Game Day Green Team

Football games bring thousands of fans onto campus, which means that tons of additional waste is created, especially during tailgates. As part of Virginia Tech’s commitment to sustainability, the Office of Sustainability's Game Day Green Team recycling initiative encourages tailgaters to recycle their bottles and cans.

During home football games, the student-run Game Day Green Team collects bottles and cans from tailgates and hands out blue recycling bags. The team also strives to build awareness around sustainability, recycling, and waste reduction through their efforts.

It is now easier than ever to recycle as a tailgater:

• There are green recycling flags posted in the Coliseum, Stadium, Track/Field House, Chicken Hill, and Litton Reeves parking lots where individuals can obtain free blue recycling bags. More information on game day parking is available on the Transportation Services website.
• Game Day Green Team volunteers also hand out recycling bags in many of the parking lots surrounding Lane Stadium.
• Plastic bottles, glass bottles, aluminum cans, plastic cups (such as Solo cups), and clean cardboard can all be recycled.
• Filled recycling bags should be left at a green recycling flag.
• Paper plates, napkins, styrofoam, and food waste are not recyclable and should not be included in the bag.

How to Volunteer

From individuals looking for volunteer hours to those who are passionate about sustainability, the Game Day Green Team is a fun and rewarding opportunity for all. 

Individuals interested in volunteering on the Game Day Green Team can sign up here. If you have any questions, you can email sustainability@vt.edu.

Volunteers can expect to:

• spend one to two hours volunteering, which will end about an hour before game time;
• be put in groups of three to four people and assigned a parking lot;
• walk around the  assigned lot and hand out blue recycling bags to tailgaters;
• answer any questions tailgaters may have about recycling; and
• receive a Game Day Green Team t-shirt to wear and keep.

Volunteering at every game is not required. Individuals can pick which game(s) they would like to volunteer for during  sign up.

To get a better look about what a typical Game Day looks like as part of the Green Team, watch this video and this video.