Kent State University was one of 51 schools to compete nationally in Game Day Challenge, the fourth-annual event hosted by the College and University Recycling Coalition, RecycleMania, Keep America Beautiful and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WasteWise.
The Game Day Challenge is a national waste minimization and recycling competition held during football games to increase awareness of recycling at universities across the country.
Kent State placed second in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) schools in pounds recycled per person category.
During Kent State’s Game Day Challenge, which was held Oct. 22, 2016, when Kent State's football team played against Ohio University, 8,429 fans recycled a total of 2,970 pounds of material. A total of 0.352 pounds was recycled per person, doubling last year’s amount.
Fan and volunteer efforts during that game resulted in 4.08 metric tons of greenhouse gases avoided, equivalent to taking a car off the road for 10 months.
This is the fourth consecutive year recycling per person has increased at Kent State’s Game Day Challenge football games. The diversion rate, percentage recycled out of our trash and recycling waste streams, was 61 percent, an increase of 47 percent from last year.
Nine student volunteers completed 18 hours of service educating fans about what is recyclable and encouraging recycling in the stadium and tailgating areas.
“Sigma Gamma Rho, a Kent State sorority, encouraged tailgaters and fans to recycle by having fans toss recyclables through a field goal post on a recycling bin,” says Leah Graham, Kent State’s outreach recycling coordinator.
Students, faculty and staff can get more involved in Kent State’s sustainability efforts by participating in programs held throughout the year.
Find more information about sustainability initiatives and events