Michigan Going Green

University of Michigan to Host First Zero Waste Event at Crisler Arena
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/120110aae.html
Dec. 1, 2010

Students at the University of Michigan are taking action to make a ton of garbage disappear -- no magic involved -- as Crisler Arena hosts its first-ever zero waste basketball game this Saturday (Dec. 4) against Harvard. From the cups to the uniforms, use of recyclable materials will be the No. 1 priority.

Hosting a zero waste event means doing all you can do to make sure as little waste as possible goes to landfill. The event is being coordinated by the Student Sustainability Initiative.

"After being approached by the SSI about doing a zero waste game, we felt that it would be a great opportunity to use an athletic event to help educate the community and our guests about the benefits of recycling and composting as well as bring an awareness to some of the other sustainability initiatives we have taken on campus," said Shelly Fabrizio, director of operations and events.

The Student Sustainability Initiative is a collaborative group of leaders in campus organizations, environmental groups, and student governments interested in making the university a more sustainable place.

"Our goal is to reduce the amount that people throw away and helping the campus community become more aware of how much they use, how much they discard, and how they might increase recycling and composting so they are sending less into landfills," said Ryan Smith, a member of the Student Sustainability Initiative.

During the game, all cups, plates, forks, napkins and trays will be made of natural materials that can break down to eventually become nutrients in soil for agricultural applications.

For example, all of the cold drink cups and trays will be made of a corn-based material called polylactic acid that resembles clear plastic and can be fully composted.

Instead of trash barrels positioned along the concourse, two bins will be placed at each waste station labeled "recycling" and "composting."

At each waste station, volunteers from student organizations across campus will educate patrons about the proper disposal of their waste, as well as, communicate the benefits of composting and recycling.

A typical game at Crisler Arena generates about 35 cubic yards (or about 1 ton) of trash, while only about 1 cubic yard of recycling is generated.

"For the zero waste events into the future, we hope to reduce this amount of trash by up to 85 percent," Smith added.

The university will partner with the nearby Tuthill Farms and Composting to take the compostable waste. The farm has the capacity to take all sorts of food and compostable wastes and break them down into soil nutrients. Tuthill Farms presently works with the composting program at the Ross School of Business.

In addition to the recycling and composting stations at the game, the U-M men's basketball team will unveil new uniforms made from 60 percent recycled materials. Designed and developed by adidas, the uniforms are 30 percent lighter and dry twice as fast as previous uniforms. The new Michigan uniform absorbs moisture in less than three seconds as a result of adidas CLIMACOOL fabrics.

To see all of the U-M's sustainability activities, visit: www.sustainability.umich.edu

Contact: Kim Broekhuizen, Public Affairs, (734) 936-5190

Zero Waste Game Fact Sheet
‐ U‐M has made a major commitment to sustainability at the highest levels in
teaching, research, operations and engagement.
‐ For the first time in Crisler Arena history, U‐M will host a zero waste basketball
game on December 4 at the U‐M vs. Harvard match up.
‐ Zero waste means taking measures to use recyclable and compostable materials
that create as little waste as possible sent to the landfills.
‐ The university athletics events are a large part of the culture at U‐M and a great
opportunity to make an impact in waste management. For example, a typical game
at Crisler Arena generates about 35 cubic yards (or about 1 ton) of trash, while only
about 1 cubic yard of recycling is generated.
‐ Students are major players – and drivers – of the university’s sustainability efforts.
At Crisler Arena’s zero waste effort there will be approximately 70 dedicated
student volunteers from student organizations across campus.
‐ During the game, all cups, plates, forks, napkins and trays will be made of natural
materials that can break down to eventually become nutrients in soil for agricultural
applications.
‐ The zero waste effort was organized by the Student Sustainability Initiative in
collaboration with the Athletics Department, the Graham Institute, and U‐M Ross
Net Impact.
‐ The zero waste initiative began in 2009 with a zero waste tailgate and continues to
grow as the university strives to institutionalize the idea and practice.
‐ The new Michigan basketball uniforms are made from 60 percent recycled
materials.
‐ U‐M Athletics has the largest stadium‐recycling program among universities in the
United States.
‐ U‐M recently adopted a single‐stream recycling, the recycling system through
which paper and container recyclables are collected in the same bin.