Portland Trailblazers & the MODA Center Introduce Compostable Serviceware
MODA Center adopts Ingeo-based food serviceware for Green Sports Alliance found member, Portland Trailblazers, to increase organics recycling as a landfill diversion strategy.
Situation
- 2,000,000 pounds of solid waste
- A major cost center for venue Opportunity to reduce environmental impacts
- Key issue: high food waste volume
- Key issue: single stream waste management
Solution
- Comprehensive waste stream management
- Combine food and packaging waste streams into one compostable waste stream avoiding landfill
- Guest engagement with new GreenDrop recycling stations and sorting signage supported by Green Game and community based events.
- Concessions switch to StalkMarket Ingeo-based BPI certified food serviceware and other compostable offerings
Strategic Objectives
- Enhance fan and guest experience
- Reinforce the Trail Blazers brand
- Avoid added incremental costs for compostable food serviceware/packaging
- Reduce operational cost
- Improve environmental performance
- Support city of Portland’s waste policy goals & climate action plan
Ingeo Role In Meeting Strategic Objective
- Ingeo-based food serviceware and packaging products
- Ingenious materials from plants not oil
- 100% annually renewable product
- USDA BioPreferred and Biodegradable
- Products Institute (BPI) certified compostable
- Cost and performance competitive with traditional petroleum-based food serviceware
- Marketing support and showcasing a unique closed venue food & compostable packaging diversion success
Switching to all-compostable food serviceware provides our guests the opportunity to support the environment and their communities, while recognizing the leadership efforts of a local brand they know and trust.
Actions You Can Take
Portland Trail Blazers Best Practices
- Understand waste materials efficiency opportunities to reduce costs and improve overall environmental performance
- Engage local government support on landfill diversion, recycling and composting opportunities
- Work with service and product suppliers that demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement of environmental performance
- Engage customers and employees in critical behavior changes necessary to reduce environmental impacts of public gathering venues
Key Stakeholders
Just a few of the key stakeholders included:
- Portland Trail Blazers
set out to reinforce brand; set goal to divert 100% waste from landfill; win additional public support - Ovations Food Service
made procurement switch to compostable products and achieved price parity; engaged staff effectively - The Moda Center
operations sought to enhance fan and guest experience; enabled infrastructure and capital investments to make initiative possible, including critical recycling stations as guest engagement and waste stream separation mechanism - StalkMarket Products
supplies BPI certified compostable Ingeo-based drink cups and food packaging to Ovations concessions
The Green Sports Alliance is a non-profit organization with a mission to help sports teams, venues and leagues enhance their environmental performance. Alliance members represent over 237 sports teams and venues from 16 different sports leagues. Visit greensportsalliance.org to find out more.
The GreenDrop Recycling Station was designed through the efforts of the Portland Trail Blazers Head Office to reduce their environmental footprint while minimizing expenses and being fiscally responsible through sustainable operations.
