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University of Maryland Athletics

In partnership with the Office of Sustainability, Maryland Athletics is developing new initiatives that will contribute to the culture of sustainability on campus and integrate into the SustainableUMD Network.

In 2013, Maryland Athletics entered into a joint Energy Conservation project that focused on lighting, water, and HVAC as a main driver to be more sustainable. The agreement was a 12-year performance-based replacement of various utilities/equipment. As the agreement concludes in 2025, Maryland Athletics will be exploring further sustainable efforts to complement the University's carbon neutrality goals.
Green Sports Alliance
Green Sports Alliance Membership
Maryland Athletics has officially joined the Green Sports Alliance in September 2025 and is engaging with other leading colleges and universities to incorporate sustainable practices, community building and storytelling into the world of collegiate sports.
Campus Buildings, Facilities and Operations
For many years, the Facilities, Operations & Events unit in Maryland Athletics has partnered with UMD's Department of Facilities Management to incorporate energy conservation, stormwater pollution prevention, renewable power, and waste minimization into the way they operate and culture of athletic events.
 
SECU Stadium
Replacement of SECU Stadium metal halide field lighting system to a Musco LED system (2023)
Bob 'Turtle' Smith Stadium
Replacement of Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium at Shipley Field metal halide field lighting system to a Musco LED system (2023)
Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex
Renovation and Expansion of Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex to a LEED Silver construction project (2023)
Ludwig Field
Replacement of Kehoe Track at Ludwig Field metal hallde field lighting system to a Musco LED system (2019)
XFINITY Center
Replacement of Xfinity Center metal halide field lighting system to a Musco LED system (2016)
Greening UMD Athletics: A History
Over the years Maryland Athletics has incorporated sustainable practices and design standards into its operations. Since 2008, the department's facility managers have partnered with engineers in UMD's Facilities Management department to conserve energy by installing LED lights, efficient HVAC equipment and other technologies in stadiums, arenas, practice facilities, and offices. Since 2010, UMD's Recycling & Solid Waste Unit has supported Athletics in collecting recyclable materials from tailgating lots before football games and incorporating waste-sorting stations to ensure that compost, recycle, and landfill bins are available for fans.
 
Testudo at a Zero Waste Station in SECU Stadium
Zero Waste station at SECU Stadium
Zero Waste station at SECU Stadium
Events & Initiatives
Game Day is always an exciting time at UMD! Since sustainability is an important part of our culture, Athletics staff encourages everyone in attendance to participate in green behaviors by properly sorting waste and taking part in our green initiatives such as compostable utensils and bulk condiments. Testudo wants visitors, students, staff and faculty to identify as Green Terps! You are invited to join us.
 
Postgame football waste-sort
Compostable concession materials
SECU stadium waste stations
Responsible tailgating practices
Souvenir cups
Campus Collaborators
DINING SERVICES
Dining Services and Athletics are longtime collaborators to ensure that sustainability is kept in mind during gameday.

Dining offers compostable materials such as plates, bowls, trays, straws, and utensils to help reduce the number of materials that are going to the landfill. Fans have the option to purchase souvenir cups that can be taken home and repurposed for other use. If you find yourself purchasing a prepackaged beverage like water or alcohol, just know that the material can be recycled.

Looking for something to eat while keeping sustainability in mind? Dining’s concessions offer a veggie garden burger during gameday, and on occasion, such as Maryland Day, beyond burgers are also sold. To top the foods that you may purchase, Dining offers bulk condiment containers such as ketchup, mustard, and relish that help reduce the quantity of packaging that goes to the landfill.

Concession staff are also supported by Dining! Staff are given compostable paper hats to wear while serving customers that can be placed in compost bins located in their concession unit in SECU and XFINITY.

Sustainability Fund
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

TAILGATE WASTE:

As another year of Maryland Football approaches, the University of Maryland would like to remind campus visitors to do their part to help keep our campus clean! As tailgaters at the university, it is YOUR responsibility to clean up your tailgate area! Facilities Management provides free trash and recycling bags for fans to use during their tailgate and dumpsters conveniently located within all authorized tailgate lots. To discard your bags after tailgating, look around to find a dumpster location close to your tailgate spot!

Additionally there are red dumpsters available in select tailgate lots to dispose of hot coals.

To learn how to sort your waste on campus, visit recycle.umd.edu and https://sustainability.umd.edu/waste. Tailgating waste collection station outside SECU Stadium

CONCOURSE WASTE COLLECTION:

Once you have arrived in Maryland Stadium, there are compost, recycle, and landfill waste bins. We encourage fans to properly sort their waste into the three waste bins. Zero Waste Station inside SECU Stadium COMPOST: All food scraps, paper food containers, and paper napkins
RECYCLE: Plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and clean paper
LANDFILL/TRASH: Foil-lined wrappers, small plastics, and miscellaneous waste should go into the landfill bin. Miscellaneous stadium waste includes chip bags, plastic lids/straws, hand warmers, diapers, etc.

RESTROOM WASTE COLLECTION:

Paper towels are compostable! Please dispose of miscellaneous waste items outside of stadium restrooms or in an available landfill bin once inside the restroom. Composte signs in restroom at SECU Stadium

TYSER TOWER WASTE COLLECTION:

If you are attending the game in one of our suites in Tyser Tower, there are compost, recycle, and landfill bins available for your waste. Waste collection station inside Tyser Tower

POSTGAME WASTE SORT:

All waste from SECU stadium is collected and taken outside of the stadium to “Solid Waste Island” located outside of Gate E. Every bag of waste created in the stadium is then handsorted by contracted staff into recycle, compost, and landfill compactors. It’s important to properly sort your waste inside of the stadium to reduce the workload on staff and prevent highly contaminated bags from going to the landfill. The effort of postgame waste sorts is done to ensure that contaminated loads are not being sent to the recycling and composting facilities and that we are maximizing the waste diverted from landfills. The metrics from past waste sorts can be found below. Facilities Management
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
  • Consultant for Athletics to ensure that the greenest option is being chosen
  • Manages a Sustainability Fund that Athletics can apply to enhance their sustainability program
Sustainability Fund
Stories Related to Sustainability in Athletics
Farm to Field
Farm to Field
Terps take part in the two-day Big Ten event focused on agriculture and careers in farming. Read More
Making The World A Little Greener One Swing At A Time
Making The World A Little Greener One Swing At A Time
The golf course is a safe haven for Patricie Mackova of the Maryland women's golf team. But it has become much more than that over the last few years. Read More
XFINITY Center
Maryland Tackles Energy Waste in XFINITY Center
The University of Maryland's XFINITY Center, the largest sports arena in the state of Maryland, recently upgraded its energy efficiency efforts to the latest technology by Keewi Inc., which empowers the building's occupants to reduce electricity waste. Read More
XFINITY Center
XFINITY Among Nation's Most Sustainable Arenas
On a mission to crown the “Nation's Greenest University,” the University of Maryland was tabbed the number one overall seed by SaveOnEnergy.com. Read More
Sponsors & Partners
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