CCSU Takes On 2012 Game Day Challenge

Central Connecticut took third place overall in the waste minimization category of the U.S Environmental Protection Agency's 2012 Game Day Challenge following fan participation in proper disposal of waste and recycling at this seasons' football games.

This is the third year the Blue Devils have participated in the Game Day Challenge, a friendly intercollegiate competition dedicated to reducing the amount of waste generated at college football games and increasing participation in waste-reduction programs. Each school involved in the challenge designed a waste-reduction plan for a regular-season home football game last fall and then measured and submitted their results to the EPA for the contest. Central used the November 10 game against Bryant as the target date for the Game Day Challenge.

Of the 79 schools to participate in the challenge, CCSU was the only school to represent the state of Connecticut and the Northeast Conference. Blue Devil fans finished second among FCS schools and third overall in the waste minimization category with game attendees generating only .061 pounds of waste per attendee. This year marks the second-consecutive season in which the Blue Devils achieved a top-three finish. Last year, Central was crowned "Waste Minimization Champion," generating .06 pounds of waste per fan.

This fall season, 5.4 million fans across the nation diverted nearly 1.09 million pounds of waste from college football games, which prevented more than 1,732 metric tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the earth's atmosphere. These numbers more than doubled last year's totals. In 2011, 2.7 million fans diverted over 500,000 pounds of waste and prevented nearly 810 metric tons of carbon dioxide.

"We are proud to participate in such an important effort," Director of Athletics Paul Schlickmann said. "Recycling, sustainability and environmental awareness is an important institutional initiative on campus. In order to make this effort more widespread among the CCSU community, we are using athletic events as a vehicle to bring awareness to such a significant issue." 

Idaho State University placed first among FCS schools just ahead of Central, generating .047 pounds of waste per person and Earlham College earned first overall, generating a mere .029 pounds per fan.  

For more information on the EPA's effort toward waste reduction and complete 2012 Game Day Challenge results, please visit: http://gamedaychallenge.org/results/.