Or any event you host — and make it green!
Maybe you aren’t hosting something as big as the NCAA’s Division 1 basketball championships, but the green goals set for this year’s event in Indianapolis can be adapted by communities of all sizes.
The Final Four organizers plan to reduce, reuse, or recycle as much waste as possible this year, including food waste and the many plastic bottles generated during the games. The large plastic banners and other recyclable materials are targeted, too. That’s a big task, given the tens of thousands of basketball fans in the city during the week of games. The organizers are working with the food vendors and their local waste hauler to reduce and capture waste before it goes to the landfill. They have also created volunteer “Green Teams,” who will help collect recyclables and keep areas clean.
These plans were described in a recent Indianapolis Business Journal article by Sam Stall. In it, he quotes the president and CEO of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Jeremy Karanowitz, who said of the NCAA championship games, “There’s going to be a lot of material that’s captured, sorted, and recycled.” Karanowitz further noted that the final goal is to minimize what ends up in the landfill from the games. The local Keep America Beautiful affiliate is part of the planning team.
These green goals are achievable at any community event, even if on a smaller scale. Educating residents and visitors is essential to meet waste reduction targets.
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