Preserve Our Soccer Sidelines: America Recycles Day

Soccer games or tournament weekends are full of fun. Your parents, friends, grandparents and cousins come to watch you completely slay on the field. Fans typically utilize this time to bring out all of their favorite snacks and drinks and to hit up the delicious concession stand. All of this eating and drinking usually leads to people leaving trash all over  soccer sidelines.

While most people don’t intend on littering, things get lost in the shuffle after watching an intense match. The soccer field and the stadium or arena area is kept up by volunteers, and even the smallest trash leftover, can lead to bigger issues down the road for the community and the environment.

In honor of this Sunday being America Recycles Day, you should start thinking about what you and your family can do to reduce the amount of trash leftover on the field.

Bring a reusable bottle.

Rather than stocking up on a case of water or Gatorade, bring your own individual size water bottle. When you need to refill, just go to the water fountain and fill it right back up. This ensures less trash and less plastic waster, providing a cleaner area to play soccer.

Pack food prepared from home.

During your morning routine or even the night before, prepare some orange slices, sandwiches and all of the other snacks your family enjoy. Pack them into a sectioned container. This way there is no waste after all the snacking is done.

Be an active recycler.

Don’t be lazy when it comes to recycling. This might sound harsh, but it really isn’t if you think of the rippling effect of littering. Rather than just leaving that trash or can on the ground to throw away later, get up and toss it into the recycling bin. Being an active recycler will start a positive habit.

Encourage your neighbors.

Once the game is over and you’re picking up all of your items, if you notice your friends are leaving trash all over the ground, don’t be passive. Kindly ask if they will pick up their area and remind them what this field is meant for. The answer is not trash.

Share your recycling efforts.

It sounds easy and it really is! After every game, every meal, everything you do, toss your recyclable items into the specific bin, and tell others why you are recycling. Don’t be shy about it. Post a quick Snapchat or compose a little tweet. Show how simple and effective collecting your plastic, cardboard and cans and placing them in the right bin is. You’ll be saving the world and leading a much-needed movement.

Photo via Adobe Stock @Кирилл Рыжов

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