University of Southern California
IN-16: Green Athletics

USC’s Green Athletics programming includes zero waste efforts, energy conservation, climate action and community outreach across many of the athletic events, stadiums and centers.

Climate Action and Energy Conservation:
In 2020, USC Athletics partnered with Facilities Management Services and the Galen Center arena operations staff to complete a rooftop solar installation of 1500 solar photovoltaic modules that will generate 600kW of energy annually and allow the arena to receive 15% of its energy from onsite clean energy sources. This partnership also resulted in a 3,332 LED light installation. The overall result leads to $10 million in energy savings over 25 years.

In July 2022, USC Athletics re-committed to the United Nations' Sports For Climate Action Framework, a worldwide initiative to achieve climate change goals in sports.

This pledge follows USC's guiding sustainability principles:
-Undertake systematic efforts to promote greater environmental responsibility
-Reduce overall climate impact
-Educate for climate action
-Promote sustainable and responsible consumption
-Advocate for climate action through communication

In Sept. 2022, USC Athletics partnered with One Tree Planted to develop a reforestation campaign centered around the 2022 USC Football season. One Tree Planted oversaw replanting of ≈30 million trees in 2021. USC and OTP will work together to plant six trees for every USC touchdown, and one more for each USC extra point. Through USC Football's first 3 games, 140 trees have been pledged to be planted (20 touchdowns and 20 extra points).

In addition to these initiatives, the Coliseum has been putting effort into energy conservation via replacing 168 lights in the Coliseum with LED fixtures

Zero-Waste and Diversion Efforts:
At the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (LAMC), all home football games and all major events are zero-waste along with an annual Green Game to specifically message and promote student and staff sustainability initiatives to all gameday attendees. During the 2022 football season, the zero waste program averaged a 91.7% diversion rate, preventing 66+ tons of waste from entering landfill.

Local vendors at the Coliseum are sourced for all USC football games, and all vendors and concessionaires are subject to strict serviceware, condiment, and waste disposal guidelines:
1) Used cooking grease/oil is to be collected and repurposed into biofuel by a third party vendor
2) All edible leftover food is to be collected and donated to local food banks
3) All service ware is to be compostable in accordance with local waste hauler guidelines and capabilities. When not able to find compostable products, then service ware must be recyclable
4) All materials are to be disposed of properly with above waste stream options available
5) Concessionaires and kitchen staff are to assess food needs in order to “right size” food cooked to eliminate food waste

In 2023, USC’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Better for All (natural products innovator) launched an exciting partnership for the Zero Waste Game against Stanford University on September 9th at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Fans were able to enjoy pre-game beverages in Better for All reusable, renewable and certified home compostable cups, inside USC's Ultimate Tailgate located in Trojan Fan Fest located just east of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Better for All's lightweight yet durable cups are made from Kaneka Biopolymers Green Planet PHBH, a material made by fermenting plant seed oils. Better for All cups are capable of handling both hot and cold beverages and are non-toxic and compostable, giving fans the opportunity to enjoy the game guilt-free.

Additionally, in an effort to introduce more circularity into the stadium, the Coliseum has partnered with r.World to provide r.Cups at all cocktail and draft beer concession stands for the 2023 USC Football season.

In Fall Semester of 2023, Coliseum staff collaborated with USC faculty and staff to support a Zero Waste course (ENST-499) that uses the stadium as a living laboratory for students to lead sustainability efforts and engage in sustainability-related operations activities. Course activities include conducting life cycle analyses of Coliseum vendor products, engaging with vendors to collect data on zero waste practices, zero waste auditing, and working with the Sustainability Assistant at the Coliseum to ensure the zero waste program runs effectively.

The Coliseum has also installed low-impact turf to the east and west back ends to reduce resource intensity and environmental impact of fields. The Coliseum collects and separates landscape-related and playing field-related turf waste for collection as green waste by the waste hauler.
In addition to the zero waste efforts at the LA Memorial Coliseum, USC’s Galen Center hosted its second “Green Game” on 1/29/22 for the men’s basketball game against CAL, achieving a 91.8% diversion rate.

In 2021-22, USC Athletics won the Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge in both football and men's basketball.

Also in 2021: Approximately 400 lbs. of surplus food donated to Second Spoon. This nonprofit organization was founded by USC Trojans quarterback Mo Hasan in 2021, to take surplus food from the athletics cafeteria and distribute meals to those in need. https://news.usc.edu/usc-quarterback-nonprofit-battling-food-insecurity/

Water Conservation:
Sprinkler irrigation schedules at USC athletic facilities have been adjusted for designated days and times between 4pm-9am window, with spot watering as needed by hand. This is in accordance with the State of California's conservation measures, the City of Los Angeles Phase 3 Water Conservation Ordinance and USC’s commitment to water reduction efforts.

Sustainability Engagement and Community Outreach:
In addition to these operational efforts in USC’s green athletics program, student athlete advocates, coaches, and university administration have participated in green athletics programming and created messaging to promote sustainability on campus and within the broader community. With large tailgating crowds, the university has developed enclosed zero waste tailgate events, where waste auditors work with event planners, vendors, and attendees to ensure proper waste diversion.

Community engagement efforts of USC Athletics have included free admission to USC's annual Green Game for local grade school students and Trojan Shop Local participants, a sustainability-themed game that promoted waste diversion, and environmental activism through engagement booths, direct messaging, games, and eco-giveaways.Given USC's location in a transit-rich corridor of Los Angeles, USC athletic event attendees are encouraged to utilise public transportation and active transportation methods through social media and site-specific sustainability messaging.

USC was recently named the winner of the Best Fan Engagement sub-category in the Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge for the 2022 football season. More information: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/usc-football-and-better-for-all-partner-for-a-zero-waste-game-301917730.html

More information on initiatives can be found here:
https://green.usc.edu/programs/energy-conservation/
https://www.lacoliseum.com/sustainability-awards/
https://green.usc.edu/get-involved/green-tailgating/

Website Resources
https://green.usc.edu/programs/energy-conservation/
https://www.lacoliseum.com/sustainability-awards/
https://green.usc.edu/get-involved/green-tailgating/

Additional News Articles:
https://usctrojans.com/sports/2022/9/20/2022-usc-trojans-football-zero-waste-game-challenge-arizona-state-asu-sun-devils.aspx

https://news.usc.edu/209858/historic-venue-points-the-way-to-a-sustainable-future/