing in a shared mobile unit with neighbouring communes through PRO-SUD or another inter-municipal structure - Associations planning outdoor events: ask OEKO whether a mobile trailer service covers your region Why it matters Fixed dishwashing facilities work for large permanent venues. Mobile trailers remove the last practical objection to reuse for small and mid-size outdoor events. Luxembourg's pioneering infrastructure work is making single-use packaging at events look not just wasteful but inconvenient.eventsdishwashingmobile +2
Programme nearbyCommunityBremenFind bike culture with BIKE IT! in BremenFind bike culture with BIKE IT! in Bremen Bremen pairs harbour-city charm with everyday bike life: BIKE IT! events, the Weser-Radweg, and a cycling modal share around one quarter of trips. What you can do - Browse rides and services on bremen.de/fahrradstadt and the BIKE IT! calendar linked from stadtradeln.de/partner-regional - Ride the Weser-Radweg through town and along the river - Join ADFC Bremen tours and register for STADTRADELN when Bremen's municipal window opens on stadtradeln.de/kommune How it works BIKE IT! promotes Bremen as a cycling city with events, wayfinding, and partnerships. STADTRADELN runs when the city registers; until then, local clubs and routes keep the wheels turning. Why it matters A city that already rides for daily errands makes campaign weeks feel like a celebration, not a lecture.cyclingbremenevents +1
