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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Atlanta, GA | Posted: August 31, 2009
Summary Sentence:
Football opener brings Game Day Recycling expansion
Full Summary:
Beginning its second year, Georgia Tech's Game Day Recycling initiative expands with a new emphasis on stadium participation.
Game Day Recycling tailgate bag
Recycle bin at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic GranComing off a busy summer, Office of Solid Waste Management and Recycling Manager Cindy Jackson is gearing up for the Institute's Game Day Recycling.
Begun last year, the recycling initiative sought to enlist the help of campus tailgaters and visitors in the stadium's suites. From the first game of the season, student volunteers on campus gave blue-colored compostable bags for fans to place all of their recyclable waste in-aluminum cans, plastic and glass. Facilities Department employees collected the bags after the games.
Recycling Services collected nearly 12 tons of material from the fans of seven home games last year. In the first game-Tech vs. Jacksonville State University-1.1 tons of waste was collected.
"While this can have a slight financial advantage, we're helping to take materials out of the waste stream, which in turn reduces landfill costs," said Jackson, who is also the director of Georgia Tech's Earth Day celebration.
With one less home game this year, the program has doubled its recycling target from last year. This year, the office seeks to collect 20 tons through six home games. With a few more volunteers and an expanded service area, Jackson says she thinks it's a workable target. "This is our second year," she said. "So many more people are aware of the program, and should hopefully be looking for it."
Although volunteers worked mostly to distribute bags to tailgaters last year, this year sees expanded opportunities.
The initiative is now recruiting "recycling ambassadors" to work at the gates helping to direct visitors to place recyclables in blue bins. Roughly 40 volunteers will be needed each game.
"We're going to reach out to student organizations and offer an 'adopt-a-game' initiative," she said. "We want to make it a tradition for students here, starting with the freshmen, to help the games go green. We're hoping people take these behaviors learned from the games and incorporate them into their daily lives."
During game days, recyclable materials do not need to be sorted. Glass, aluminum and plastic can be placed in the same bins and bags. Jackson said she hopes this can be the start of a waste-minimization effort across campus-and beyond.
