The Salt Palace Convention Center and our hospitality partners strive to create a sustainable event destination. We can only be successful in achieving our sustainability goals through partnerships with our event clients.
We couldn’t be more thankful to you, your staff, and all of the wonderful event partners involved. We can’t possibly thank everyone in this report, but we value you all, and are forver grateful for the sustainable work of this amazing show.
Total Material Donation Total Food Donation
Total Recycling
4,641 lbs 1,700 lbs
19,788 lbs
Landfill Diversion Rate (by weight)
32.06%
Emissions
3,367 Dekatherms
Heat, energy, and water usage is estimated based on the percentage (%) of square footage booked relative to total heat/energy/water used during the month.
Trees Planted*
687
*The amount of carbon emissions saved through landfill diversion and renewable energy efforts is equivalent to planting (x) trees. Trees planted is an equivalent to the number of trees planted in an urban area and allowed 10 years to grow. Total Solar Array Generation
2,000+ lbs
400+ lbs Signage Clothing
Over 4,500 pounds of materials were collected after KubeCon + CloudNativeCon for donation to the Salt Palace’s network of community partners, which includes nonprofits and schools in the Salt Lake City area. Fabric signage made up the largest portion, contributing nearly 2,000 pounds, while clothing items such as shirts, hoodies, and hats accounted for over 800 pounds of the donations.
336 lbs Donated
Items Donated: Hats, Fanny packs, Hoodies, Journals, Plushies, Socks, and Shirts
227 lbs Donated
Items Donated: Hats, Fanny packs, Shirts, and Hoodies
295 lbs Donated
Items Donated: Shirts and Hats
Lake Community College -
Items Donated: Shirts and Bags
80 lbs Donated
Majestic Elementary Arts Academy is a free public school serving kindergarten through 6th-grade students in the Salt Lake Valley. Guided by the mission statement, “Every Minute Matters,” Majestic strives to educate all students to achieve high levels of academic performance while fostering P.R.I.D.E.—polite, responsible, independent, disciplined, and empowered individuals. The school integrates music, visual arts, and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) into students’ daily education, creating a well-rounded and engaging learning environment.
The Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City serves both members and non-members of the community through a variety of programs. One of its most impactful initiatives is Catholic Community Services, established in 1945. This program offers a wide range of services to support refugees, individuals experiencing homelessness, and other marginalized groups within the community.
Salt Lake Community College provides students with the ability to take their first step into higher education and training to take them directly into the workforce. Sustainable fashion is taught through the Fashion Institute, providing students the opportunity to think creatively on how to repurpose materials such as shirts, totes, fabric signage, and other fabric materials.
Candy Cane Corner is an annual holiday event held on Giving Tuesday. Organized by The Road Home and Volunteers of America, Utah, and sponsored by FOX13, Les Schwab, Utah First Credit Union, Utah Symphony, and Broadway Media, this program supports Utah families experiencing homelessness. Families and individuals receiving services from either organization have the opportunity to select holiday gifts for their loved ones.
Volunteers of America, Utah, offers programs addressing homelessness, substance abuse, mental illness, and domestic violence. Their shelters provide meals, showers, and laundry facilities, while also connecting clients to additional resources to meet their needs.
The Road Home supports individuals and families experiencing homelessness along the Wasatch Front through shelters, long-term housing programs, and case management services. These include job training, public benefits, mental health support, and childcare assistance.
More than 18,000 square feet of paper-based signage was printed for the event. Since paper-based signage is recyclable, it offers a more sustainable option compared to materials like foam core.
Additionally, over 25,000 square feet of fabric and vinyl banners were printed for the event. These banners were collected afterward to be donated through the Salt Palace’s material donation program.
Conference lanyards were made from 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET), derived from plastic materials such as soft drink bottles and packaging. Leftover lanyards are encouraged to be reused at the organization’s future events. If lanyards are not reused, attendees can drop them in one of the many collection bins located throughout the Salt Palace. This allows attendees to actively participate in the material donation program.
KubeCon + CloudNativeCon has been awarded the prestigious Gold Level CHAOSS Diversity and Inclusion Event Badge, recognizing its commitment to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment. This badge, available to events in the open-source community, evaluates criteria such as speaker and attendee inclusivity, accessibility, and family friendliness. The event featured diverse areas, sessions, and activities designed to ensure all participants felt included, comfortable, and safe.
As part of the KubeCon + Cloud Native conference, Kids Day was held for the local community prior to the main event. Geared towards kids ages 8 to 14, workshops were held, allowing children to explore the world of could computing and open-source technology.
Dedicated sessions in the Community Hub were created to provide attendees the opportunity to network, and foster feelings of belonging. Sessions included gatherings for LGBTQIA+, students, women, deaf and hard of hearing, and allies.
Relaxation stations included massage chairs, oxygen bars, and Zen Zones. Attendees could step away from the event to recharge. Additionally, the Zen Zones allowed attendees to check out noise-canceling headphones and yoga mats to enhance their relaxation experience.
During the event dogs were brought in for Pet-a-Pup, a time which attendees could visit some adorable therapy dogs to boost their moods and reduce their stress.
The event featured a selection of locally sourced ingredients and dishes, including coffee, cheese, meat, fish, tea, and beer. The event also highlighted regional favorites such as a dirty soda bar and fruit hand pies. To ensure inclusivity, every meal service offered vegan, vegetarian, and halal options, catering to a diverse range of dietary preferences.
Total Meals Served
90,691*
*Includes Bagged Lunches
Total Bagged Lunches Served
30, 700
The Salt Palace Convention Center and in-house caterer, Sodexo Live, source their coffee beans from Millcreek Coffee Roasters, a locally owned coffee and roasting company dedicated to sustainable and fair farming practices. Millcreek Coffee Roasters emphasizes social and environmental sustainability at every stage, from sourcing to selling.
Gallons of Coffee Served
2,775 = 35,520 cups of coffee
Biodegradable and compostable dishware, Verterra, was used for reception meals. Verterra dishware, made from 100% renewable materials, is sustainably manufactured without cutting down or harvesting trees.
Box lunches were served using dishware from Earth Plus and Eco Products, featuring a combination of biodegradable paper pulp and compostable materials.
Wasatch Meats
Beehive Cheese
Cache Valley Cheese
Charlies Produce
Millcreek Coffee Roasters
Tea Zaanti
Food
Mount Olympus Water
Uinta Brewery
Epic Brewery
Wasatch Brewery
Gourmadise Bakery
Meadow Gold
Taffy Town, Custom Salt Water Taffy
Utah Truffles
Peach & Bee Honey Sticks
Utah Salt Honey Caramels
Sugar Bear Fresh Roasted Nuts
A total of 1,700 pounds of food was donated from the KubeCon + CloudNative Conference. Donated food came from leftover bagged lunches, including 1,500 wraps, 2,000 bowls, and additional items such as fruit, yogurt, chips, donuts, cookies, and creamer. Through the partnership between Sodexo Live and Waste Less Solutions, food was donated to the Red Barn Academy.
Waste Less Solutions is a nonprofit organization that simplifies donating food for restaurants and caterers, by picking up left over food and delivering the food to nonprofit organizations in need.
The Red Barn Academy is a local rehabilitation center focused on assisting men through homelessness and substance abuse. This is achieved by offering life-skills, education, and personal development programs. Their moto is “each one, teach one” to serve as a reminder that everyone has their own knowledge to share which helps create an environment that everyone can learn together in.
Encourage attendees, sponsors, and staff to utilize the local public transportation options such as trains, busses, and subways. Provide routes, schedules, and fare information to encourage the use of public transportation options. This can be great for marketing and branding opportunities. 1 2 3
Reduce the amount of materials you buy each year and create event materials (signage, swag, etc.) that can be used from year to year. Utilizing digital tools for maps and signage can help reduce waste as well.
Tracking:
Tracking the impact of your event across all venues and hotels will allow for a greater understanding of what sustainability goals can be set, and how to reach them. Track trash, recycling, donations, energy and water usage, and what each location does to support sustainable practices.
Transportation:
4 5
Work closely with catering to reduce overall food waste including food donations. Careful planning to forecast attendance helps avoid over ordering food, saving money, and reducing leftovers.
Carbon emissions are unavoidable, but there are programs that will help offset the emissions you cannot avoid. There are many different programs to choose from, such as planting trees and supporting renewable energy projects.
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Certification:
Pursue additional sustainability related certifications from reputable organizations, such as the Events Industry Council (EIC) Sustainable Event Standards (SES) Event Organizer and ISO 20121 Sustainable Event Management. Leveraging certifications enhances credibility which can attract sponsors and differentiate your event.
On behalf of the Salt Palace Convention Center and the Green Team Committee, I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for choosing the Salt Palace Convention Center to host the KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America conference. It was a true privilege to partner with you on this important event, and we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to collaborate on your sustainability efforts.
Your commitment to minimizing the environmental impact of the event—through initiatives like paper-based signage and a robust recycling program—set this convention apart and helped us all contribute to a greener, more sustainable future. Achieving a 32.06% landfill diversion rate is no small feat, and this success is a testament to the power of teamwork and shared dedication.
Partnerships, including with Freeman for sustainable signage, Sodexo Live and Waste Less Solutions for food waste reduction, and the Salt Palace and our haulers for comprehensive recycling, were key in helping us reach these remarkable goals. Your leadership and vision made it all possible, and we are excited to have been part of this achievement.
We look forward to the opportunity to work together again in the future on projects that prioritize both sustainability and excellence. If there’s any way we can support your future initiatives or explore new opportunities to build on these efforts, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Together, we can continue making an impact and delivering eco-conscious events that inspire change.
Thank you once again for your partnership, and for leading the charge toward a greener future.
Warm (and green) regards,
McKell Nelson
Sustainable Events Coordinator Green Team Committee Chair