The Oct. football 5 game at NC State’s was part of the university鈥檚 zero-waste initiative, aimed at drastically reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills. “Big events create a lot of waste,” said Meredith Smith with NC State鈥檚 Waste Reduction and Recycling Office. “We鈥檙e here to take small steps toward a more sustainable game, and we鈥檙e making improvements along the way to increase efficiency.”
NC State has partnered with its athletics department, Wolfpack Sports Properties, and waste management companies like Green for Life to place 22 zero-waste stations around Carter-Finley Stadium. At these stations, fans will find three bins: one for compost, one for recycling, and one for landfill items. Volunteers鈥攎any of them NC State students鈥攚ill be on hand to help fans properly sort their waste.
“Our goal is to divert as much waste from landfills as possible,” Smith said. “We have commercial-grade composting facilities on campus, so we鈥檙e able to turn food scraps, compostable packaging, and other materials into nutrient-rich soil. That soil is then used in landscaping and even helps grow produce on campus farms that is served in our dining halls.”