​What does it look like when sustainability isn't just a buzzword — but a practice woven into the fabric of a community? It looks like families at a church picnic tossing apple cores into compost bins with a smile. It looks like sorting stations humming with purpose at a Service Carnival. It looks like a Green Team showing up, again and again, for the people and the planet they love. 

We are so proud to share the story of two back-to-back sustainability victories — the Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church Annual Picnic and the Service Carnival 2026 — powered by the GreenLight Solutions Green Team, our incredible partners, and a shared belief that every event is an opportunity to do better for the Earth. 
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​Community events create memories that last a lifetime. Families gather, friendships grow, and people come together around shared values. At both the Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church Annual Picnic and Service Carnival 2026, sustainability became part of that story.

Working alongside Denali, Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, the City of Mesa, Lions International, and the Leo Club, the Green Team brought the same hands-on approach to both events, implementing recycling, composting, and waste sorting strategies that helped attendees make informed choices at every waste station.
 
At the church picnic, those efforts achieved an incredible 90% waste diversion rate — meaning more than nine out of every ten pounds of material generated during the event were diverted away from the landfill. At the Service Carnival, that same commitment to sustainability prevented 96 pounds of CO₂ emissions from entering the atmosphere. 

Combined, the environmental impact of both events was substantial. Together, the total greenhouse gas emissions prevented were equivalent to: 

• 🚗 2,064 miles driven (1,954 miles from the picnic + 110 miles from the carnival)
• 📱 65,449 smartphones charged (61,944 from the picnic + 3,505 from the carnival) 

These outcomes remind us that sustainability isn't just about managing waste — it's about recognizing the value in resources and ensuring they continue to serve a purpose long after the event ends. And while the numbers from any single event may seem modest on their own, together they prove something larger: sustainability doesn't require massive changes to create meaningful results. Every bottle recycled and every compostable item diverted contributes to a healthier future.

Neither of these successes would have been possible without collaboration. We extend our sincere gratitude to our partners: Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church | Denali | City of Mesa | Leo Club | Lions International|
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Thank you for investing in your community and demonstrating that service and sustainability go hand in hand. And a special thank you to our Green Team Lead, Oliver Renterria — from setting up Waste Stations to collecting impact data, their commitment reflects the mission of GreenLight Solutions: to advance green careers and green business. GreenLight Solutions is a 501(c)3 nonprofit celebrating 12 years of sustainability solutions. Our mission is to advance green careers and green business. We help students launch sustainability careers and businesses go green. Since 2013, GLS Youth Sustainability Projects have trained 424 students and implemented 103 sustainability projects to serve 75 businesses. Since 2022, GLS Green Events Services has diverted 73 tons from the landfill, contributing to 210 tons of CO2 emissions avoided and 28,000 meals donated to those in need. 
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There's a place for you in the GreenLight community: 

• 🌿Hosting an event? Schedule a Discovery Session with our Green Events team and let's bring sustainability to your next gathering — big or small, we've got you covered.
• 🙋 Want to get hands-on? Volunteer with the Green Team and be part of the solution at events across the Valley! 
• 💛 Want to sponsor GLS sustainability programs? Reach out to our CEO, Ashley, at [email protected]. For every $1 donated, 1 lb is taken out of the landfill.

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Together, we can make every event — every carnival, every picnic, every gathering — a step toward a more sustainable world.

There's something special about watching a community celebrate a milestone the right way — with music, food trucks, dancing in the dirt, and a whole lot of care for the planet underneath everyone's feet. On May 30th, the City of Sedona marked the 10-Year Anniversary of the Red Dirt Concert Series with an all-day festival at Posse Grounds Pavilion, and the Green Team was honored to be there, making sure the celebration left the red rocks just as beautiful as they found them.

We're proud to share that together, we diverted 89% of festival waste from the landfill — a number that still gives us goosebumps every time we say it out loud.

None of this happens by accident. Behind every sorted can and composted orange peel was a volunteer who showed up, rolled up their sleeves, and chose to do things a little differently. Our Green Team and Sedona's own sustainability champions focused on three core initiatives to #StarveTheLandfill:

• ♻️ Recycling -- giving bottles, cans, and cardboard a second life 
• 🌱 Composting -- turning food scraps back into soil instead of methane 
• 🗃 Waste Sorting -- guiding attendees, station by station, toward the right bin 

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It sounds simple. It is simple. And that's exactly the point — sustainability doesn't have to be complicated to be powerful.
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This event was led on-site by Amelya Keo and Oliver Renterria, supported by an incredible crew of volunteers and staff. Whether they were guarding bins, sorting waste in the Arizona sun, or cheerfully redirecting someone's compostable fork to the right station, every single one of them is the reason this milestone celebration is also a sustainability success story. 
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At GreenLight Solutions, we're celebrating 11 years of helping events, businesses, and communities go green — and our mission has never wavered: to advance green careers and green business, and to make sustainability achievable and accessible for everyone. Events like Red Dirt Fest are proof of what's possible when a city, its vendors, and a community of volunteers decide that "business as usual" isn't good enough anymore. We're purpose-driven and solutions-oriented, and days like May 30th are exactly why we do this work.
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• 🙋 Volunteer with the Green Team — Come sort, guard bins, and make memories at the next event. Sign up here.
• 🎉 Hosting an event? Let's bring sustainability to it. Schedule a Discovery Session with our team.
• 💚 Sponsor our programs — Reach out to our CEO, Ashley, at [email protected] to learn how your support keeps waste out of landfills across Arizona.

Thank you to everyone who showed up, sorted a can, or simply asked, "Wait, does this go in the compost?" — you're the reason this story has a happy ending.

What does the future of sustainability look like? 

At Green Living Magazine's The Future of Sustainability 2026, it looked like a community coming together to learn, collaborate, and take meaningful action toward a greener future. 

The event brought together sustainability-focused businesses, organizations, and community members committed to exploring innovative solutions and practical ways to create positive environmental impact. While attendees engaged with exhibitors and educational opportunities throughout the day, GreenLight Solutions' Green Team worked behind the scenes to ensure the event itself reflected the sustainability values being promoted.

Through recycling, composting, waste sorting, soft plastics recycling, and attendee education, the event achieved an impressive 90% diversion rate, demonstrating what is possible when sustainability is intentionally integrated into event operations. 

For our team, this accomplishment represents more than a statistic. It reflects the collective effort of event organizers, exhibitors, attendees, volunteers, and sustainability partners who all played a role in keeping valuable materials out of the landfill.
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One of the most rewarding parts of supporting sustainability-focused events is helping turn environmental values into tangible actions. Throughout the event, Green Team members staffed Waste Stations, answered questions from attendees, and helped ensure materials were sorted into the appropriate waste streams. These interactions helped reduce contamination while creating opportunities for attendees to learn more about recycling, composting, and responsible waste management. 

While sustainability can sometimes feel like a complex challenge, events like The Future of Sustainability 2026 show that simple actions—when multiplied across an entire community—can create meaningful results. 

By the end of the event, the greenhouse gas emissions prevented through waste diversion efforts were equivalent to:

• Charging 7,760 smartphones 
• Avoiding 245 miles of travel 

These numbers help illustrate how everyday decisions can contribute to larger environmental outcomes.

A special thank you to Green Living Magazine for hosting The Future of Sustainability 2026 and creating a space for education, innovation, and community engagement around sustainability.

We are also grateful to our event partners, including Denali and Goodmans Furniture, for helping make these sustainability initiatives possible. 

A special thank you to our Green Team Lead, Amelya Keo, for her leadership, problem-solving, and commitment throughout the event. 
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Together, we are demonstrating that sustainability can be both practical and impactful.

As we continue supporting events throughout Arizona and beyond, we remain committed to helping organizations reduce waste, engage communities, and create measurable environmental impact.

The success of The Future of Sustainability 2026 shows what can happen when sustainability becomes part of the event experience—not just the conversation. 

Get Involved
🌱 Volunteer with the Green Team and gain hands-on sustainability experience while helping create greener events. 
🌱Hosting an event? Schedule a Discovery Session with GreenLight Solutions to explore sustainability initiatives for your next event. 
🌱 Interested in supporting GreenLight Solutions' sustainability programs? Contact our CEO, Ashley
Weisman, at [email protected] to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.

Together, we can continue building a future where sustainability isn't just talk—we’re walking the walk!