Maryland Athletics has officially joined the Green Sports Alliance (GSA), a global network dedicated to advancing environmental sustainability in the sports industry. Initiated through collaboration with the UMD Office of Sustainability, Maryland’s membership highlights the university’s growing commitment to embedding sustainability across all aspects of campus life.
Maryland Athletics has a far-reaching influence, with over 46,000 fans attending this year’s Homecoming football game and thousands more supporting the Terps across multiple venues. This reach provides a unique opportunity to model sustainable action to a broad audience of students, fans, and the larger Big Ten Conference.
In recent years, Maryland Athletics has taken major steps to improve its facilities’ operations. Efforts have included installing energy-efficient LED stadium lighting, increasing access to composting, providing souvenir beverage cups, utilizing bulk condiment dispensers to reduce packaging waste, and sorting concession waste for composting and recycling. Building off these previous efforts, Maryland Athletics is taking another step forward by joining the GSA.
"Maryland Athletics is excited to partner with the University of Maryland and the Green Sports Alliance,” said Joe LaBue, Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Revenue Officer. “The importance of sustainability in sports is undeniable, and we're excited for the future connections, events, and growth opportunities this partnership will provide."
Moving forward, Athletics will partner with the Office of Sustainability to create a dedicated sustainability webpage on its official website and continue building a culture of sustainability across UMD sporting events.
