Sustainable Tabling

Most student groups table quite often, so it’s a great place to focus your energy when trying to be more sustainable! If you’re organizing an event, asking tablers to avoid giving out candy, only giving out flyers to those who ask, and being ready with some extra rocks to hold down stacks of paper in a breeze will go a LONG way towards reducing cleanup time. If you’re preparing to table at an event yourself, consider the following tips:

  1. Make sure you have a sturdy container to keep all of your tabling supplies together. A reusable bag will work fine and is easy to carry, but a sturdy box makes it easier to keep your brochures and other items from getting smashed and wasted.
  2. Keep a few brochure holders or other heavy items in your tabling box to keep your paper handouts organized and prevent them from blowing away if it gets windy.
  3. Use durable painted or laminated signs for information whenever possible. This gives visitors something to read or something you can talk to them about without handing out flyers that few people will look at again after they leave the table.
  4. Gather visually interesting, durable items to decorate your table. Coastal Fund has a collection of shells, seaglass, and fake seaweed in its tabling box, which makes the table look full, attractive and well put together without generating waste or needing lots of preparation, and all items fit with Coastal Fund’s mission! Best of all, these items double as weights for tablecloths and brochures as needed.
  5. Avoid candy as a giveaway item to reduce waste and litter. No matter how good your intentions, most of the time your table will be surrounded by wrappers which will reflect badly on your organization. Durable, useful items are typically much more popular and more likely to continue to generate publicity over time.
  6. At the end of the event, be sure to pack everything up carefully and check the ground for any trash or missed items!