SAN FRANCISCO – As fans returned to Pac-12 stadiums in 2021, the annual Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge, presented by Eco-Products, also returned with universities, athletics departments and sustainability offices collectively competing in the pursuit of a zero-waste home game. Arizona State earned recognition as the 2021 Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge Rising Star, the Pac-12 announced today.
For Pac-12 Team Green, the 2021 season marked the return of the Zero Waste Challenge after the 2020-21 campaign featured events without fans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 season also introduced a new subcategory winner with the "Innovation" honor as well as the "Rising Star" award, formerly referred to as the "most-improved" category.
Rising Star – 2021 Football Season: Arizona State (Sept. 25 vs. Colorado)
· Achieved 81.06% diversion rate for their Zero Waste Game, including nearly eight tons in recycling, over two-and-a-half tons in compost and over two tons in reuse.
· With over 44,000 fans in attendance for its Zero Waste Game, Arizona State conducted a variety of messaging campaigns across Sun Devils platforms to inform and educate fans.
· Keeping with social distancing practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, ASU Zero Waste created a native plant and tree display at a main student and fan entrance that featured a large QR code to direct fans to a Sun Devil Athletics webpage that highlighted ASU's sustainability achievements.
· The team also utilized social media and in-arena scoreboards to promote sustainability campaigns across campus for the #GreenGameASU.
About the Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge, presented by Eco-Products
A core pillar of Pac-12 Team Green, the Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge is held annually during both football and basketball seasons. Each university selects one home football and one home basketball game to compete and provide a platform for engaging on best practices in waste diversion. As part of the competition, each competing university submitted a scorecard detailing the efforts around its Zero Waste game.
Criteria is weighted as such: 25 percent participation and partnerships, 25 percent innovation credit and 50 percent stadium diversion rate.
A total of three judges selected one overall winner and one winner in three categories. The judging panel consisted of:
· Bill Walton – Pac-12 Team Green Champion, sustainability advocate & basketball legend
· Mike Carey – LEED Expert & sustainability coordinator at Orange Coast College
· Monica Rowand – Waste Management, Energy and Environmental Services
More information on the Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge is available at Pac-12.com/teamgreen.
For Pac-12 Team Green, the 2021 season marked the return of the Zero Waste Challenge after the 2020-21 campaign featured events without fans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 season also introduced a new subcategory winner with the "Innovation" honor as well as the "Rising Star" award, formerly referred to as the "most-improved" category.
Rising Star – 2021 Football Season: Arizona State (Sept. 25 vs. Colorado)
· Achieved 81.06% diversion rate for their Zero Waste Game, including nearly eight tons in recycling, over two-and-a-half tons in compost and over two tons in reuse.
· With over 44,000 fans in attendance for its Zero Waste Game, Arizona State conducted a variety of messaging campaigns across Sun Devils platforms to inform and educate fans.
· Keeping with social distancing practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, ASU Zero Waste created a native plant and tree display at a main student and fan entrance that featured a large QR code to direct fans to a Sun Devil Athletics webpage that highlighted ASU's sustainability achievements.
· The team also utilized social media and in-arena scoreboards to promote sustainability campaigns across campus for the #GreenGameASU.
About the Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge, presented by Eco-Products
A core pillar of Pac-12 Team Green, the Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge is held annually during both football and basketball seasons. Each university selects one home football and one home basketball game to compete and provide a platform for engaging on best practices in waste diversion. As part of the competition, each competing university submitted a scorecard detailing the efforts around its Zero Waste game.
Criteria is weighted as such: 25 percent participation and partnerships, 25 percent innovation credit and 50 percent stadium diversion rate.
A total of three judges selected one overall winner and one winner in three categories. The judging panel consisted of:
· Bill Walton – Pac-12 Team Green Champion, sustainability advocate & basketball legend
· Mike Carey – LEED Expert & sustainability coordinator at Orange Coast College
· Monica Rowand – Waste Management, Energy and Environmental Services
More information on the Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge is available at Pac-12.com/teamgreen.