U. of Colorado Plans to Make Folsom Field a Zero-Waste, Zero-Carbon Stadium

Folsom Field will become the first major stadium with a zero-waste policy, according to U. of Colorado at Boulder officials. (Wikimedia Commons image by MECU)

The University of Colorado at Boulder will adopt a zero-waste policy for Folsom Field, its football stadium, university officials announced today. The university will also invest in local carbon-offset programs and renewable-energy efforts to match stadium-related carbon emissions and those created by the football team’s travel, the officials said.

Dave Newport, director of the university’s Environmental Center, said that the stadium’s food-service contractor, Centerplate Inc., would use only recyclable or compostable food and beverage containers. Items that Centerplate can’t immediately change, such as candy wrappers, will be separated from what can be recycled and composted. The university will replace the stadium’s trash cans with bins for recycling and composting. The university will also offer valet bike parking to encourage fans to bike to games.

The university said Folsom would be the first major stadium, either collegiate or professional, to move to a zero-waste program. The University of California at Davis, however, adopted a zero-waste program for its new 10,700-seat Aggie Stadium last year.