ATHENS -- Tailgaters tied trash bags to tent poles and dragged garbage containers provided by the University of Georgia in an effort to clean up during festivities before Saturday's football game against Arizona State.
Overcast skies and drizzle that turned into storms before the 7 p.m. kickoff caused late-arriving tailgaters, said George Stafford, associate vice president for auxiliary and administrative services, particularly on historic North Campus, a favorite pregame spot.
That helped efforts to avoid the repeat of mounds of trash seen when Georgia played South Carolina on Sept. 12, but heavy rainfall before the game caused some fans to stay longer, impacting university efforts to quickly clean up, and sending beer cans, pieces of Styrofoam coolers, plates, plastic cups and other litter floating in knee-deep water in places.
“It’s a river,” Stafford said.
But he said fans appeared to do a better job picking up Saturday compared to the first home game, when some 70 tons of trash was left for clean-up crews. That caused university officials, alumni, students and Athens residents to urge fans to pick up their litter.
The university made other changes, such as placing more garbage bins around campus (an increase from 300 to 1,500) and distributing 12,000 trash bags in parking lots and throughout campus. Organizations handed out bags and replenished filled containers during pregame festivities. Crews started cleaning as the game began, instead of waiting until Sunday morning.
Fans, including those who filled the popular area across from the Law School, which some referred to as looking like a landfill after the home opener, chatted about how that impacted Saturday’s festivities.
Bringing their bags
Chris Belli, Senoia: "Everybody seems to be more conscious about it." His wife, Kristy Belli, was among those who hung up bags so that people could toss beer cans and other litter into them. "It's easier for everyone to see," she said.
Chris Paolella, Alpharetta: "I have a more acute awareness." His small group of tailgaters was placing liquor bottles, red cups, Styrofoam plates and beer bottles into the trash bag they brought from home.
Picking up after others
Jessica Moore, Atlanta: "I think the people I am with are pretty responsible about picking up their garbage." She thought the university needed more containers specifically for recycling accompanying the trash bins. "If they had more recycling bins in this area I would definitely use it."
Tommy McGaha, fifth-year student: "This is the cleanest I've ever seen it." He noticed people stopping by during the afternoon to hand out trash bags. "I've been tying them to the tent posts. We said, 'Make sure you put those [used cups] in the trash bags.' "
Carter Nicholson, 2009 graduate, Atlanta: "My dad gave me hell and said we better clean up. We're trying to have as much fun but trying to watch out and clean up." Nicholson said he was handed trash bags provided by the university when he pulled into a campus parking deck at 7 a.m. Saturday to set up his tents across from the Law School. His dad told the tailgaters at their tents, which numbered 40-50 people, that if they cleaned up, he would make them food.
Allen White, 23, Gainesville: "It seems like they [the university] are providing more bags. We're going to make sure we clean it up."
The weather effect
Melonie Taylor, UGA graduate, Atlanta: "The trash cans fell over so the trash that was in the cans is floating [on campus]."
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