A Slam Dunk for a Sustainable Environment
Women鈥檚 basketball鈥檚 sustainability game showcases Duke Athletics鈥 climate efforts
As part of the climate showcase, the players wore special shooting shirts made of recycled polyester: plastic bottles which are cleaned, shredded into flakes, converted into pellets, and then spun into a high-quality yarn. Nike, which produced the shirts, said in the manufacturing process, recycled polyester lowers carbon emissions by up to 30% compared to virgin polyester and diverts plastic bottles from landfills and waterways.
At halftime, the fans got into the action.
Three students were selected from the crowd to show off their moves in a 'Dunk for Sustainability' Halftime Mini Dunk Contest, judged by football players Tre Freeman, Henry Belin and Wes Williams, and cheered on by Duke students with Toddi Steelman, vice president and vice provost for climate and sustainability. It was just like the NBA All-Star competition, although the hoop was lowered for these contestants.
The fans also helped by bringing in used athletic shoes or basketball apparel to bins at the game for recycling or reuse.
The event was particularly special for Jordan Wood, a sophomore forward whose interest in sustainable fashion was highlighted in a . 鈥淢y passion for sustainable fashion goes hand-in-hand with Duke women鈥檚 basketball鈥檚 commitment to environmental action,鈥 Wood said. 鈥淚'm proud to be part of a program that not only talks about sustainability but actively demonstrates its importance, inspiring real change both on and off the court."
