Sustainability is one of the pillars of Arizona State University and President Michael Crow. Sun Devil Athletics prides itself in aligning the department with the sustainable mission of ASU to minimize its carbon footprint. Athletics provides a unique opportunity to promote sustainability at ASU, and Sun Devil Athletics has fully embraced the opportunity to advance sustainable practices as an institution and with fans.
During the Sun Devils' annual Green Game on Saturday, Sept. 25, help ASU stay green and ‘think before you throw’ by making sure you place waste items in the proper bin. Be sure to follow these easy sustainability tips each and every game, like:
- Ditching disposables - i.e. paper plates and plastic cutlery, and look for products you can reuse at each tailgate
- Buy in bulk - to reduce plastic consumption
- Recycle properly - aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and aluminum foil is recyclable, just be sure to ball the foil up
- Please do not put soft plastics, like plastic bags, in the recycling bins
- Grill - use electric starter instead of charcoal, or natural gas grill instead of charcoal
- Choose sustainable transportation - Sun Devil Stadium now has more bicycle parking and remains easily accessible via Valley Metro buses, neighborhood circulator shuttles and light rail, or carpool with your friends!
- Sort your waste - into landfill and recycling
- Bag it - Pro Em, Parking & Transit staff, and Zero Waste staff have bags for recycling available in your tailgating zone if needed
- ASU staff will then pick up the bagged waste if left in the tailgating spot
In recognition of the Fifth Anniversary of the Sun Devil Athletics partnership, adidas released the Primegreen Ultraboost 4D shoe. This shoe is made with Primegreen, a series of high-performance recycled materials. 60% of this shoe is made with recycled content, just one of adidas’s many solutions to help End Plastic Waste.
Sun Devil Stadium and the Butterfield Kent Furst Student-Athlete Facility - LEED NC Gold in 2021
Amy and Phil Mickelson Player Development Facility at the Thunderbird Golf Practice Complex - LEED NC Silver in 2020
Weatherup Center - LEED NC Gold in 2011
What makes Sun Devil Stadium LEED Gold certified?
- Fans enter the stadium via staircases that follow the contours of the adjacent butte and blend with the landscape, while strategically placed trees provide shade. Designers used native, low-water-use plants that help filter water runoff during rain. Parts of the stadium near the adjoining buttes offer scenic views and allow prevailing winds to cool the stadium.
- The original concrete superstructure columns and beams support parts of the existing seating bowl. Contractors also diverted 98% of all on-site construction waste from landfills, and more than 63% of the wood used is Forest Stewardship Council-certified. Roughly 25% of the total materials used were made with recycled content, and more than 14% of the building’s materials were produced and extracted within 500 miles of the stadium.
- Sun Devil Stadium now has more bicycle parking and remains easily accessible via Valley Metro buses, neighborhood circulator shuttles and light rail. These sustainable transportation efforts will enable fans to reduce game day automobile pollution.
- Over 250 Compost and Recycling Bins inside Sun Devil Stadium
- Zero Waste Reusable cups - $25 and allow free refills (N/A in 2021)
- Sun Devil Athletics has moved to Digital Ticketing, which expedites entry into Sun Devil Stadium, reduces contact points for fans and event staff. provides the ability to seamlessly issue/and or modify tickets for any game within hours, reduces the prevalence of counterfeit tickets, and eliminates the need to print and mail paper tickets
- Sun Devil Stadium is rated LEED Gold demonstrating Sun Devil Athletics’ commitment to energy efficiency and sustainable construction.
- During the renovation the team was able to reduce the impacts of heat island effect, for instance, In lieu of darker paved surfaces, a light-colored concrete was used where exposed to direct sunlight and all new roof surfaces utilized white reflective roofing. Trees were planted around major circulation paths to provide shade and patron comfort.
- From an energy point of view, the stadium was able to offset more than 37% of the total energy costs through renewable energy generated on the Stadium Drive parking structure directly adjacent to the Sun Devil Stadium.
- Approximately 25% of the total materials used in the renovation, by content, were manufactured using recycled content. More than 14% of the building materials and products were manufactured and extracted within 500 miles of the project site and more than 63% of the wood used on the stadium are FSC Certified. In addition, Low emitting materials, paints, and sealants were used throughout the stadium.
ASU is ranked #1 in the U.S. for global impact by Times Higher Education
ASU is ranked #1 on the list of “Cool Schools” by Sierra Magazine
ASU is the largest fair trade university in the nation
ASU is a national leader in Sustainability and the first university in the US to create a school of sustainability - founded in 2006 - and establish the Global Futures Laboratory in 2020
SDA Best-Operating Sustainable Procedures
Since 2014, Sun Devil Athletics has been a member of the Green Sports Alliance – the largest and most influential driver of social and environmental responsibility across the sports industry. SDA permanently eliminated plastic straws from concession stands and practices e-waste recycling. SDA operates several food donation programs in partnership with Concessionaire, Sodexo, and Waste Not.
Sun Devil Stadium, Desert Financial Arena, Whiteman Tennis Center, Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium, Soccer practice field, Lacrosse practice field, multipurpose turf field and the Beach Volleyball courts all include LED field lighting.
Multiple facilities including Farrington Softball Stadium, Weatherup Center, Sun Devil Sports Performance, Verde Dickey Dom and various parking lots around SDA facilities feature solar panels that power SDA venues.
Fans have access to EV charging stations outside of several SDA facilities. Employees who park on campus and ride together may purchase an HOV permit. ASU encourages reducing the transportation carbon footprint by purchasing a Platinum Pass, riding a bike and using intercampus shuttles.