UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — During home football games this season, while the Nittany Lion football team is competing on the field, another team of students, the Tailgate Ambassadors, is busy promoting sustainability. From blue bag recycling to composting, the team is dedicated to promoting and educating about sustainable practices.
Tailgate Ambassadors
Tailgate Ambassadors engage with fans during tailgating before home football games. Ambassadors often greet tailgaters as they arrive and offer blue bags for recycling empty bottles and cans, as well as clear bags for trash.
Additionally, the Tailgate Ambassadors can be found at the PepsiCo Recycling Tent, located across from Gate A. Here, fans have the opportunity to answer trivia questions about recycling and participate in family-friendly games with the chance to win PepsiCo reusable products and drinks.
“Collaborating with the Tailgate Ambassadors has provided a valuable opportunity to engage with the amazing Penn State fans while educating them about the University’s ongoing sustainability initiatives,” said Deylynd Grant, student intern with the Tailgate Ambassadors. “Through this effort, we aim to continue advancing awareness and inspiring others to actively participate in the well-being of Penn State and the preservation of its environmental resources.”
The Tailgate Ambassadors program is a partnership between PepsiCo, Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics, and the Penn State Office of Physical Plant.
Shaker Collection
Tailgate Ambassadors continue to offer a simple way fans can help reduce landfill waste at football games — shaker recycling. Large collection bins for shakers, sometimes referred to as pom-poms, are set up in Gate A, B, and the adjoining concourse, where fans can return the shakers before exiting the stadium. Last season, nearly 24,000 shakers were collected. Recycled shakers go through the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority (CCRRA) before being accepted by Trex, where they are processed and used to make recycled plastic lumber for benches.
EcoReps and the Zero Waste Program at the President’s Suite
For more than 10 years, the EcoReps student group has been involved in supporting recycling and composting in the President’s Suite at West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium. These students play a key role in helping to strive for a zero-waste suite. During games, EcoReps assist suite guests in properly composting and recycling all materials. EcoReps also educate guests about Penn State’s institutional recycling and composting systems, sparking interest in the University’s on-campus composting facility among alumni and visitors.
"The Zero Waste program has always been one of the highlights in my work with sustainability,” said Ben Romero, student sustainability ambassador with EcoReps. “Thousands of pounds of waste are diverted from the landfill each season, and all while getting to connect with peers and guests. This work is living proof that everyone's small contributions can make a big difference as a whole!"
Get involved
Students interested in getting involved with Tailgate Ambassadors next season can contact Krista Bailey, associate director for campus sustainability at kbailey@psu.edu; or with EcoReps, contact Macy Miskiewicz, student engagement coordinator, at mim6032@psu.edu.
To learn more about these and other sustainability initiatives led by Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics, visit https://gopsusports.com/sustainability.