Litter-Free Games

Everyone Wins With Litter-Free Games

Making High School Football Games Litter-Free in SC

Win or lose, the home team is always left to pick up the pieces after high school sporting events. Used cups, dirty napkins, and greasy food containers litter the stands and concession area — litter that someone has to clean up. The key to achieving PalmettoPride’s goal of a litter-free South Carolina is to prevent people from littering in the first place. South Carolina schools have committed to this goal through educational efforts teaching students about the impact of litter on our environment, economy and safety. PalmettoPride LitterFree Games takes those lessons from the classroom to the ball field.

The benefits of creating litter-free games are numerous.

Litter-free games give students an opportunity to learn valuable environmental lessons, leadership skills and management skills. We would like to see a student club or organization coordinate efforts for their school. This is a good opportunity for school clubs to participate in community service projects and earn money.

Litter-free games will cut down on the time it takes custodial staff and groundskeepers to clean up after fans have left. It creates an inviting environment for friends, families and visitors to your school sporting events. Participation will cost you nothing, and you’ll get respect and good publicity from everyone in your community.

We’ve prepared a guide for you on how to set up Litter-Free Games.

PalmettoPride will provide all the supplies you will need.
You provide student leadership and enthusiasm.

How to Create Litter-Free Games

Clubs/Organizations

1. Choose one home game to designate as Litter-Free. Get permission from your school to host a litter-free
   game. Fill out the application and send it to PalmettoPride.
2. Publicize the Litter-Free game around the school, in your newsletters, on your school’s website and social
   media. Use hashtag #LitterFreeGames.
3. Post signs around your school and at the entrances to your stadium or football field.
4. Determine whether PalmettoPride litterbags should be distributed to everyone who attends the game
   and/or volunteers with a larger trash bag should walk down the aisle during the event. Remind people to
   throw their trash away at the end of the game. Give out new litter bags when they leave (optional).
5. Make sure that trash cans are readily available and visible.
6. Secure support from the announcer to announce throughout the game that it is a Litter-Free event. Ask
   them to challenge the crowd to keep it litter free. Have the announcer say, “This is a Litter-Free event.
   Please help us keep it clean.” Make sure the announcer recognizes the group organizing the event.
7. Thank everyone for participating in your Litter-Free event!

PalmettoPride

1. Litter bags for everyone who comes to the game.
2. Banners for the stadium and entrances to the game.
3. A $250 award to the club or group that coordinates this event.*
   *A teacher or school representative must confirm that the club or group fulfilled their obligations to this project in order to receive the
   award.•

Helpful Hints

Have your school mascot compete in a trash toss competition before the game – maybe a coach, favorite
teacher or the principal will play along. Or a visitor from the stands.
• Have the cheerleaders make up a special anti-litter cheer.
• Introduce the custodial staff and announce that because of the litter-free event, they have been given the
night off.
• Have your game sponsors give out raffle items at the game to support the litter-free event.