Zero Waste

Department of Athletics Zero Waste Initiative

The Ohio State University’s campus-wide sustainability goals include the commitment to be zero waste by 2025, aiming to divert at least 90% of all waste from the landfill by reducing, recycling, and composting. To help achieve this goal, the Department of Athletics is working to make Buckeye game days and all athletics operations zero waste.

Zero Waste at Ohio Stadium includes waste produced inside the stadium and in the tailgate lots, aiming to divert event waste from the landfill. Ohio State is the 2012 National Diversion Rate champion of the Game Day Recycling Challenge and have been Big Ten Conference Diversion Rate champions since 2011. Outside of football season, additional zero waste events include Spring Game and Ohio State’s Spring Commencement.

Zero Waste at the Covelli Center began in 2020 as Men’s and Women’s Gymnastics moved from St John Arena to their new home in the Covelli Center, a pending USGBC LEED certified facility. Current student-athletes Men’s Gymnast Michael Chan [Scholar-Athlete 2017-2019] and Women’s Gymnast Morgan Lowe [Scholar-Athlete 2018-2019] worked with Coach Sharipov and Coach Paulicivic (respectively) to initiate zero waste practices during home gymnastics competitions.

Zero Waste at the Schottenstein Center began in 2015 with The Ohio State University Marching Band’s annual Hometown Concert. Since then, the Schottenstein Center has been home to zero waste events for Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, and Ohio State Commencement ceremonies. The Ohio State University is the 2019 RecycleMania Basketball category National Diversion Champions and the 2016 RecycleMania Basketball category National Organics Diversion Champions.

Zero Waste at French Field House began in 2019 when Women’s Fencer Natalia Falkowski worked with Coach Anthony and Women’s Field Hockey Goalkeeper Ellen Westfall [Scholar-Athlete 2018] to host the first zero waste event in the facility during the 2019 Midwest Fencing Conference Championship.

In 2017, Synchronized Swimming began their journey toward zero waste. Alumni and former student-athlete, Tori Baron worked with Senior Vice President & Wolfe Foundation Endowed Athletics Director Gene Smith, Assistant Coach Suzanna Hyatt, and Head Coach Holly Vargo-Brown to initiate zero waste at all home Ohio State Synchronized Swimming competitions.

“I went to an AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) conference last year and everyone was asking me about our process for zero waste at our football games. They thought it was tremendous that we were able to do that at such a big event. So I thought why can’t we do this at our meets this year? I asked Gene Smith at a meeting and he connected me with Mike Penner (Senior Associate AD for Internal Operations) and Graham Oberly (Sustainability Coordinator for Athletics) and with their help, we were able to get this going.” – Tori Baron [Scholar Athlete 2014-2017, National Champion 2015, 2017]

During the 2019 class of Huntington Bucks Go Pro Sarah Walsh [Scholar-Athlete 2018-2019, National Champion 2018-2019] worked as a Sustainability Intern for the Department of Athletics, preparing Ohio State for their 2020 theme “Break The Stigma – Be The Change”.

Zero Waste at Griggs Reservoir Boathouse began in 2020 with the first zero waste Women’s Rowing Regatta during the April 4^th Double Duel against Virginia and Duke. Alumni and former student-athlete Cassidy Jenney [Scholar Athlete 2016-2017, Big Ten Champion 2016-2017, Academic All-Big Ten] worked with Coach Teitelbaum to bring zero waste practices to Griggs and the Women’s Rowing program.

Zero Waste at St. John Arena began in 2019 when Men’s Gymnast Michael Chan [Scholar-Athlete 2017-2019] and Women’s Gymnast Morgan Lowe [Scholar-Athlete 2018-2019] worked with Coach Sharipov and Coach Paulicivic (respectively) and Women’s Field Hockey Goalkeeper Ellen Westfall [Scholar-Athlete 2018] to initiate zero waste practices during home gymnastics competitions. In 2020 Men’s and Women’s Gymnastics moved to their new home at the Covelli Center.