Since the late 1800s, Princeton University’s Class Reunions have taken place annually in May. The event is historic: it brings together tens of thousands of Princeton’s alumni each year. Until 2022, each year’s Reunions used typical plastic cups. This year, Princeton decided to trade up and partner with Earth Cups to bring greener cups to campus. The university showcased their commitment to sustainability by using class-specific custom Earth Cups for their weekend-long celebration. Over 40,000 alumni from across the globe enjoyed drinking out of their (orange-and-black) Earth Cups, and Earth Brands worked alongside the university to ensure the proper collection and disposal of the cups. Earth Brands––in coordination with Princeton’s Office of Sustainability, its Reunions Committee, and its Facilities Staff––set up EC “bins” across campus, which student EcoReps and Reunions Crew members helped collect. Earth Brands then transported the cups it supplied to a nearby composting facility, massively mitigating the waste footprint of Princeton’s Reunions. 

Princeton made the switch to green (or, in their case, orange) cups, and have set a great example for other colleges, universities, and organizations to consider their plastic waste and environmental footprint going forward. 

Earth Brands offers their Closed-Loop Collection Service to any organization who wants to go zero-waste––whether it’s a university, stadium, venue, restaurant/bar, brewery, hotel, or something else.