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NC State Makes It Easy to Be Green: Recycled Rafts, Electric Vehicles, Zero-Waste Tailgate

Reusable Regatta participants race on Lake Raleigh.
Reusable Regatta participants race on Lake Raleigh.

What: Fill up with fun, free food and rechargeable cars at NC State. You won’t find a red Solo cup at the Wolfpack’s green tailgate, but you could win a reusable beverage container to take its place. A zero-waste tailgate demonstration will feature composting, cornhole games with a recycling theme and locally sourced food. During NC State’s first green football game with South Alabama, fans will drink from recyclable stadium cups and hear about energy savings, alternative transportation and more. At the conclusion of the game, crews will scour the stadium for compostable and recyclable material as NC State competes in Game Day Challenge, a recycling contest for major college football programs.

Watch creative builders at the Reusable Regatta engineer and race rafts made of recyclable materials during Campus Sustainability Day activities. If you prefer four-wheeled transportation, test drive an electric vehicle during a grand opening for new charging stations.

Who: Organizers include NC State’s Sustainability Office; Waste Reduction and Recycling; Transportation; Athletics Facilities and Marketing; and Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management departments.

When: The green tailgate begins at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15, three hours before the 6 p.m. kick off.

Electric vehicle events run Friday, Sept. 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Reusable Regatta build time is Friday, Sept. 21, from 1 to 3 p.m. with races from 3 to 5 p.m.

Where: Green tailgate is in Fan Zone on the lawn between the PNC Arena and Carter-Finley Stadium.

Electric vehicle grand opening is behind Partners I, 1017 Main Campus Dr., on Centennial Campus. Reusable Regatta events are at Lake Raleigh on Centennial Campus.

Cost: The green tailgate is free for football ticketholders. There is no cost for the electric vehicle events. Regatta rafter builders must pay $10 and register in advance at go.ncsu.edu/CSD.

Contacts: Electric vehicle events: Tracy Dixon, director, Sustainability Office, 919/513-0211 or tracy_dixon@ncsu.edu. Reusable Regatta: Megan Cain, Sustainability Office, 919/513-3873 or megan_cain@ncsu.edu. Green tailgate/game: Lindsay Batchelor, Sustainability Office, 919/622-2026. Visit gopack.com/sustainourstate to learn more.

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