Green ideas from my students

Trash talking is common in sports. Talking about trash generated by sports is another story. Fans are used to going to a game, eating some food and hopefully tossing trash into a trash receptacle. However, have you ever thought about the impact on the environment from all the trash generated at a major game? Imagine 60,000 fans all consuming one or two drinks, eating a hot dog, a bag of pop corn, and an ice cream snack. Add to that all the napkin, straws, condiment packages, toiletries, discarded personal items, trash from tailgate parties, and all the other trash generated from a game and you have a trash mountain. In fact, a typical major college football game can generate around 400 cubic yards of trash, which over the course of a football season can generate around 2,500 cubic yards of trash the equivalent of a typical homeowner taking 16,000 trash cans to the curb. At Super Bowl XXXII in San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium, the 68,000 fans generated around 70 tons of trash. Thus, the issue of trash from major sporting events, and the minimal recycling efforts taken to date by the industry-and the fans, is a major environmental issue.

While people often rely upon expert for guidance, sometimes it takes a different perspective to really see some unique opportunities. That was the thought behind a take home exam question I asked some graduate students in my most recent sport strategic management class. The question posed asked the students to examine creative/alternative green solutions for the sport industry. I asked the students to look outside the traditional examples such as solar panels and recycling bins. The answers included some well know ideas, but also a number of cutting edge ideas that I am happy to share with you below.

Facility Construction Options
The Waterless Company in Vista, California has developed new, waterless, soybean-based, High Performance Composite (HPC’s) urinals. The largest water users in offices are urinals. These urinals were created in the hopes of saving facility owners from ever increasing water charges, sewer and maintenance charges, and are said to produce paybacks in less than two years- all while conserving water.

Another company looking to make a difference in the environment is Integrity Block located in Los Altos, California. IB created building materials that can be used as replacements for concrete blocks. The materials are more environmentally friendly, have some recycled content, and more importantly offer no practical drawbacks to traditional concrete blocks. IB’s building materials are the same cost as concrete blocks, have the equivalent structural strength as concrete blocks, and because they are manufactured in block form there is no new or additional training required for construction workers.

“LED Down light” from LED Lighting Fixtures, Inc., is a lighting system that uses just under 11 watts to provide 650 lumens of light, for a measured efficiency of 60 lumens per watt. The Solar Illuminations Company has developed street lights, spot lights, outdoor wall lights, and even Christmas lights that generate their power from the sun during the day and use that energy to illuminate at night. Perhaps facility managers could utilize this technology for all of their outdoor lighting needs including fields and stadiums.

The Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) was developed by the EPA in response to the 1984 Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendment. Lead is one of the metals listed in this test, which has the potential to leach out of the cable coverings into the ground and drinking water. Southwire, a domestic producer of wire and cable is leading the way with Environmentally Friendly Cable (EFC). Southwire has introduced the first of many products within their Industrial Power Cable family that will not harm the environment. This is accomplished by offering power cables that have a completely lead free construction. Thus, the EFC cable eliminates the possibility of lead leaching into the ground and drinking water supplies when the cable is either direct buried or put into duct banks subjected to water.

Parking lots require significant maintenance and upkeep. A facility can use recycled pavement or crushed seashells in the initial paving or repairs of the parking lots. Several companies have developed solar cells imbedded in roof shingles and in roadways. The roof shingles are a know entity, but the parking lot could be a great location to embed collectors since most of the day the parking lots are empty and the surface is clear of most obstructions to maximize the amount of direct sunlight.

Currently grey water is recycled in efforts to water plants and irrigate lawns, among other facility maintenance. Why not filter the water enough to use for hockey ice within a facility. The grey water would help recycle used water and prevent the consumption of unnecessary water, providing a greener side to the game of hockey.

“It’s amazing what a 3.8-billion-year head start can do when it comes to problem solving.” (biomimicryinstitute.org, 2008). For example, macrotermitine termites construct mounds which, due to their structure, maintain a constant internal temperature. While the esternal temprature can vary significantly, several factors allow mounds to stay 87° F inside throughout the year. These factors include internal heat capacity and vents to help release warm internal air through the mounds’ top. These principles influenced the Eastgate Center, built in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1995, which uses about 35% of the energy required for temperature regulation compared to similar conventional office buildings. This saved the owners $3.5 million up-front, because the facility was built without an air conditioning. Similar natural theories and systems can be built into future sport facilities.

In Facility Savings
To slowly phase out the number of paper cups regularly used at most facilities, a facility can try to sell draft beer or other drinks in commemorative plastic cups, rather than cups or plastic bottles. This will also help the environment, as there will not be as many plastic bottles used. If a customer wants a second beer, he or she can bring the plastic cup back to be refilled. Also, if that same customer comes to another game, he or she can bring the plastic cup back to the stadium for a free/discounted beer or soda. Paper cups are also over utilized on the field and instead of each player using several small cups, the team can purchase some hard plastic bottles for each player to use.

Selling beverages that are green can provide an organic offering that is unique and possibly a great alternative for fans. For example, New Belgium in Colorado uses wind power and other clean solutions to help brew their beer. There may also be a local micro-brewery that offers organic beer. Any beverages or food that can be purchased locally can help reduce the amount of gas used to transport the food/beverage.

Turkey, India, China, Peru, Uganda, Tanzania, and the United States are countries that have become more inclined to producing organic cotton according to Organic Exchange. Organic cotton has become the most used organic fiber in the industry. According to Organic Exchange, the global production of organic cotton has increased by 53 percent from 2005 through 2007. Sports entities can use the organic cotton to make uniform for players and referees. Furthermore, some fans might be more willing to purchase products they know are eco-friendly.

Trycicles can be used for maintenance crew getting around stadium rather than gas or electric carts. Tricycles could have flatbed attached for food service, operations, maintenance, etc. and can carry significant weight while being able to naviagte more quickly around crowds and over rough terrain. A green benfit to such an effort would be healthy employees who are getting exercise. The same strategy can be used by security staff members.

Recycling
During tailgates, employees drive around the tailgating area towards the end of the tailgate, collecting all bottles and cans. The team can then turn all of those cans and bottles in for a profit, keeping some percentage of it and donating the rest of it to environmental research or green solutions. This will help bring in money for the club, and it will also help to serve the greater goal of “going green.”

Green Promotions
While some teams have a “Hat Day” or thunder stick giveaway, teams can start having a “Tree Day,” where the team provides a small seedling to all children under a certain age. Children can take their seeds and plant the trees to try and help better the environment. The trees will obviously produce a greater amount of oxygen and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. Further, while still at the game, the team can have a trivia session on the scoreboard, informing the children about the necessity of trees, why they should plant them, and what benefits they provide the environment.

Fans can also be encouraged to recycle. Similar to the recycling stations at grocery stores a facility can have recycling machines in front of stadiums/arenas. It could be a great way to minimize the waste during/after tailgates, but with the location being outside there is a reduction in the fear of a fan/terrorist sneaking something into a facility. Similar devises could be installed inside a facility, if the facility dispenses bottles/cans. Such a system can cut the cost of staff separating trash. The systems can be developed so that when the customer recycles they can get credit posted to a team affinity card or a receipt can be given to the fan which allows them to purchase concession items at a lower cost. For example, if a state normally gives five cents per bottle, a redeemed bottle at a facility can produce a seven cent credit to purchase items inside the facility.

Have an electric sign that tallies pounds of garbage that hypothetically is accumulating throughout the game. Then have a break down portraying numbers such as:
• if no fans recycled during the game what would be the impact on the environment and on landfills,
• if fans do recycle, the positive numbers of the diverted recyclables and compostables.
• most importantly, have sensors on trash cans, recycle and compost cans measuring the real time numbers, giving fans real motivation to make a difference that they can see!

This could make them act more like they do at home.

Facilities and teams can undertake numerous small steps to recognize fans who help save money. Ushers can give out thank you vouchers to fans (good for a discount on future purchases or a small prize) to fans caught doing good deeds and throwing trash away in receptacles or recycling containers. This can significantly change the culture since people will want to do little things to get a reward and they never know when they might be caught.

A team/facility can offer VIP parking for carpoolers and discounts for people using public transportation.

A team could launch an energy reduction competition among fans and suppliers. Fans and businesses can be challenged to reduce their energy output. Fan can sign-up and by providing proof of energy reduction (comparable bills for the same location at around the same time such as a December and January electric bill not a March and July bill) they can receive free tickets or other benefits. The competition could be similar to the reality show “America’s Biggest Loser” and the person/business that reduces their energy consumption by the highest amount can receive a big prize, and if they continue to reduce their usage in the future they can win even better prizes.

Reducing Waste
Another strategy to save some money could be for fans to call a specific number and the game program can be sent directly to the fan’s phone. This can save printing expenses, but can also increase advertising penetration directly to a fan.

Nachos can be sold in their own taco salad bowl. Nachos are a staple of nearly every sporting event, but the plastic/paper container that they come in could be removed. Instead, teams could put the nachos in a taco salad bowl so the whole item is edible and the container is not necessary. Using edible ink, the team can custom imprint the bowls with advertisements to increase revenue.

Instead of throwing out food (and/or food scraps) concessionaires can deposit the material in compost barrels. These compost piles could then be recycled in a compost pile at a different location. This would help reduce waste by a high percentage if all leagues, teams, and concessionaires got on board. Outside the kitchen, efforts can be made to collect peanut shells into a compost pile and use them for mulch and/or compost within the stadium grounds to promote the re-use of waste. Fans can also be encouraged to deposit other food items into specially designated bins to be used for recycling.

Creating Your Own Power
Adam Boesel, the owner of Green Microgym in Portland, Oregon, has developed a 3-bike piece of cardio equipment that captures the energy of the three bicyclists, converts the energy, and in turn powers the gym’s televisions and stereo system. Such a system can be installed at gyms, fitness facilities, training room, and even on fields where athletes are trying to stay warm. (http://features.csmonitor.com/innovation/2008/11/13/an-electric-workout-through-pedal-power/)

According to the Energy Department, there are 89 plants generating 2,800 megawatts of energy from burning trash, enough to supply more than 2 million households. Stadiums can try to collect trash and transport the trash to local trash burning plants to help transform the trash into energy.

Stadiums and public venues need to harness the energy of their number one resource-fans. A facility can install revolving doors instead of turnstiles. Not only will this keep heat/cold in the building, it could generate energy from the revolving motion. Thousands of people coming into the facility will insure the devise is moving and constantly generating electricity. Energy generating devises can be installed at other locations such as concession lines, bathrooms, drinking fountains, etc… Anyplace where people are waiting or moving can be a source for energy development. One additional energy source can be existing motors in a facility. A facility can capture heat from all refrigerating motors.

Incorporating piezoelectric materials and/or heel strike generators into athletic facilities could produce significant amounts of electrical power. These devices harness the kinetic energy of people’s footsteps and convert it into electricity. David Webb, from the British consultancy of Scott Wilson, claims that installing these devices in the Victoria Underground Station in central London would convert the footsteps of the roughly 34,000 pedestrians each day into enough energy to power 6500 light bulbs. Magnify the effect if the fans were intentionally pounding their feet on the pavement, such as when prompted to “Make some Noise” at the ballpark. Imagine the potential electricity that could be generated by the 110,000 fans at a Penn State football game or the 50,000 fans that flock to major league ballparks nearly 200 days every summer!
(http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/06/19/spinnaker-tower-stairs-to-generate-electricity/)