The Game is ON! Can Your School Beat-out Climate Change?
By Felicia Chou
I couldn’t catch a football even if you handed it to me. But I can chug my energy drink, slather my face with war paint, and root for my team like there is no tomorrow. I can also help my school reign supreme in EPA’s Game Day Challenge, simply by cutting down on the waste that ends up in the trash at the game. From now until September 30, any college or university with a football team across the country can register to battle it out both on and off the field. All they have to do is come up with an awesome recycling or waste-reducing plan, carry it out at a home football game in October, and keep tabs on the results.
I can see it now: Student organizations and volunteers out in throngs, collecting recyclables and food donations, all in the name of school spirit and environmental Touch Downs. It’ll be like one of those heart-warming, fist-pumping scenes from “Rudy,” except without the underdog, and it involves recycling. With less than half of the aluminum cans in this country getting recycled, and more than 97% of our leftover food going to the landfill, we could all use some environmental wins.
Schools can win in these categories:
- least amount of waste generated per attendee
- greatest greenhouse gas reductions
- highest recycling rate
- highest organics reduction rate (i.e., food donation and composting)
- highest combined recycling and composting rate.
Winners will be crowned this November. Not only will the champion schools receive bragging rights for the rest of the year, they’ll be helping the environment, one recycled can or half-eaten hotdog at a time. And while I’m up in the bleachers, wearing my favorite jersey and proudly displaying my colors, I’ll be tweeting away (#gameday) on how I’m doing my part to help score against climate change.
To register for the Game Day Challenge
More information on the Game Day Challenge
More information on WasteWise program
About the author: Felicia Chou is a Program Analyst at the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery. She enjoys long walks on the beach, photography, and getting into brawls with rival college football fans. Before joining EPA in 2008, Felicia worked as an Associate Producer at a local news station in upstate New York.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Anything that enourages a reduction in green house gases and tackles climate change has to be celebrated. Good luck with the challenge! In our company we encourage a paperless environmental policy to help cut down on paper waste.
Great post. I know HRS in our area offers alot of these types of community projects. Good job!
Cut down on the waste. I think this is the right and possible idea for a school that will beat out for a climate change….just keep it up.
This expresses in Greenversations the environment is such a large part of our lives. Beat out climate change.
great post thank you
well it’s november 4th, who won?
I think that this is a really great idea. You can capitalize on the competitive atmosphere of sports to achieve an environmental goal. Sporting events certainly generate tons of waste materials that could easily be recycled instead of thrown away, but you rarely see recycling containers anywhere. Maybe programs like this will better raise awareness and get people in the mind set to not throw away all their waste, but instead to recycle it. As a college student, I have noticed a growing consciousness about the impact we have on the environment around my campus and among people my age. I think programs like this can capitalize on the growing environmental movement among the nation’s youth to move forward green agendas. Adding in the opportunity for sports fans to compete to beat their rivals in one more way will only further the green movement on college campuses. I am curious to see the kind of results that this programs was able to achieve in its first year.
I think no school can ever challenge the nature.To challenge the climate change means to challenge the nature.
I think this is great! I hope as many schools as possible get involved in this challenge. This is a fun, easy way to save and protect our environment. It is going to be small steps like this that ultimately make a difference.
Very useful information. I appreciate your effort, very well written article.
I think this is a wonderful idea! Could there be a national initiative? I think that this type of competition could bring together students who are interested in a broad range of interests from farming to engineering. I hope to see more initiatives like this in more schools everywhere!
I’m aware of the unifying power of football,but i’ve seen where it inspires those who love the game to go out “collecting recyclables and food donations, all in the name of school spirit and environmental Touch Downs”. Great spirit.
Hi ,
This blog is very useful ,thank you ,I will return later for other items.
Take care of you,
Jocuri Alexander
Hi, my name is Terry and i have 19 years old.
As a college student, I have noticed a growing consciousness about the impact we have on the environment around my campus and among people my age.
Hi! I found this blog very interesting!
Good luck!
Keep up the good job!
Cristina