Tempe Oktoberfest 2024: How Cross-Sectoral Collaboration is Crucial for Community Impact

It was scorching out in the middle of October. Maybe I have a bias because I am from Washington, but it should not be over 100 degrees in October! However, the heat reminded us of why we came out to volunteer in the first place. Arizona was already hot, but it is just going to get hotter as conditions worsen due to climate change. Climate change and other environmental issues are complex problems. These are problems stretched across our global system, with multiple stakeholders and interconnected causes, effects, and solutions.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals state that everyone is needed to solve these global challenges to ensure that current and future generations have the opportunity for high quality of life. No person or company will solve the climate crisis (or any other complex issue) alone. 

When I started my internship with GreenLight Solutions, I simultaneously began working with the Next Generation Service Corps​ (NGSC) at Arizona State University. NGSC’s goal is to teach students how to solves complex issues through cross-sectoral collaboration. This year I am the lead of Mission Team 22: Environmental Sustainability. Mission teams are groups of students in NGSC who have a passion for a particular social mission, and then work on projects to make a positive impact by learning, networking, volunteering, and planning impactful events. One of my goals for our mission team was to connect with as many environmentalists as possible in the Tempe area; so my internship with GreenLight Solutions was the perfect opportunity! The Green Team was recruiting volunteers, and my mission team was looking for opportunities to get involved with sustainability initiatives; so this was a perfect match to partner the two organizations. I brought members from my NGSC mission team to volunteer with me during the 3 days of Oktoberfest. I didn’t realize it then, but this was the perfect example of how cross-sectoral collaboration can be implemented at a large-scale event that targets environmental sustainability.

Four Peaks Oktoberfest is a collaboration between Tempe Sister Cities and Four Peaks Brewing. These two groups partnered with dozens of vendors and organizations and came together to create a memorable event for the community. For the past two years, Tempe Sister Cities also partnered with GreenLight Solutions to showcase its Commitment to Sustainability. 
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GreenLight Solutions brought its whole network of passionate collaborators to maximize waste diversion from the landfill. This partnership means that the maximum amount of fun doesn’t need to come at the expense of the environment. The Green Team consisted of 38 volunteers and 51 staff members responsible for the on-site Waste Sorting, Attendee Education, and Custodial Services. The Green Team met people where they were, whether they just wanted a weekend job, needed volunteer hours, or were already passionate about sustainability. The Green Team is made possible through collaborations with Mill, Waste Management, Phoenix Toolbank Equipment, R.City, City of Tempe, and ROTC. ​

 The Green Team rescued these valuable resources:

• Composting: R.City composted all food, paper, and compostable materials to create nutrient-rich soil for local farmers across Arizona.
• Recycling: City of Tempe recycled all glass, cardboard, metal, and hard plastic.
• Repurposing: Instead of sending pallets to the landfill, the City of Tempe repurposed them to be used for local firefighter training.

Overall, the Green Team recycled 6,800 pounds and composted 1,030 pounds. This is equivalent to 11 tons of CO2 emissions avoided, which is around 29,000 miles driven and 735,000 smartphones charged! In three days alone, GreenLight Solutions created a space where cross-sectoral collaborations solved complex challenges and made a direct impact. Thank you to all of those who made this possible.​

Author: Kirsten Kierum 
Kirsten Kierum is an environmental engineering student at Arizona State University. She currently serves as a Nonprofit Development and Communications Intern with GreenLight Solutions and plans to continue being involved throughout her time at ASU and beyond. She is passionate about environmental issues and enjoys working on impactful projects in her community.