9/24/2009
By Olivia Carrino
For the Daily On September 24th, 2009
“Go Blue, Live Green” may become a reality on campus this weekend when the University’s first zero waste tailgate takes place tomorrow at the 33rd Annual Go Blue Homecoming Tailgate at Oosterbaan Fieldhouse.
Every year the Go Blue Tailgate welcomes 3,000 alumni, students and friends to enjoy food, camaraderie and entertainment. This year, the event is taking the whole production one step further. Zero waste means all materials at the tailgate will be reused, recycled or composted. This eliminates the need to send garbage to landfills.
The Alumni Association in partnership with the Student Sustainability Initiative and the University’s Department of Refuse and Recycling is organizing the event. SSI is an on-campus group of leaders in government groups, environmental groups and individuals who want to make the University of Michigan a leader in sustainability.
At the tailgate, all plates will be made from bamboo and all utensils will be made from corn syrup. Both are entirely compostable, as are the cups, napkins and trash liners that will be used. All compostable materials will be transported to a local composting farm.
Kirk Lutz, the senior manager of events for the Alumni Association and the event organizer for the zero waste tailgate, said the current environmental movement makes events like this successful.
“It’s the right time to do this because of the greening of the globe on everyone’s mind — mindful of recycling events across the universe and around the world,” he said.
Lutz said although there is an increased cost associated with using these environmentally friendly products as opposed to plastic- and petroleum-based products, the Alumni Association knows it was worth the additional financial resources.
LSA senior Matt Gacioch, one of four board members of the SSI, said the group wanted to create a visible project so people can see that steps are actually being taken to create a more sustainable campus.
Gacioch said he hopes to create as little waste as possible at this weekend’s tailgate.
“It’s a zero waste tailgate event,” he said. “All the packaging, utensils and everything being used are either compostable or recyclable. The intent is to send nothing to the landfill.”
Student volunteers from SSI will be at all trash, recycling and composting stations to help those attending recycle properly.
Alumni Association President Steve Grafton said he is conscious of maintaining a healthy environment.
“By working to reduce waste at our annual tailgate event, this is one day that we are encouraging alumni to ‘go blue’ and ‘go green’,” he said.
Gacioch said although this tailgate is the first of its kind at the University, he hopes the initiative will continue in the future.
“We hope it is so successful that we can take it next year and make one whole football game zero waste,” said Gacioch. “Then hopefully in the future continue the initiative to eventually make the entire game day experience zero waste for the entire football season.”
Lutz said he is confident that this program will continue in the coming years.
“I think like anything it has to become something that people just automatically think of, rather than some special activity,” he said. “Times are tight, budgets are tight and we need to be mindful of that, but there’s a smart road to it. It starts with awareness.”
http://www.michigandaily.com/content/students-and-alumni-hold-green-tailgate-weekend
Content Author(s): Olivia Carrino
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