NCOCA Zero-Waste Initiative

As paddlers, we understand the importance of clean water and healthy ecosystems—it's essential to our sport, our community, and the wildlife we cherish. At NCOCA, we're proudly launching our Zero-Waste Initiative to respect and safeguard our waters for generations to come.

Our Vision: Moving Toward 100% Landfill Diversion

Our goal is ambitious yet achievable: to dramatically reduce our landfill waste through shared commitment and continual improvement. Let's grow this initiative together—one step at a time!

Our Commitment: Two Phases of Action

There are two scopes to our effort:

• Phase 1 - Event Impact: Our immediate focus is on significantly reducing waste during NCOCA gatherings and competitive events. We aim to divert over 75% of waste from landfills at our events in 2025.
• Phase 2 - Year-Round Organizational Support: We will help member organizations adopt and implement zero-waste practices in their year-round operations, sharing resources and best practices.
  

Action Guidelines for Participants and Member Organizations

• Bring your refillables for liquids
  
• Bring your reusable utensil, plates, bowls or BPI-certified compostable serviceware
  
• Provide refill jugs and stations 
  
• Buy in bulk
  
• "Pack it in, pack it out" mindset—take home everything you brought in.
  
• End-of-day litter sweeps ensure our event sites are left cleaner than we found them.
  
• Car pool, walk, bike, or paddle to and from events.

Read the Signs: What Waste Goes Where?

Proper sorting is key! Look for our color-coded bins at events.

COMPOST: GREEN Bin

YES: Food scraps (all kinds), coffee grounds and filters, tea bags, bamboo or wooden utensils, paper napkins, and most paper plates (ONLY if not coated with wax, plastic, or glitter). Organic materials. Cardboard with food on it (e.g., greasy pizza boxes – check local guidelines as this can vary).

Always check local guidelines for your specific area, as compost acceptance can vary.

RECYCLE: BLUE Bin

YES: Clean soda and beer cans (aluminum is infinitely recyclable!), empty plastic bottles (#1 and #2 are most common – check the number!), clean cardboard boxes (flattened, no food contamination), and glass drink bottles (no broken glass, please).

PLASTICS NOTE: Plastic recycling capabilities vary significantly by county. Generally, #1 (PET/PETE) and #2 (HDPE) are widely accepted. Other numbers may be trash. When in doubt, check the signage or ask a Green Team volunteer.

LANDFILL: BLACK or WHITE or CLEAR Bin

YES: Most plastic films (e.g., plastic wrap, chip bags – unless a specific take-back program is noted), plastics #3, #4, #5, #6, #7 that cannot be recycled in that specific county, candy and bar wrappers, diapers, broken serviceware, and anything not listed in the Compost or Recycle list for that county.

When in doubt, it's often better to place an item in the landfill bin to avoid contaminating the recycling or compost.

Action Guidelines for Event Hosts & Organizers

• Provide Bay-Area-standard, color-coded bins clearly labeled for compost, recycling, and landfill.
  
• Recruit and train "Green Team" volunteers to be available near waste stations to guide participants on proper waste sorting.
  
• Focus on eco-friendly swag—think reusable, recyclable, or even better, experiences over stuff!
  
• End-of-day litter sweeps ensure our event sites are left cleaner than we found them.
  
• Off-site recycling and compost arrangements if venue services are limited.
  

Get Involved!

This initiative thrives on community participation.

• Volunteer: Join our "Green Team" at events to help educate and sort!
• Share Ideas: Have suggestions or want to help your organization implement these practices? Reach out to secretary@ncoca.com or racechair@ncoca.com.