Add a little green to your Jayhawk tailgate
Crowds gathered on the hill near Memorial Stadium to tailgate for Thursday evening's KU football game against K-State. by Richard Gwin
What’s crimson and blue and green all over?
With these tips, we hope it will be this weekend’s tailgate.
An 8:15 p.m. start time for Saturday’s Kansas University football game against the University of Oklahoma will give Jayhawk fans plenty of time to tailgate. Here are some ways to make it one that will be a win for the environment.
Propane vs. charcoal
In the battle over which cooking technique is greener, propane would be the Rose Bowl champs and charcoal is the losing team in the Beef O’Brady’s Bowl.
A scientific study done in 2009 in the United Kingdom by the Elsevier’s Environmental Impact Assessment Review showed that the carbon footprint for cooking with charcoal was almost three times higher than cooking with propane.
Even though propane is a fossil fuel, it burns cleaner and leaves behind less waste.
Of course, for some a burger just doesn’t taste right without that charcoal flavor. If that’s the case, consider natural briquettes, which are made from environmentally friendly wood sources such as coconut husks. Those are among the green tailgating tips provided by Kansas Green Teams, a environmentally minded resource through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. And instead of using charcoal starter, which contain harmful volatile organic compounds, light the fire with an electric starter.
Leave the actual tailgate at home
We know that tailgating implies there will be some sort of vehicle involved in the process. But that doesn’t mean everyone has to bring one. And as anyone who’s been caught in traffic after a game can attest, the fewer vehicles in and around Memorial Stadium the better.
If you live far away, think about car pooling with friends (which provides the added benefit of a designated driver). For fans who live in Lawrence or are staying at nearby hotel, try walking or taking public transportation.
Two hours before kick-off and an hour after the game, the city of Lawrence provides a $1 shuttle service between the downtown and the stadium. The shuttle stops in front of the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H., and at the corner of Sixth and New Hampshire. The pick-up locations are near two downtown parking garages, where people can park for free.
Crank up the music
You don’t need to keep the car running (which only contributes to greenhouse gases) to listen to your favorite tunes or the pregame show. Instead use audio equipment powered by renewable energy or sweat.
One of the pricier options is the Etón Soulra Solar Powered Sound System (it’s listed at $137 on Amazon.com). The product is a dock and speaker system for iPhones and iPods. It is advertised to take 10 hours of direct sunlight to recharge and to play back four hours of music.
Also on the market are emergency radios that can be powered by hand cracks or the sun. Freeplay has an emergency radio (priced at about $70 on Amazon.com) that along with AM/FM stations has a weather band radio, iPod and mp3 dock and LED flashlight.
And don’t worry you don’t have to crank the radio the whole time you are listening to it. Thirty seconds of vigorous winding provides about 35 minutes of music.
Don’t forget to recycle
Local groups recently have stepped up efforts to encourage fans to recycle before games. If you’re near Memorial Stadium look out for big blue bins with red lid that are set up prior to each game by KU Environs. Those bins collect glass, plastic and aluminum cans. Cans for the Community also passes out trash bags for aluminum cans, which do double the good because the proceeds for recycling the cans go to local nonprofits. At the Oct. 22 game against Kansas State University, the organization has a goal of recycling 1,000 pounds, which should generate about $600.
