By Amanda Knauer
ºìÐÓÊÓƵ participated in its second Game Day Recycling Challenge on Tuesday, Nov. 4, and increased the amount it recycled per person since last year's challenge.
The challenge, which promotes waste reduction and recycling at university football games all over the country, awards the school with the most recycled goods. Waste that can be recycled includes cans, cardboard and plastics.
Melanie Knowles, sustainability manager at ºìÐÓÊÓƵ State's Facilities Planning and Operations, says even though the attendance was relatively low this year, the event was still a success.
"Game Day Challenge is one opportunity we take each year to support recycling " Knowles says. Sporting events are a good opportunity to capture recycling and also to get people excited about recycling by harnessing their competitive spirit."
The home football game against the University of Toledo welcomed more than 7,400 people. Attendees generated 1,953 pounds of waste at the football game, of which 963 pounds were recycled and 990 pounds were sent to the landfill. ºìÐÓÊÓƵ State increased its amount of material recycled from 0.104 pounds per person in 2013 to 0.129 pounds per person this year. As a result of recycling efforts at the game, 1.55 metric tons of greenhouse gasses were avoided, equivalent to taking one car off the road for four months.
"Increasing recycling reduces materials going to the landfill," Knowles says. "Recycled materials are sorted and go back into the manufacturing process, reducing the need to harvest or extract raw materials. This reduces negative impacts on the environment and supports business."
Since schools have different scheduled game days, the results from this year's Game Day Challenge will be available after Dec. 15.