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GAME DAY RECYCLING CHALLENGE

Brandon GellerFaculty of Arts and Science Green Program, Senior

CoordinatorApril 1st, 2013

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DILEMMA: Large events, like tailgates, are one of the biggest producers of waste, and have the lowest recycling yields

• Users not familiar with the space

• Inadequate recycling infrastructure o Events often aren’t the intended use of the space

• Increased dependence on single use items

• Alcohol, whose containers are valuable recyclables, impede neurological processes.o i.e. People are too drunk to think about what they

should be doing with their bottles and cans…

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SOLUTION: Game Day Challenge

Goal: Find a fun way to engage people in recycling at athletics events and harness the competitive nature of athletics

Approach:• Pick one football game during the fall season, and

report all of recycling, trash, and compost data, as well as attendance

• All events that happen on athletics grounds are fair game

• Schools are ranked by several different categories: Overall Diversion rate (%), Waste Minimization (lbs/capita), GHG reduction (MTCDE/capita), Recycling (lbs/capita), Organics (lbs/capita)

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IDENTIFY HIGH IMPACT EVENTS

Harvard targets Freshman Parents’ Weekend:

• Large attendance• Opportunity to do composting practice

with the freshmen• Raise awareness of sustainability efforts

among parents and alumnae• Partnership with Freshman Dean’s

Office and Office of Student Life

BONUS: Composting at Freshman Parent’s Luncheon and Alumnae luncheon

• Volunteers watch the bins and help guide people on composting

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KEEP IT SIMPLE

Have volunteers walk around the tailgates giving out recycling and trash bags.

• Provide tailgaters with simple instructions: Leave it on the ground and the grounds crew will pick it up after the game.

• Frame as a favor to the tailgaters: “To make it easier for you to clean up, here are free trash and recycling bags”

• Doing it game after game, and frequent tailgaters start to expect you

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EXPAND INFRASTRUCTURE

Set up as many recycling and trash stations as you have available.

Problem: Knocked over by wind or otherwise, no one bothers to set it back up. Solution: Anchor into the ground as best you can (weights, hooks, etc)

Problem: Don’t have enough to cover every possible location/eventSolution: Target high traffic areas and do the best you can!

Problem: In a crowd, trash and recycling containers are hard to find

Solution: Tie a blue balloon to them, or raise a flag over them (done at Yale).

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TARGETED MARKETING

Video reminders on the stadium jumbotron during games

Captain of the Harvard Football team Fast facts about Harvard Athletics

Team 2009, promoting recycling. commitment to sustainability.

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KEYS TO SUCCESS

The Game Day Challenge is an excellent tool for engaging those who aren’t normally engaged• Get exposure to athletes, coaches, and

athletics staff, as well as alumnae and vendors.

• Unique opportunity to drum up enthusiasm for waste reduction and recycling.

Harness the power of: • Volunteers• Grounds Crew• School Spirit

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY…

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HAVE FUN WITH IT!

FAS Green Program Teams Up with Harvard Athletics