Fall in Ohio means football. Grills come out, jerseys get dusted off, and thousands of fans come together for Friday night lights and pack the Horseshoe on Saturday’s.
Football season also brings plenty of opportunities to reduce waste. Tailgates, watch parties and game day concessions generate paper plates, plastic cups, aluminum cans, glass bottles and food scraps at gatherings. A few simple sustainable practices can help keep more of that material out of the landfill however you choose to cheer on your favorite team.
Tailgating Tips
- Bring reusable items. A set of tailgate plates, cups and utensils you can wash and reuse all season.
- Set up a recycling station. Put a clearly labeled bin next to your trash can for cans, bottles and other recyclables.
- Rethink single-use drinkware. Reusable cups cut down on waste and reusable koozies can help keep beverages cool without needing a new cup each time.
- Compost food scraps. Vegetable peels, leftover buns and other scraps don’t have to go in the trash. Leftover food can be used again in tomorrow’s lunch and scraps can be taken to a nearby food waste drop-off site.
- Buy in bulk. Family-size bags and larger condiment containers are a more sustainable option than individually wrapped portions because of the reduced amount of packaging.
- Pack out what you pack in. Bring an extra bag so recyclables make it home instead of getting left behind.
Hosting a Watch Party?
- Use reusable plates and glassware instead of disposables.
- Make it a potluck. Less packaging from takeout and pre-made meals when everyone brings a dish.
- Get a headcount before you shop or cook, so you don’t end up with more food than you need.
- Recycle what you can. Bottles, cans and pizza boxes are fair game. For more information on what types of material are recycling visit RecycleRight.org
- Send leftovers home with guests or save them for later instead of tossing them.
Sustainability in the Community
Helping residents understand how to Recycle Right at a tailgate is one way SWACO is working to reduce waste on game days. SWACO is also helping make recycling easier for Ohio State University students throughout the football season.
For the past three years, the Can Fairy program, run by the University District Organization (UDO), has helped provide recycling access to students living off campus in the University District, with funding support from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and SWACO. The Can Fairy program helps keep those recyclables out of the landfill and off neighborhood streets.
This year, the program is expanding from approximately 200 households to 400. SWACO recently awarded a grant to Can Fairy to help support the expansion and provide recycling bins for off-campus homes. With additional support from the City of Columbus and Rumpke, UDO is now able to bring off-campus recycling back as a permanent program.
Ready to Recycle Right this football season? Visit RecycleRight.org to see what belongs in your curbside recycling and find other sustainable ways to manage game-day waste.
