UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State EcoReps student sustainability ambassadors program took over the Bryce Jordan Center on Feb. 4 and 5 as part of their annual Campus Race to Zero Waste initiative. The EcoReps assisted fans with waste sorting in the concourse while conducting waste audits after the game.
Natalie Kitts, a third-year community, environment and development major; and Jake Hohner, a third-year biochemistry and molecular biology major, led the EcoReps cohort in its efforts to make the games sustainable.
"Seeing people interacting with sustainability and being excited about it was a very rewarding experience,” said Hohner. “It was nice to see people interested in learning about waste sorting."
During the men's game on Feb. 4, the EcoReps collected 71 pounds of recyclables and 72 pounds of compostable material. The women's game on Feb. 5 yielded 22 pounds of recyclables and 73 pounds of compostables.
Kitts spent the month of January collecting data on both men’s and women's basketball. For each successful three-pointer made, Pepsi pledged to plant a tree on Penn State campuses during Earth Month in April.
"This was a different opportunity to not only combine athletics and sustainability, but also to work with Pepsi and create an opportunity to give back to the Earth," said Kitts. "I really want to thank Pepsi because they were super excited to make this happen, and we get to plant 63 trees because of it."
March 22 Earth Hour event
After the success of the green games, the EcoReps are looking forward to their upcoming Earth Hour event. Earth Hour is an annual global observance that emphasizes mindful energy consumption by turning off lights and joining in other planet-supporting activities and celebrations. The EcoReps will shut off the lights at Old Main from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on March 22. Attend in person for hot chocolate and a lights-off celebration or sign the Earth Hour Pledge here.
To keep up with the EcoReps, you can follow them on Instagram or LinkedIn, or contact Macy Miskiewicz, Penn State Sustainability’s student engagement coordinator, at mim6032@psu.edu.