to promote a sustainable way of life at the University of Missouri-Columbia

Tiger Tailgate Recycling

Project leader: Mike Madden: jmpc5@mizzou.edu

About | Volunteer Opportunities | Volunteer Benefits | Project Statistics

About Tiger Tailgate Recycling

Tiger Tailgate Recycling (TTR) is collaboration between Sustain Mizzou, Landscape Services, the City of Columbia, Anheuser-Busch and Mizzou Athletics.

The goal of TTR is to provide a convenient means of recycling to tailgaters and other attendees of Mizzou home football games while educating the public on recycling and sustainability issues in our community.

Sustain Mizzou provides the volunteer power with the assistance of employees and infrastructure (including golf carts, trucks, recycling bins, etc.) provided by Landscape Services. Volunteers are responsible for maintaining 250 recycling bins in various tailgating parking lots, distributing recycling bags and collecting all containers. The City of Columbia collects the final mass of beverage containers and all proceeds are donated to the City of Columbia Recycling. Anheuser-Busch donated funds to Sustain Mizzou to support TTR efforts.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Volunteers are the backbone of TTR. A great quantity of volunteers are needed in addition to the TTR project leader and TTR assistants, who are appointed by the project leader and generally are responsible for providing nutritious food (paid for by Sustain Mizzou) for all volunteers.

There are three volunteer shifts.

  • Shift one includes distributing recycling bags to tailgaters, positioning bins and is the most important point of contact for public education.
  • Shift two may continue shift one work, but is more focused on emptying and consolidating recyclables collected from the 250 bins.
  • Shift three utilizes landscape services trucks and golf carts to collect all bagged recyclables which are deposited in large roll-off containers.

Volunteer benefits:

All levels of TTR volunteers have certain benefits.

Volunteers are extremely important to the success of TTR and also receive various benefits.

  • Increase communication skills. They are in direct contact with the public and often are engaged in conversations.
  • Become more educated regarding recycling and sustainability while participating in TTR
  • Develop close relationships with other sustainers
  • Receive free food, a free T-shirts, and ride in golf carts
  • Gift certificates are given to several volunteers after every home game and at the end of the season.
  • TTR assistants have the opportunity to be more involved in Sustain Mizzou and work closely with the project leader in addition to the other benefits of being a volunteer.
  • The TTR project leader includes a multitude benefits. It is an excellent position to develop leadership, communication and networking skills. The project leader will learn coordinate large and small groups composed of students and university employees from Landscape Services. This position will enhance one’s ability to plan quickly and problem solve in a stimulating work environment. The project leader may communicate with the sponsors of TTR and potential donors increasing communication and professional skills as well as providing networking opportunities. TTR generates press attention, and the TTR project leader being the primary contact, he/she will learn to work with the press to further express the goals of TTR to the public. In addition to all these benefits, it is an extremely rewarding position and a great opportunity to befriend other sustainers.

Project Statistics:

We recently concluded the fourth (2008) season of TTR. The final results were:

  • 19.22 tons of beverage containers collected
  • 560 logged volunteer hours from 70 different volunteers
  • Volunteer prizes were donated by the Ragtag Cinema, Lakota Coffee, Sparky’s Ice Cream, The Artisan and the University Bookstore.

Statistics, to date:

  • 74.44 tons over the past 4 years.