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RiverSplash is a three-day celebration of music, food, on-the-river events, activities and children’s entertainment that draws a crowd of 150,000 to 175,000 people to Milwaukee’s downtown river and riverwalk system. The event’s 10^th anniversary featured a comprehensive waste reduction, reuse, and recycling program aimed at reducing the amount of beverage containers and food wrappings thrown away at the event. The waste reduction and recycling strategies were planned with assistance from the Wisconsin Be SMART Coalition.

The twenty RiverSplash food vendors were provided with “Festival Vendor Tips for Waste Reduction” (created by the Wisconsin Be SMART Coalition) prior to the event. The Tips suggest strategies for saving money and reducing trash intended specifically for event vendors and are printed on the back of a sign that reads: “This Vendor is Reducing Waste and Encourages You to Do the Same.”

A reusable translucent souvenir cup was used for beer, and customers were asked to bring the cup back for reuse with their next purchase and to take it home as a souvenir. The durable and attractive cups not only featured the RiverSplash logo as a year-round reminder ofthe event, they were also printed with the messages, “Use this cup for refills and take it home as a souvenir” and “Think a little about waste reduction. It can mean a lot.” The supply of 5,000 souvenir cups were used in two beverage tents in a designated area and lasted for about half of the event. 2,500 beer refills were sold in souvenir cups.  Each refill is a waste-free sale. It is estimated that about 4,200 cups were diverted from the trash thanks to refills and people keeping cups for reuse at home.

A discount was not given for refills.  Beer servers rephrased instructions to customers and asked them to bring the cup back for “reuse” instead of “refills” and this seemed to end confusion about whether there would be a discount.

Soda and water were sold in No.1 plastic bottles, which were collected for recycling. Fifteen recycling receptacles (made of recycled No.1 plastic) were placed near trash containers around the festival. The distinctive look of the bins helped people recognize them as recycling containers. Forty-eight pounds of plastic were collected for recycling; that’s 768 bottles. A minimal 10% of garbage contamination was present in the recycling containers. Contamination was lowest in bins located right next to trash containers.

The word was out. Beverage tents and recycling bins displayed signs reminding festival-goers to reduce, reuse, and recycle. The recycling bins and souvenir cups themselves were visible testaments to RiverSplash’s reputation as an environmentally-conscious event enhancing Milwaukee’s downtown community.

For more information about waste reduction at RiverSplash, call the Be Smart Information Hotline at 414-272-3334 or call the RiverSplash office at 414-283-9797.