Rethink Waste Athletics

We're big fans of reducing waste and so is our Athletics Department. Each year the Office for Sustainability, Athletics, and Custodial and Environmental Services work together to host a Rethink Waste football and basketball game. These games feature composting, increased recycling, special signage, and user education about what can and cannot be recycled or composted. Thanks to the work of dozens of dedicated volunteers educating game attendees, we're able to achieve exceptional landfill diversion rates at these games and get closer to meeting the University's goal of 75% waste diversion from the landfill by 2025.

Campus Race to Zero Waste is a two-month, nationwide recycling competition. During CR2ZW, you're invited to reduce waste, recycle more, attend events, and volunteer at the Rethink Waste Basketball Game. To date, the University of Richmond has won the following:

• 2024 CR2ZW Basketball Game Day Challenge (diversion)
• 2024 CR2ZW Football Touchdown Challenge (per capita recycling)
• 2025 CR2ZW Basketball Game Day Challenge (per capita recycling)
• 2025 CR2ZW Football Touchdown Challenge (per capita recycling)
• 2026 CR2ZW Basketball Game Day Challenge (per capita recycling)
• Next up: 2026 Football Touchdown Challenge, 9/26 (sign up to volunteer here)

The University of Richmond is also represented on the Collegiate Sports Sustainability Network national leadership board and is working with partner universities across the country to bring greater sustainability awareness to campus.