Student-led sustainability drive at Clemson University collects 215,000 pounds of aluminium cans and plastic bottles

A stunning story of victory is unfolding just beyond the gates of Clemson University's Memorial Stadium. In 2008, student-led sustainability organisations launched a small-scale initiative, including installing and collecting a limited number of blue bins on campus. In less than a decade, around 30,000 pounds of aluminium cans, plastic bottles and glass collected each football season grew to over 215,000 pounds in 2014, earning the University its first of four Gameday Recycling Challenge awards (2014, 2016, 2018, and 2021), earning national recognition for its efforts.

Solid Waste, Recycling and Composting Manager Dave VanDeventer said, "Our biggest year was 2018 with over 460,000 pounds of recyclable materials. At the time, there was more focus on the collection, and we weren't educating the fans as well about waste minimisation."

This effort grew over time to incorporate repurposed soda syrup barrels at different concourse locations and entrances. Additionally, students carrying backpacks started giving recycling bags to spectators inside and outside the stadium. According to Dave VanDeventer, Clemson University's solid waste programme manager, having its own mechanical and organics recycling facilities is uncommon for a university, putting Clemson in a league of its own.

He also stated that more importance should be given to recycling essential items like aluminium cans, glass, cardboard paper and plastic bottles. Consider the number of servings of each dish and the number of attendees in your gathering. Take leftovers home or share them with friends instead of tossing them away. During the sorting procedure, baked beans and other aluminium pans/foil items cannot be separated. Combining recyclable and non-recyclable goods is bad for the process since it contaminates the trash stream.

"We all know, whether you're in Colombia or the Lowcounty or wherever in South Carolina, if you're going to a football game with a crowd on a Saturday, you're probably going to tailgate. And Clemson fans are going to be in these places. The thinking is as Clemson Tigers, we don't waste things. We want to conserve our resources," said VanDeventer. "We should be environmentally conscious of what we've been given. We've got beautiful lakes and mountains and places all around us, and they need to be protected," said Kristy Pickurel, marketing and events manager of Sonco Fresh.

Anne Barr, executive director of Sonoco FRESH, and Kristy Pickurel, marketing and events manager for Sonoco FRESH, two of the organisers of the annual Food, Packaging & Sustainability Summit, understand the importance of being environmentally conscious and educating not only fans and students but also industry leaders.

 “At the coffee stations, we don’t have individual packets of sugar. We have a sugar bowl sitting there and same thing with creamer. We do not provide any sort of handouts. We use an app, and we work as much as possible to eliminate waste. At the coffee stations, we don’t have individual packets of sugar. We have a sugar bowl sitting there and same thing with creamer. We do not provide any sort of handouts. We use an app, and we work as much as possible to eliminate waste,” said Pickurel.