Forks Up, Waste Down: 96% Landfill Diversion at the Sun Devil Football Kickoff Luncheon

There’s nothing quite like the start of football season in Tempe.Maroon and gold filled Mountain America Stadium as the Sun Devil community came together for the 2026 Sun Devil Football Kickoff Luncheon. With a
packed room, plenty of food, and excitement for the season ahead, the event was a celebration of community and Sun Devil spirit.

And behind all that excitement, the GreenLight Solutions Green Team had a game plan of its own: keep as much event waste as possible out of the landfill. By the end of the luncheon, we had another reason to cheer.

​A Team Ready to #StarvetheLandfill
While the room buzzed with over 400 people with season-opening excitement, the Green Team was busy behind the scenes. From setting up waste stations to sorting materials throughout the luncheon, the team helped make sustainability part of the event without  taking away from the celebration.

And by the time the tables cleared, there was plenty to celebrate: 96% of the event’s waste was diverted
from the landfill!

Through recycling, composting, waste sorting, and soft plastics recovery, those efforts also prevented greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to:
● 🚗 628 miles driven
● 📱 19,924 phones charged

The Power of Partnership

Impact like this doesn’t happen alone. We extend our sincere gratitude to our event partners: Denali Organics Recycling Solutions | Tempe Chamber of Commerce | Arizona State University | City of Tempe | Mountain America Stadium

A special thank you to our Sustainability Sponsor, Denali, for investing in sustainability and helping make this impact possible. Thank you to all of our partners for showing what can happen when community, collaboration, and sustainability come together. One packed room became one big opportunity to #StarvetheLandfill and that’s a win worth celebrating.

📣 Join the Movement
There’s a place for you in the GreenLight community:

• 🌿 Hosting an event? Schedule a Discovery Session with our Green Events team and let’s bring sustainability to your next gathering. From luncheons and conferences, to festivals and community celebrations; we’ve got you covered.
• 🙋 Want to help hands-on? Volunteer with the Green Team and help us #StarvetheLandfill at events across the Valley!
• 💛 Want to sponsor GLS sustainability  programs?
  • Reach out to our CEO, Ashley, at [email protected]. For every $1 donated, 1 lb is taken out of the landfill!

Here’s to more gatherings that bring people together, more materials finding a better destination, and more events proving that celebration and sustainability can go hand in hand.