Keychains. Pens. Magnets. Mugs. Notepads. Bags. It’s not uncommon to walk away from an event with a lot of swag and a week, a month, a year later – you find that you’re not really eager to use that drawstring bag emblazoned with a flashy logo on it, and the pens you picked up never worked.
We can help reduce waste at MSU by rethinking our own approach to giveaways and swag. We encourage you to ask the following questions before your next order of giveaways:
What’s the purpose of providing giveaways at your events? Are there other ways to meet this purpose without having a physical giveaway item?
Instead of a physical giveaway, could you offer a discount for a service your unit provides?
Do you allow attendees to decline giveaways?
Is your giveaway item specific to an event (i.e., has a specific event name and date on the item rather than a generic logo)? Can the information included on the swag be updated so that it is utilitarian and can be used for any events offered by your unit?
Are there options to purchase giveaway items that are made from recycled content or have a sustainable certification?
Is your giveaway item easily repaired if it breaks?
In cases where you will still offer giveaways, consider purchasing sustainable items from MSU programs that support student learning, research, and reduce the university’s ecological footprint.
Sustainable Options for Giveaways
The MSU Shadows program repurposes wood from trees that are removed from campus into a variety of home goods.
MSU Spartan Upcycle Store sells unique handcrafted and repurposed items made from materials collected by the MSU Surplus Store & Recycling Center.
Other ways to go green