Photos by Hillary Ehlen
Thanks to newly implemented recycling opportunities, you can save the Earth one plastic bottle at a time at tailgating.
NDSU Team Makers is always looking for new ways to enhance your tailgating experience. This season, they created a much-needed service for all of you Bison fans in the Fargodome lot on Saturdays. Team Makers has implemented can and plastic recycling services on game days. Thanks to this, the tailgate lot will remain cleaner and the Earth will remain happier.
You can now place your plastic bottles and aluminum cans in blue plastic bags provided by Team Makers staff before and during tailgating. The bags will be collected by the Fargodome staff at the end of each tailgating event. Want to know something even better? All of the proceeds that come back from the recycling program will come back to Team Makers. In turn, your recycling will help build, sustain and support student-athlete scholarships. Not to mention, you are doing the same for the planet too.
Keep in mind, this program is only for aluminum cans, plastic bottles, tubs or jugs. The Team Makers recycling program does not accept food waste, plastic silverware, paper products and solo cups.
But what is the real benefit? Does recycling do that much good for the Earth? Have a look at the disposal process of a plastic bottle and aluminum cans when it is recycled and when it is not.
Why You Should Recycle In The Tailgate Lot
If you throw away your plastic bottle in a trash bin: 38 billion water bottles end up in U.S. landfills each year. That equates to roughly two million tons of garbage. Plastic waste can also make its way into oceans. On average, plastic waste kills 1.1 million marine creatures annually.
If you recycle your plastic bottle: Plastic bottles are recycled by shredding them into flakes which are formed into plastic pellets of sorts. They are then sold to businesses who can melt the plastic to make other products.
If you throw away your aluminum cans in a trash bin: As was the case with plastic bottles, aluminum cans take up a large portion of landfill space. It can also reduce the emission of Green House Gases. Each year, recycling aluminum limits 170 million tons of Green House Gases from being emitted into the environment.
If you recycle your aluminum cans: Aluminum cans are the world’s most recycled product. Aluminum can be recycled multiple times saving energy, raw materials and waste. Not to mention it stops harmful gases from entering our environment.
On top of all of that, your recycled items will be put to good use. Contributing to the scholarships for NDSU student-athletes. So always remember the benefits of recycling when you are in the tailgate lot this season and future seasons.
Donate To The Bison Pride Fund
The Bison Pride Fund is the perfect way to donate to the success of NDSU athletics. Bison Pride is something every student-athlete, alumni, faculty and fan feels. Bison Nation’s constant generosity is the key to the high-quality product you see on the field or court. However, NDSU athletics always needs more support to advance student-athletes in not only athletics but academics as well. The Bison Pride Fund does that.
Annual giving to the Bison Pride Fund supports:
- Cost of attendance
- Scholarships
- Program excellence
- A continued investment in over 400 student-athletes across NDSU’s 14 sports
With this giving, these athletes are able to compete at the highest level of collegiate competition and receive an unbelievable education at the state’s top university. In that way, they are able to be successful after their playing days are over.
Each time you give to the Bison Pride Fund, you earn one priority point for every $50 donated. Priority point rankings are used to fulfill playoff and championship ticket requests, season ticket requests, single-game ticket opportunities, seat selection, tailgating and reserved parking.
To donate or find out more information at ndsuathleticfund.com or call 701-231-8984.
