ATLANTA — To celebrate Earth Day, the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena announced they’d hit a new “sustainability milestone” at the venue.
Since 2021, the Hawks and State Farm Arena said they’d diverted more than 10 million pounds of waste from landfills.
Included in that number are nearly four million pounds of aluminum, plastic, glass and cardboard that have been recycled, as well as more than three million pounds of composted food and organic materials.
The two organizations said they’d also repurposed almost three million pounds of electronics, clothes and other items.
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At State Farm Arena, a minimum of 90% of waste has been diverted away from landfills, according to the Hawks and State Farm. In April 2022, State Farm Arena became the first sports and live entertainment venue to receive a “TRUE Platinum certification for zero waste” on the planet.
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“We are honored to serve as a community asset, not only in sports and entertainment, but also in sustainability,” Sofi Armenakian, Head of Sustainable Strategy for the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, said in a statement. “Ten million pounds is a huge number. This milestone is as a testament to the power of collaboration – from our team members and partners to the fans who join us every event. Together, we’re proving that when a venue leads with purpose, meaningful environmental impact follows. We’re all part of the solution.”
Here’s how officials said State Farm Arena’s “zero waste journey” has played out:
- Recycled more than 4 million pounds (4,090,082) of materials. This primarily included aluminum, plastics, cardboard, glass and more.
- Composted more than 3 million (3,233,169) pounds of food and organic material. Any food that could not be donated was composted. Composting is the natural process of turning organic matter, such as food and compostable service ware, into a valuable fertilizer used by local farmers.
- Reused or donated nearly 3 million pounds (2,634,409) of materials like food, electronics, clothing, crates, pallets and more.
- Reduced waste by 651,209 pounds by eliminating paper tickets, individual condiment packets, disposable service ware and more.
“We are incredibly proud of to hit this 10-million-pound milestone,” Andrew Saltzman, President of Business Enterprise and Chief Commercial Officer for the Hawks and State Farm Arena, said. “Our success in sustainability is a credit to our partners who continue supporting our efforts, our employees who are driven to be leaders in the space and the fans who attend our events and appreciate the importance we place on taking care of the environment.”
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