UA student-run groups work to keep 42nd Annual Spring Fling green

TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - More than 32,000 people are expected to attend the 42nd Annual Spring Fling at the University of Arizona this year.

But in addition to attracting a large audience, Spring Fling pushes to be as green as possible.

Last year, Spring Fling saved about 78 percent of all waste generated at the event from the landfill by recycling, composting and reusing it.

In addition, 1,284 pounds of food and material were diverted from the landfill from composting.

All the food at the event is served in compostable containers.

Student-run groups UA Compost Cats and Students for Sustainability have organized green stations around the event.

Each of the six green stations have volunteers who help people sort their trash into the compost, recycle, or landfill bin.

Vendors are supplied with sustainable products and sort their waste as well.

They fill about two or three trucks with food waste each year.

The trucks then haul the food scraps, paper materials or anything that can break down to the Compost Cat farm near the San Xavier Mission.

"We put it into our piles of compost and we turn them up with water and then it turns them into compost. So about three to four months from now, all of this waste will turn into compost. Which is essentially a soil amendment and it helps add nutrients and add moisture to our soil. So we can sell it back to farms and gardeners," said Taylor Sanders, sales and development Manager for Compost Cats.

Both Compost Cats and Students for Sustainability said this effort is more than just about one event.

Samantha Springs, co-director of Students for Sustainability, said the large attendance makes Spring Fling a great place to teach people about compost.

"They'll rethink ... throwing away things in their everyday lives. Even the vendors, they're supplied with more sustainable products. It'll make them rethink what they're throwing away. Like banana peels, even paper products," Springs said.

The event runs from Friday, April 8 through Sunday, April 10.

Friday: 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Saturday: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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Tucson News Now Intern Michael Hernandez contributed to this article.