As co-founder of Chug Water, I’ve had the privilege of being part of many events that bring people together: marathons, trail races, music festivals, town celebrations, and beyond. And while these moments are both energizing and inspiring, they can often be incredibly wasteful.

When Cullen and I first started Chug Water, our mission was rooted in the belief that hydration shouldn’t come at the cost of the planet. Aluminum is infinitely recyclable, and we have access to some of the best spring water right here in Vermont - not shipped across the world in plastic. But the more events I attended, the more I realized the problem wasn’t just plastic bottles — it was everything. From excessive waste to single-use everything, I kept hearing the same thing from race directors and event organizers: we want to do better.

And the good news? Better options do exist. Over the last few years, I’ve come across some incredible companies and people leading the charge in making events more sustainable — and I wanted to share them with you. Whether you’re planning a 5K, a food truck rally, or a weekend-long festival, here are some resources I believe in:

Wasted - Porta-Potties with a mission.

Yes, even porta-potties can be part of the solution. Wasted provides compostable, portable toilets that actually return value to the planet. Instead of chemicals and trucked-out waste, their system turns human waste into soil nutrients and helps events cut down on emissions and long-haul waste removal. It’s a surprisingly elegant solution to something everyone dreads — and your attendees will notice the difference. I can tell you first-hand how delightful both the facilities and the people are at this company.

Thuja – Vermont-Made Sustainable Gear

Thuja is a Vermont-based brand making high-quality, small-batch apparel with a focus on ethical production and premium feel. They’re perfect for race shirts, volunteer gear, or branded merch you actually want to wear after the event. Plus, they’re local — which means less shipping, more transparency, and a chance to support the Vermont maker economy.

Recover Brands – Recycled Performance Apparel

Recover Brands takes plastic waste and turns it into performance apparel that works just as hard as your participants do. Their shirts, hats, and gear are made from recycled PET and upcycled cotton, using low-water and low-waste processes. They’re a great option if your event wants to align with larger-scale sustainability goals and reduce textile waste from the get-go.

Hiccup Earth – Reusable Silicone Cups

We all know the numerous crushed cups scattered from the hydration tables along a course. Forget endless single-use cups that end up in the trash, Hiccups offers colorful, durable silicone cups that can be reused over and over. Perfect for festivals, beer gardens, or hydration stations — Hiccup will swing by after to grab the cups before the sanitize them and prepare them for another event!

Epic Renewal – Waste Diversion & Composting Services

One of the most visible issues at any event is trash overflow. Epic Renewal steps in with a full-service solution for recycling, composting, and waste diversion. They help you actually achieve your zero-waste goals by sorting on-site and educating attendees in real time. You can feel the difference — and so can your volunteers.

Chug Water (Hi!) 👋🏻 – Canned Vermont Spring Water

Last but not least - let’s chat hydration. At Chug Water we offer locally sourced Vermont spring water in recyclable cans — no plastic, no nonsense. Perfect for races, aid stations, artist green rooms, or just chilling in a cooler at your community event our grab-and-go cans are the perfect option to help #ditchplastic. If you want to provide hydration that aligns with your sustainability goals, we’d love to be part of your event.

A Shift That’s Already Happening
What I’ve learned is that sustainability isn’t just a buzzword anymore — it’s a priority. More and more event directors are building sustainability into their planning from the start, and attendees are taking notice.

It’s not always perfect. But with the right partners, we can make a serious dent in the waste our events create. And more than that, we can lead by example - showing our communities and industries what a better future actually looks like.

If you're organizing something and want to chat sustainability — even just to brainstorm — I’d love to connect. We’re not just here to drop off cans of water and leave; we want to be part of a movement toward better, smarter, more beautiful events.

Here’s to a cleaner, greener tomorrow — one can, one compost bin, one cup at a time.

— Linnae
Co-Founder, Chug Water

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