Austin FC is going green in more ways than one. Affectionately known as “The Verdes” or “Los Verdes,” the players and fans are always decked out in green, however, now the stadium itself, Q2, is considered green as well.
Q2 earned the TRUE certificate from the Green Business Certification Inc., because they are now considered one of five stadiums in the world to create “zero waste.” Q2 is the only soccer stadium with this designation, and it is joined by the likes of UBS Arena in New York City and Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
Making “zero waste” was no easy feat, and it meant diverting at least 90% of the waste generated at every home game in the season. With 20,000 fans attending on average, they create nearly 6 tons of waste at each game.
According to KUT News, “After each game, staff spend hours putting the trash, recycling and compost in the correct bins.”
When fans order food at the stadium, everything is served with compostable plates, bowls and utensils. Q2 also doesn’t allow outside food or beverages unless they are contained in reusable water bottles. The bottle policy alone is estimated to save 50,000 plastic water bottles each year. All of these efforts made progress toward the “zero waste” designation.
Austin FC works with Texas Disposal Systems to ensure nearly everything the stadium sends there is composted or recycled. The system can even compost the kinds of foods that home composters can’t, like greasy meats and cheeses. Q2 itself even has a miniature waste-organizing machine to speed up the process.
Nick Otte, senior director of stadium operations for Austin FC, said, “All any of us want is for our fans to be happy and feel like they're a part of something that they can be excited about. So if that's something that matters to them, it even allows us to double down on making sure it matters to us."
