1st Camp Fargo recycling-bin decorating contest to help build Zero Waste awareness

Students camped out at Camp Fargo before Saturday's first football game of the season are competing for the best-decorated recycling bin. The competition is part of ASU’s Zero Waste goal to divert 90 percent of waste from the landfill.

September 02, 2016

Update: See the winning team's creation at the bottom of this story.

Cheyenne Bradley, a film and media student, was gearing up for Arizona State University’s first football game of the season at Camp Fargo. She laid out sleeping bags, set up tents and drank caffeine. But she also was focused on decorating her camp recycling bin for the first Camp Fargo recycling-bin decorating competition.

“The other competitors trashy bins are a waste of time,” said Bradley, who planned on using a combination of paint and glitter to spruce up the blue bin. Camp Fargo is a student tradition where football fans pitch tents around Wells Fargo Arena and camp out for the first chance at game wristbands.

The winning campsite will best demonstrate Sun Devil spirit and commitment to Zero Waste. The prize for each winning campsite member includes a clear Sun Devil bag filled with ASU swag and pre-game field access.

The bin-decorating competition is part of ASU’s Zero Waste goal to divert 90 percent of waste from the landfill. All football games are Zero Waste; fans only will see compost and recycling bins in the stadium.

Sun Devils who do not bunk at Camp Fargo can reduce game-day waste with the purchase of a reusable Zero Waste 3-D souvenir cup. Fans who purchase souvenir cups receive free refills at all sporting events on the Tempe campus during the 2016-2017 school year.

But senior Nicole Evans believed her crew has the winning design.

“This is going to be a maroon and gold explosion,” Evans said.

Beyond athletics event, additional Zero Waste initiatives around campus include dining-hall composting, a Blue Bag program for traditionally hard-to-recycle items such as batteries and shiny snack wrappers, and a robust mixed recycling program.

Through game-day and everyday efforts, ASU is the real winner; some fun competition and a little “trash” talk can go a long way to help the university divert waste from the landfill.

“There is no competition because I’m a seasoned veteran of Camp Fargo,” Evans said.

UPDATE: The winners were chosen Friday evening. The winning team consisted of Zamantha Funmaker, Tyler Blackmore, Derric Nguyen, Leilani Gonzaga, Myka Barnett and Brooklyn Adams.