To make progress towards their sustainability goals at the four-day tournament, which ran from August 18 to 21, the AVP worked with WM to track greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, used renewable energy to power some functions of the tournament, and implemented single-stream, plastic bags and film, and food waste recycling initiatives. In addition, WM activated a comprehensive fan engagement strategy meant to educate about the pillars of recycling right: know what is recyclable, keep food and liquid out of the recycling bin, and place recyclables loose into receptacles instead of in bags.

“I’ve been working to use my platform as an athlete and the unifying power of sport to scale environmental impact and inspire change,” says Jeremy Casebeer, AVP Sustainability Manager and Athlete. “I realized that athletes have a direct and trusted relationship with everyone in sports – fans, sponsors, leagues, teams, and venues. Sports also bring people together from every background and offer an opportunity to shift the way people think and act. As the AVP x WM Sustainability Plan Manager it’s been really fulfilling to work with both teams from the AVP and WM to understand the tournament’s impacts and work to run them more sustainably. The feedback from other athletes and fans has been very encouraging, they are very keen to support and get involved.”

The Voltstack 5k e-Generator was used to power the AVP Welcome Center located at the top of the Manhattan Beach Pier for the whole weekend. After powering the electrical needs of the Center, the 5k was also used to charge up the WM mini truck, which was used onsite as an engagement tool for families and even the occasional four-legged friend. “Piloting the electric generators was an important step in making AVP tournaments and other temporary sporting events more sustainable,” said Monica Rowand, project manager from WM Sustainability Advisory Services. “In addition to the Voltstack being an option for temporary power that doesn’t require fuel or produce scope one greenhouse gas emissions, it is silent! This means we could use it at the heart of the event with no restrictions or noise burden on the immediate area. We also didn’t have to run longer distance cables thereby preventing accidents. Finally, this little unit’s ability to provide level 2 charging for our WM mini truck was a welcomed surprise that allowed us to return to the local WM location without a hitch.”