Tiger fans have the opportunity to participate in a national recycling competition against schools across the nation at the football game against Auburn on Saturday.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is hosting its annual Game Day Challenge throughout the 2011 college football season. Each participating college can choose one game to increase recycling and try to reduce waste, according to an EPA news release.
The University will have its shot at winning the competition Saturday, said Andres Harris, project director and Facility Services manager.
Harris said volunteers will be distributing blue trash bags before the game while fans are tailgating. The green recycling bins tailgaters use will still be available, but the blue bags will serve as encouragement to recycle more, he said.
Harris said fans should avoid the use of glass bottles so waste collection will be safer for volunteers.
This is the University’s second year participating in the competition. In 2010, the University ranked high for the average amount of waste produced, with more than a pound of waste per person, but ranked No. 10 out of 80 schools for the most waste recycled, with nearly half a pound per person.
“Nobody tailgates like we do,” Harris said, adding that fans should focus more on recycling because a large amount of waste is produced.
Harris said the competition also allows for comparison to other colleges. The University had the best recycling numbers out of any school in the Southeastern Conference who participated in the competition in 2010, he said.
Fans interested in participating can meet other volunteers at 9 a.m. on Saturday by Memorial Tower to distribute blue recycling bags to tailgaters, Harris said.
Anyone interested is encouraged to notify Volunteer LSU prior to Saturday morning so enough bags can be available.
 
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Contact Brian Sibille at [email protected]