Cowbell Cleanup volunteer Meredith Brock, left, talks with MSU sustainability coordinator Christine Lashley, center, and sustainability intern Cecelia Marascalco Saturday. Cowbell Cleanup offers students and the community an opportunity to educate about sustainability and help keep the Junction clean during home games. (Photo by Charlie Benton, SDN)
An opportunity now exists for members of the Starkville and Mississippi State University communities and others interested in sustainability to make an impact on game days.
For the third year running, MSU Students for a Sustainable Campus has hosted its Cowbell Cleanup on home game days. However, this year is the first the group has set up a booth. Anyone can come to the booth three hours before kickoff to learn more about sustainability and help educate fans about keeping the campus clean and using the recycling bins placed around campus on football weekends. The booth will be set up at every home game except the Egg Bowl.
“We just have students walk around the junction, or they can come visit us at our tent, and learn about what goes into the green cans and what goes into the gray cans,” said MSU sustainability coordinator Christine Lashley.
Lashley said materials recyclable on campus included plastic, steel, aluminum, cardboard and paper. All other trash goes into the gray cans.
“We try to focus during tailgate on empty bottles, empty cans, and that’s pretty much it, because most ,everything that you bring to tailgate is going to be garbage, paper plates and things like that,” Lashley said.
Lashley said last season’s Cowbell Cleanup had averaged approximately 10 volunteers per game.
“I’m passionate about the environment and sustainability, so if I can transfer that to where I live, I try to do that as much as I can,” said volunteer Meredith Brock, a graduate student in biological engineering.
Sustainability intern Emma Moffett, a senior communication and English double major also said it was important for her to bring sustainability to her home.
“As someone who is a Mississippian who loves Mississippi, I enjoy any opportunity to help make our state a better place, and being able to reach such a wide audience of tailgaters from the state and around, and be able to show them the importance of recycling and taking care of our state,” Moffett said.
All Cowbell Cleanup participants received a free T-shirt, bags and sports bottle. The tent is located next to the MSU Police tent near the M-Club gates. For more information, Lashley can be reached at cnc154@msstate.edu.