Longhorn Recycling Roundup
• Longhorn Recycling Roundup (myFOXaustin.com)
Sustainability and environment-friendly causes are part of the UT Athletics culture, and one that fans are encouraged to take part in, because Texas Fans Make Us Proud.
The Longhorn Recycling Roundup challenges Texas fans to recycle plastic cups and bottles at numerous UT Athletics facilities, and also creates awareness for recycling, litter prevention and campus improvement. It has been an environmental award-winning program over the past 15 seasons at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, and since 1996, the program has collected more than 204,000 pounds of plastic cups and containers used by Sodexo, concessionaire for UT Athletics home events.
What is the Longhorn Recycling Roundup?
During every University of Texas home football game, the Longhorn Recycling Roundup program collects and recycles plastic cups and bottles. Fans are encouraged to participate in this program by placing their cups or bottles in the gray Coca-Cola shaped barrels or clear, cylinder recycling cans located within the stadium, designated cans and recycling centers on the suite and club levels, and by placing recyclables in the complimentary bags that will be distributed within tailgating lots. Last year UT fans managed to collect a staggering 26,385 pounds of plastic, making it one of the largest efforts ever undertaken by a university stadium of this size.
The Longhorn Recycling Roundup has also expanded to UFCU Disch-Falk Field so please remember to also look for the recycling containers and participate there too.
Football Gamedays
Here’s a more detailed look at Longhorn Recycling Roundup results during Texas Football home games:
Home Football Game Recycling collection:
2011 (to date):
- 27.60 tons of plastic collected
- 91 cubic yards of landfill space saved
- 10,476 gallons of oil saved
- 192,990 gallons of water saved
- 5 cubic yards of compost collected
- Tailgate Lots Recycling: 3,000 pounds of aluminum, glass, and plastic collected
2008: 13.708 tons of plastic collected, 45.24 cubic yards of landfill space saved (through seven games)
2009: 12.37 tons of plastic collected, 40.82 yards of landfill space saved, 4,700 gallons of oil saved, 16,870 gallons of water saved (through six games)
2010: 17.02 tons of plastic collected, 56.166 cubic yards of landfill space saved, 6468 gallons of oil saved, 20,370 gallons of water saved, and 1,330 pounds collected in tailgates
(through six games)
Goals:
- 2010 goal: Collect 20 tons of recyclable plastic
- 2011 goal: Collect 25 tons of recyclable plastic
- 2012 goal: Collect 30 tons of recyclable plastic
To help facilitate the 2010 goal and beyond, UT Athletics has instituted a new procedure for home football games. Namely, UT Athletics will provide and distribute different bags for recycling and general trash collection in tailgate areas around DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. Clear bags collect plastics, blue bags collect aluminum cans, and gray bags collect food and other non-recyclable trash. UT Athletics services Lots 37, 38, 39, 40, 70, 80, 99, 103, 104, 110 and 113.
Recyclable materials will also be collected and removed from stadium suites, clubs and press box. Also, the number of recycling containers inside the stadium will increase by 75, and all Longhorn Recycling Roundup containers will be positioned next to trash cans/concession stands for better awareness, convenience and accessibility.
Sodexo now offers a new recyclable and environment-friendly cup and utilizes gameday recycling dumpsters for all cardboard materials. UT Athletics has worked closely with Jim Walker, campus sustainability director, on these efforts, and encourages anyone to submit comments, questions or ideas to Sustainability@athletics.utexas.edu.
RECYCLING CONTESTS
Recycler of the Game
The Recycler of the Game award goes to the tailgater/tailgating party who exhibits the best recycling practices on a UT Football gameday. The Tailgate Recycling Crew tours the tailgate lots prior to halftime, looking for tailgaters who properly and effectively fill their blue bags with glass, plastic, and aluminum recyclable materials and their grey bags with trash. Winners of the Recycler of the Game award have their photo on the Recycling Roundup page of TexasSports.com and receive a special prize provided by UT Athletics at the end of the regular UT Football season.
2011 Winners
2010 Winners
Good Sports Always Recycle contest
Central Texas public or private, K-12 schools have been given the opportunity to get rewarded for their recycling and other green efforts through the Good Sports Always Recycle contest. A panel of judges, brought together by Keep Austin Beautiful staff members, will assess the schools' recycling and sustainability efforts, goals and results. The top five schools will receive their rewards at the Texas vs. Florida Atlantic game, presented by AT&T, on Nov. 20, 2010. Rewards include $500 to support and expand the winning school's recycling effort and the opportunity to be recognized on-field and on the stadium video board in front of tens of thousands of fans! This year we will continue awarding the Coca-Cola 'Recycle Rookie' award to a first-time school applicant (making six total GSAR winners) to increase participation and awareness. Also, starting in 2010, a pizza party will be awarded for the school in the first-time applicant group that wins Honorable Mention, courtesy of Pizza Hut. For more information and application details, visit keepaustinbeautiful.org.
Who else is helping?
Apart from Texas fans, the Longhorn Recycling Roundup is sponsored by Allied Waste Services, Austin Coca-Cola Bottling Company, H-E-B, KTBC Fox 7 and Keep Austin Beautiful. Each partner helps significantly towards the success of the program, which begins with Austin's Coca Cola Bottling Company's commitment to use a 24-ounce recyclable stadium cap. The program is promoted within the community by KTBC Fox 7, H-E-B and Keep Austin Beautiful, and concludes with Allied Waste's collection and recycling of the plastic.
In addition, UT Athletics has worked with TxDOT to form the "Longhorns Don't Litter" community service message. The goal is to use this in conjunction with the long-standing "Don't Mess with Texas" campaign to promote a clean state and environment.
