Phoenix Coyotes encourage recycling and ‘going green’

Recycling plastic bottles has its advantages; it’s good for the environment, it earns money and it wins free Phoenix Coyotes tickets.

At least, only at Jobing.com Arena.

As part of Coyotes Going Green, a five-year initiative between Waste Management and The Phoenix Coyotes, visitors to Jobing.com Arena have a chance to win free tickets to upcoming events.

The Automated Recycling Machine, also known as ARM, takes plastic bottles and aluminum cans one at a time. After the bottle or can is processed, it prints out a receipt, with each one having a one-in-four chance of winning. Participants can take these receipts to the concierge desk and collect their prize.

Waste Management sponsored these machines and placed eight within the arena.

Melissa Quillard, Community Relations Manager for Waste Management, said that the machines are an incentive tool aimed at the fans.

“The ARM program was designed to encourage recycling by giving out prizes,” she said, “and was a result of a great demand and want to go green in the community.”

Quillard explained that her company utilizes games to help spread the word about recycling.

Although the plan is called Coyotes Going Green, Waste Management supports all events that take place there, and provides recycling bins and trash receptacles for the arena.

The initiative is in its second of the five-year deal, and has made a big impact on the arena as a whole.

Bob Coester, Area Sales Manager for Waste Management, explained that they worked with Aramark, the food provider for the arena, and with the office staff of the Coyotes to be more waste conscious.

“We suggested that the offices use double sided printing and recycle all of their extra copies,” he said, “and we suggested that Aramark use recycled material containers, cups and utensils.”

Along with encouraging recycling throughout the Jobing.com Arena and its organizations, Waste Management is working with the Coyotes to promote going green to the community.

Sara Morales, Corporate Partner for The Phoenix Coyotes, teamed up with Waste Management to get the word out to fans.

Throughout the season, the Coyotes have played “Green Facts” on the video screen and had fans participate in recycling races during on-ice promotions, Morales said.

Morales also explained that players visited the recycling facilities and a video of the event was shown during a game last season.

The Phoenix Coyotes and Waste Management plan to continue through the contract and hope to come up with more, creative ideas to reach out to fans.

“The key to the program is awareness,” Coester said, “and there is a mutual want and need for change that we are excited to be a part of.”

Guest article contributed by Rachel Korchin, Student
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication

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