Students put their hands together

Meet the students making Ohio Stadium a zero waste facility

Students sorting waste into Zero Waste bins inside Ohio Stadium

100,000 football fans pour into the stadium at each Ohio State home game and discard up to 30,000 pounds of waste. 

5 students doing a hand stack as part of Zero Waste

Sorting up to 30,000 pounds of trash is no joke.

"It's long days, it's hard work, but it's a phenomenal experience," intern Cecelia Yeckley says.

"You wouldn't think digging through trash with someone would be a good bonding experience, but honestly it is."

5 students doing a hand stack as part of Zero Waste

The Zero Waste team spends long Saturdays ensuring 90 percent of game day waste is diverted from landfills. That means sorting,

collaborating with stadium staff,

Two Zero Waste volunteers cary a compost bin in Ohio Stadium

"We're trying to educate people as humans just to start to sort their trash," Hammond says.

educating fans,

Zero Waste volunteer instructs fan how to use compost bin

then back to sorting.

Before, during and after the games, the Zero Waste team does its thing. Does it well. And does it for a higher purpose.

"It's walking and walking, feet hurtin', perseverin' and remembering we're doing all we can," Hammond says. "And little by little, more people will help."

The Zero Waste Stadium program is part of the university's sustainability goals, such as becoming a zero waste campus by 2025.

A student volunteer fist bumping others at an informational table about the Zero Waste Stadium program

Read more at: go.osu.edu/shoezero

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