File: Shawn Wright, Waste & Recycling
News Ohio State University's
Ohio Stadium achieved zero waste this season, diverting
94.4% during an Oct. 20 game against Purdue University
Never let anyone tell you something can't be done.
Ohio State University achieved its goal of going zero waste at its Ohio Stadium – diverting a record 98.2% of its total generated waste from the landfill during a Nov. 3 matchup against the University of Illinois. Total attendance was 105,311.
The previous home game on Oct. 20 against Purdue University saw a 94.4% diversion rate. That's everything from food scraps to compostable packaging to recyclables.
It was a little more than one year ago when I visited OSU and Ohio Stadium. I was there covering the Buckeyes' lofty goal of achieving zero waste during Saturday football home games at the "Horseshoe." Closest it came last year was 82.4%.
People were skeptical. After all, such a feat had never been accomplished before. Sure, the University of Colorado was the first major collegiate stadium to attempt zero waste at its Folsom Field a few years ago. But the Buffaloes' stadium seats only 52,000.
And, yes, the University of California Davis was the first to even launch a zero waste program at an athletic stadium in 2007 at its Aggie Stadium. But that only seats a little more than 10,000 fans.
File: Shawn Wright, Waste & Recycling
News Corey Hawkey (left),
program coordinator for OSU´s energy services and
sustainability office, gleaned some ideas during a home game
last season from Ed von Bleichert, environmental operations
manager for Colorado´s department of facilities management.
Colorado was one of the first to tackle the zero-waste goal
at a large-capacity stadium (Colorado´s Folsom Field seats
52,000). What Corey Hawkey, program coordinator for OSU´s energy services and sustainability office, and his team have accomplished is nothing short of amazing.
They have found a way to get everyone (or as close to everyone), from fans to concessionaires to those collecting the waste, on board with the zero waste mantra.
"I´ve developed an understanding of the magnitude of what we´re doing -- both operationally and globally," Hawkey told me last season. "Operationally, I´ve come to understand how complicated it is to do such a project. I´ve learned how important the leadership is. I´ve learned that it´s literally thousands of people that are required to have buy-in in order to be successful."
For that, even I'll sing "Hang On Sloopy."
