Sustainability at ARIN Meetings
At ARIN, we are committed to reducing our environmental footprint and actively promoting sustainability at our meetings. In planning the ARIN 55 Public Policy and Members Meeting taking place 27-30 April 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and online, we have implemented several new strategies for both reducing waste and supporting local communities. We look forward to hosting the Internet community for another engaging, successful meeting and to establishing these practices as standards for our events moving forward — we hope you’ll join us!
Strategy 1: Donating Excess Food
One of the most significant sources of waste at corporate events is leftover food. To combat this, ARIN has partnered with the Hilton Charlotte Uptown, our host hotel for ARIN 55, to donate extra food from the meeting to Stew of Sustainability™, a local organization in Charlotte dedicated to safely diverting food waste to impact food disparity. This initiative not only prevents food from ending up in landfills but also supports local communities by providing meals to those in need.
Impacts
- Waste Reduction: By donating surplus food, we significantly reduce the amount of food waste generated by the event.
- Community Support: This strategy demonstrates our support for residents of our host city, ensuring we have a positive impact on the local community.
Strategy 2: Recycling Badges and Lanyards
Name badges and lanyards are often discarded after corporate events, contributing to single-use consumption and waste. Starting with ARIN 55, ARIN meetings will now feature a Name Tags and Lanyards Zero Waste Box™ by TerraCycle® to recycle these materials. Attendees can deposit their badges and lanyards into the box at the end of the meeting, and we will send the box back to TerraCycle® via their carbon-neutral shipping for complete recycling.
Impacts
- Material Reuse: Recycling name tags and lanyards promotes a circular economy by reducing the need to extract virgin materials from the planet, preventing trash from being landfilled or littered, and reusing valuable material that would otherwise go to waste.
- Environmental Awareness: This initiative encourages attendees to actively participate in sustainability efforts, raising awareness about the importance of recycling.
Strategy 3: Donating Foamcore to Creative Reuse Center
Foamcore boards, commonly used for signage and displays, are another notable source of waste at events. At ARIN 55, the signage for key items like sponsor promotion, podium decor, social events, and registration will be on foamcore. ARIN will transport the used foamcore from the meeting back to Virginia and donate it to the Dabble Creative Reuse Center, a donation-based retail store focused on art and craft supplies. Here, the foamcore will be made available for local crafters and artists to repurpose in their projects, extending its life cycle and supporting creative initiatives.
Impacts
- Creative Reuse: By donating foamcore, we promote the concepts of reusing and upcycling materials — vital aspects of sustainability.
- Local Support: This approach supports the creative community by providing project supplies at reduced cost, helping make art and crafting more accessible.
Strategy 4: Transitioning to Reusable Signage
In addition to the steps we are taking to upcycle single use signage, ARIN has transitioned to using Reusable EDGE SMARTsigns® for directional signs for policy breakout session, meals, and table topics. We’ve created the signs with evergreen, non-meeting-specific graphics that can be updated at subsequent events with one sheet of legal-size paper. These innovative signs are designed for long-term use, drastically cutting down on single-use materials and waste.
Impacts
- Waste Minimization: The shift to reusable signage significantly reduces the volume of materials discarded after each meeting.
- Cost Efficiency: Over time, reusable signs save costs associated with producing new signs for each event, demonstrating the economic benefits of sustainable practices.
Commitment to the Future
Sustainability is not just a buzzword; it is a commitment to the future. ARIN is dedicated to adopting eco-friendly practices at our meetings and helping change the standard for corporate events. By implementing these strategies, we aim to minimize our environmental impact while supporting local communities and promoting a culture of reuse and recycling.
We invite you to be part of this movement by attending the ARIN 55 Public Policy and Members Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, or joining us online. Together, we can make a meaningful difference. Register today and join us in championing sustainability for a better tomorrow.
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