Exploring CNU's Zero-Waste Football Initiative (Marie Cluff)

Exploring CNU's Zero-Waste Football Initiative


As part of my graduation requirements in the Communication department, I spent this past semester working with three other group members on a qualitative research study about CNU’s Zero-Wast Football Initiative. If you’ve ever been to a tailgate or football game, you know chaotic things can get… crowds everywhere, high energy, and trash piling up in places it shouldn’t be. What a lot of people don't realize is that CNU started placing recycling stations throughout the TowneBank Stadium as part of a larger push to reduce improper waste disposal. The initiative is a subset of CNU’s Going Greener Campaign, and its goal is to “reduce CNU’s reliance on landfills and promote sustainability on campus.” Although the initiative has seen some success, with a current diversion rate of around 75%, it doesn't seem to reach the campus community with the same impact. We were curious about what may be limiting awareness of and participation, as well as the overall attitude toward the initiative. 


2025 Diversion rates 

To gain a better understanding of the phenomenon, we collected data through direct observations and semi-structured interviews. In total we conducted 7.5 hours of online and in person observations and interviewed a total of 20 participants with an average time of 12 minutes per interview. After gathering the data, we went through our notes to look for patterns, repeated behaviors, and recurring ideas that helped us understand what’s going on at a deeper level. 

We found that awareness of the initiative varies widely, some respondents had never heard about it and others recognized it but weren’t clear on its purpose or how to participate. Many were also confused about disposal options, like where bins were located or what items should go where. This uneven understanding has made it harder for football game attendees to fully participate with the initiative. 

On the bright side, participants discussed a strong sense of community and close social connections on campus, which could be utilized to boost involvement. We also found that most participants already practice sustainability habits in their daily lives, and with the right motivators, we believe that there is a lot of potential to increase engagement with the initiative. 

Ultimately, the initiative will be most successful when it not only reduces improper waste at games, but also encourages positive changes in the campus community’s recycling habits and overall attitude towards sustainability. 

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