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Waste not, want not
PAGE 2A
Athletics and KU Recycling team up to help the environment
KATIE MCBRIDE
kmchride@kansan.com
kmcbride@kansan.com
Kansas Athletics and KU Recycling have teamed up to implement an initiative called Rock Chalk Recycle, which aims to dramatically reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfills after home games.
In the past, recycling efforts at the University's athletic events have been limited. There were some small-scale efforts to recycle during football tailgates, including passing
Waste stations will be set up at Memorial Stadium, which will include three containers for different types of materials. There is one container for recyclables, one for items that can be composted and the last container is for waste that is not recyclable or compostable, and will be taken to the landfill.
will be taken to the conference "There's already a pretty clear difference in the amount of trash we've been able to divert," said Jeff Severin, the director of the Center for Sustainability, referring to the utilization of the waste stations during the first home football game. "When we look at what's outside on the Hill during tailgates, and inside the stadium, there's a very small percentage of it that is actually trash. The rest of it can be, if we effectively capture it in one of the other two containers, diverted. Since so much of the trash at sporting events is recyclable or compostable, the goal is to eliminate as much waste as possible."
out bags for recyclables, and Allen Fieldhouse had places for fans to recycle plastic bottles. Until this year, there were no resources for recycling inside Memorial Stadium.
"We're going from having a stadium that didn't have any recycling or composting at all, to cutting out a major portion of what is going into the dumpsters. It's going to have a pretty dramatic effect." Severn said.
With the Rock Chalk Recycle initiative, opportunities to recycle will be more readily available inside and outside the stadiums at every home athletic event, as well as in the tailgating areas for the football games.
Although there are other universities implementing similar programs, the scale of the University's program is far-reaching.
"We are the first in the Big 12 to take on all sports with this comprehensive approach to waste reduction, said Manny Abarca, operations coordinator for KU Recycling.
One of the main goals of the Rock Chalk Recycle initiative is to get as close to "zero waste" as possible, said Kari Cantarero, outreach coordinator for the Center for Sustainability. To reach zero waste status, 92 percent of the waste is diverted to be recycled or composted.
SEE RECYCLING PAGE 2A
MIGNAEL STRICKLAND/KANSAN
Index CLASSIFIEDS 2B CRYPTOQUIPS 5A SFORTS 1B CROSSWORD 5A OPINION 4A SUDOKU 5A
All contents, unless stated otherwise. © 2013 The University Daily Kansan
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