This post is written by Jean Kim, Waste Reduction and Recycling Staff Assistant.
Aggie Stadium aims to be a zero waste stadium.
Photo credit: Office of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability
GameDay Challenge is an annual competition between colleges and universities to reduce or eliminate waste produced at football games. Schools track and report the amount of waste that is produced and how much is diverted from the landfill. Participants are then ranked to show which schools were the most successful.
UC Davis will rise up to the GameDay Challenge again this year! In previous years we were recognized for our sustainability practices and we were declared the Diversion Rate Champion in 2010 and 2011. This year we will do our best to regain that title.
We will be calculating the amount of waste diverted for the Parent and Family Weekend Game on November 1st!! Please come out to show some school pride and support for your UC Davis Football Team (Go Aggies!!).
In order to ensure that we have extremely positive results from this game, the Waste Reduction and Recycling Program (WRR) has taken several measures. First and foremost, WRR has drastically reduced the amount of waste that is introduced into the stadium by prohibiting several items from both students and vendors. Second, any items that are brought in are required to be either recyclable or compostable. Finally, WRR strives to educate the public how to properly dispose of their trash. Volunteers and staff will readily provide information to anyone that is unsure of which category to place their trash, diverting as much waste as possible away from the landfill.
Keep in mind that every piece of waste diverted matters, so remind your fellow peers about what can and cannot go into the recycling or compost bins!
GameDay Challenge is a way to award collegiate stadiums for their zero waste efforts. However, our goal goes much further than just winning this challenge – we strive towards a more sustainable campus. Aggie Stadium’s success is an inspiration to actively promote and implement ways to become zero waste throughout campus, not just at the stadium!
Be on the lookout for more updates on GameDay Challenge!