Oct. 9, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Members of the Big Blue Nation will have an opportunity to defeat some of Kentucky’s biggest rivals off the gridiron in an environmentally friendly way this weekend.
On Saturday, Oct. 12, the day of the UK vs. Alabama football game, the University will participate in a nationwide recycling competition between universities across the country. The competition is known as the “Gameday Recycling Challenge.”
The program, now in its fourth year, pits universities and colleges across the country in a friendly contest to see which school has the most effective gameday recycling program. The winner is determined by seeing which school can divert the most trash from local landfills to nearby recycling centers.
UK is asking Wildcats fans to participate this Saturday by putting all beverage containers made of aluminum, plastic or glass into the plastic recycle bags they can receive at the entrance of all parking lots. Volunteers will also distribute extra bags at heavily-populated tailgate areas in the parking lots on-campus and around Commonwealth Stadium.
Before fans leave their vehicles to go into the game, UK asks tailgaters to tie their bags and leave them on the driving-lane side of their automobiles.
The bags must contain only beverage containers, no food or paper waste can be accepted. The bags containing the proper waste, which are left in the correct areas of the parking lots will be collected during the UK vs. Alabama game, which begins at 7 p.m. while fans are inside Commonwealth Stadium and before the game ends.
Fans can also recycle their concessions waste inside Commonwealth Stadium into white receptacles, which are located at all the stadium gates and concourses.
UK has collected 132,000 pounds of trash from football pregame tailgates and in-stadium cleanups through the first three games of the 2013 season. UK has diverted roughly 22 percent of all gameday trash to the recycling center.
The University’s goal is divert 33 percent of all the waste disposed-of at Saturday’s game to recycling centers for the Gameday Recycling Challenge.
