2019 Summit Innovator of the Year Award Winner – University of Texas Athletics

The Environmental Innovators of the Year awards are given to both individuals and organizations for their tremendous work in the sports greening movement.

University of Texas Athletics created a multi-year zero waste strategy for all Texas Athletic events to achieve zero waste by 2020. Throughout the six football games during the 2018 season, the university was able to achieve a best single-game diversion rate of 76%. They generated a total of 347 tons of waste and diverted 105.22 tons to recycling and 49.39 tons to compost. Food recovery efforts led to more than 5,300 lbs. of food being donated to fight hunger in Central Texas. Throughout the 2018 program, approximately 900 volunteers donated 2,700 hours of time and their actions reached over 600,000 fans. With the 2018 season’s success, Texas Athletics is on pace to achieve a 90% diversion rate in 2019, one year ahead of the campus zero waste goal.