Colorado University Athletics
Ralphie’s Green Stampede volunteers hand-sorted over 128,000 pounds of waste that was diverted from landfills after CU Buffs football games last fall
Ralphie’s Green Stampede Claims GameDay Football Zero Waste Touchdown Challenge Honors For Third Straight Year
March 25, 2026 | General
BOULDER, Colo-- The University of Colorado Athletic Department's signature sustainability program, Ralphie's Green Stampede, continues to achieve national recognition, earning 2025 GameDay Football Zero Waste Touchdown Challenge honors from the National Wildlife Federation for CU's tremendous efforts to reduce and recycle waste generated during football games at Folsom Field. CU was the top university in the Per Capita Recycling category for the third straight year by capturing the most recycling waste per attendee.
During the 2025 football season, 180 of the CU Environmental Center's dedicated student staff and volunteers hand-sorted 128,242 lbs of material that was diverted from landfills, the equivalent weight of approximately 160 Ralphie buffaloes, including 26,323 lbs. of food waste and compostable service items, which were subsequently sent to the compost facility. Over seven home football games, the most in Ralphie's Green Stampede history, students and volunteers worked a total of 2,048 hours to complete the meticulous work of fan engagement, sustainable procurement, and sorting waste generated on gameday by hand.
"Winning the GameDay Football Zero Waste Touchdown Challenge for the third straight year further establishes Ralphie's Green Stampede as the gold standard in sustainability initiatives throughout college sports," said Director of Athletics Fernando Lovo. "I am so grateful to the CU Environmental Center and the team of committed volunteers who work tirelessly, mostly overnight after games, to make national recognition like this possible. I look forward to seeing the operation myself this fall as we strive for our fourth straight Touchdown Challenge win."
"Ralphie's Green Stampede is a powerful example of our campus-wide commitment to sustainability efforts. Not only is it a fantastic opportunity for students to get involved in sustainability at CU Boulder, but it also builds the kind of collaboration and partnership efforts that are so critical to addressing environmental issues head on" said Andrew Mayock, Vice Chancellor for Sustainability. "Sustainability at CU goes beyond our campus operations, and is built into everything we do - be it athletics, research, curriculum, or community partnerships."
This is just the latest in a long line of accolades Colorado Athletics has earned for its sustainability efforts. In addition to winning the per capita recycling category in each of the last three years, CU last year finished second in waste diversion per capita and in 2023 finished third in organics per capita. In 2022, CU won the Pac-12 Zero Waste Football Challenge for the third time (also winning in 2018 and 2019), and in 2021, Colorado earned the Innovation Award for the Pac-12 Zero Waste Football Challenge. Last year, CU Athletics was also recognized for its commitment to sustainability at the CU Boulder Campus Sustainability Summit.
The GameDay Football Zero Waste Touchdown Challenge is a nationwide competition among colleges and universities to reduce and recycle the waste generated at home football games. As part of the Campus Race to Zero Waste program, GameDay Football challenges campuses nationwide to reduce the waste footprint of their home games and tailgating events through efforts including reduction of single-use plastics use, food waste recovery, use of reusable products, recycling, and more.
Ralphie's Green Stampede, which was created in 2008, is the NCAA's first Division 1 sustainability program and this upcoming football season will mark its 18th consecutive year.
During the 2025 football season, 180 of the CU Environmental Center's dedicated student staff and volunteers hand-sorted 128,242 lbs of material that was diverted from landfills, the equivalent weight of approximately 160 Ralphie buffaloes, including 26,323 lbs. of food waste and compostable service items, which were subsequently sent to the compost facility. Over seven home football games, the most in Ralphie's Green Stampede history, students and volunteers worked a total of 2,048 hours to complete the meticulous work of fan engagement, sustainable procurement, and sorting waste generated on gameday by hand.
"Winning the GameDay Football Zero Waste Touchdown Challenge for the third straight year further establishes Ralphie's Green Stampede as the gold standard in sustainability initiatives throughout college sports," said Director of Athletics Fernando Lovo. "I am so grateful to the CU Environmental Center and the team of committed volunteers who work tirelessly, mostly overnight after games, to make national recognition like this possible. I look forward to seeing the operation myself this fall as we strive for our fourth straight Touchdown Challenge win."
"Ralphie's Green Stampede is a powerful example of our campus-wide commitment to sustainability efforts. Not only is it a fantastic opportunity for students to get involved in sustainability at CU Boulder, but it also builds the kind of collaboration and partnership efforts that are so critical to addressing environmental issues head on" said Andrew Mayock, Vice Chancellor for Sustainability. "Sustainability at CU goes beyond our campus operations, and is built into everything we do - be it athletics, research, curriculum, or community partnerships."
This is just the latest in a long line of accolades Colorado Athletics has earned for its sustainability efforts. In addition to winning the per capita recycling category in each of the last three years, CU last year finished second in waste diversion per capita and in 2023 finished third in organics per capita. In 2022, CU won the Pac-12 Zero Waste Football Challenge for the third time (also winning in 2018 and 2019), and in 2021, Colorado earned the Innovation Award for the Pac-12 Zero Waste Football Challenge. Last year, CU Athletics was also recognized for its commitment to sustainability at the CU Boulder Campus Sustainability Summit.
The GameDay Football Zero Waste Touchdown Challenge is a nationwide competition among colleges and universities to reduce and recycle the waste generated at home football games. As part of the Campus Race to Zero Waste program, GameDay Football challenges campuses nationwide to reduce the waste footprint of their home games and tailgating events through efforts including reduction of single-use plastics use, food waste recovery, use of reusable products, recycling, and more.
Ralphie's Green Stampede, which was created in 2008, is the NCAA's first Division 1 sustainability program and this upcoming football season will mark its 18th consecutive year.
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