University of Southern California
IN-49: Innovation C

Started in 2015, the Coliseum Zero Waste program is a partnership between USC Operations staff, the USC Office of Sustainability, USC Athletics, and the Coliseum vendors including the waste hauler, concessions, and custodial teams to reduce waste in the stadium. In 2017, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was able to reach an average diversion rate of at least 90%, and has since continued to operate as a zero waste facility for game days, diverting more than 1,000 tons of waste from landfill since the program’s inception. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is the largest stadium in the Pac-12 and the second-largest college stadium to achieve zero waste.

The Zero Waste Program stands out as an example of how USC has used sports programming as a tool to advance sustainability, helping to integrate sustainable policy and environmental responsibility into the culture of the university. The Zero Waste Program has earned numerous awards and accolades from the county and third-party environmental organizations because of its innovative and comprehensive design. The program has also become a focal point for university sustainability, allowing engagement with hundreds of thousands of attendees, and setting an example for USC's peer universities and sports venues around the country.

Sporting events played at the Coliseum have been used as an educational platform to champion sustainability and raise eco-consciousness. Fans are encouraged to participate through promotional activities like interactive tailgates, giveaways, flash mobs, live trumpet brigades, and a sustainability mascot named “Recycle Man” who educates fans on how to properly -- and sustainability -- dispose of their waste. The Coliseum Zero Waste Program creates an expectation of green practices for the hundreds of thousands of USC staff, students and general public (around 50,000 attendees per game), who then become advocates themselves promoting zero waste and prioritizing sustainability on and off campus.

The Coliseum also hosts the Los Angeles Rams football team, allowing the facility to elevate zero waste beyond the USC community and showcase the importance of sustainability to an even larger audience through the NFL.

For its innovative practices, the Coliseum Zero Waste Program has earned the following awards:
- California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) 2018 award for Outstanding Practices in Venue/Event Resource Recovery
- Green Sports Alliance’s 2019 Environmental Innovator of the Year award,
- LA County Board of Supervisors 2019 Green Leadership Award in the business category (awarded to USC/LA Memorial Coliseum).

Green Sports Alliance Innovator of the Year Award 2019- Announcement: https://greensportsalliance.org/green-sports-alliance-announces-environmental-innovator-of-the-year-awards/