The Carolina Panthers, Keep Mecklenburg Beautiful, Bojangles', City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services/Special Services and Charlotte Center City Partners have teamed up to sack waste and score for recycling with a pilot recycling program for tailgaters during 2009 home games. The project will begin on Saturday, Aug. 29 when the Panthers play the Baltimore Ravens and will cover a four block area, or 35 surface lots, near Bank of America Stadium.
Tailgaters will receive two bags as they enter their parking lot. A bright yellow bag with the Panthers and Bojangles' logos will be for all recyclable bottles and cans. The other will be designated for trash. Before heading to the stadium, tailgaters are instructed to leave both bags at the curb to be picked up by the City of Charlotte Special Services.
"We're proud to be a part of such a great team and to have a chance to make a difference for our city," said Scott Paul, the Carolina Panthers stadium operations manager. "This is a great way to raise awareness among our fans, increase our recycling efforts outside the walls of the stadium and to do the right thing for our planet. We appreciate the vision our partners have demonstrated for a cleaner world. Without this partnership, we could not have made this happen."
If the program is successful, the footprint of the recycling area will be expanded. According to the City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services/Special Services, tailgating generates close to 10 tons of waste on most game days.
"Our goal to begin the program is to divert 20 percent of this volume, which equates to 4,000 pounds of recyclable bottles and cans that are generated by tailgaters before a game," said Jake Wilson, executive director of Keep Mecklenburg Beautiful. "We know we can grow from there."
