Reusable cups, dishes and serviceware replaced more than 20,000 disposable items at World Cup celebrations and community events while helping Seattle test a system that can be used again.
Use. Return. Wash. Repeat.
A drink at Pier 58. A meal inside Seattle Soccer House. A day at PrideFest. Each came with an opportunity to throw away a little less.
Through the Summer of Reuse and Soccer, reusable dishware replaced single-use food and beverage serviceware at events across Seattle. Fans returned what they used to clearly marked bins, and onsite teams collected the items for transport to a commercial wash hub. Once cleaned and sanitized, they were ready to go back into circulation.
The system appeared at the March to the Match at Pier 58, Seattle Soccer House at Pacific Place, PrideFest at Seattle Center and Beautiful Game Series events in city parks.
By the end of the summer, 20,425 disposable items had been avoided.
Test Run for What Comes Next
The initiative brought together Seattle Public Utilities, SeattleFWC26, Reuse Seattle, BOLD Reuse and Perennial Zero Waste, using the unusually busy World Cup summer to put reuse to work across different types of public events.
SeattleFWC26 funded BOLD Reuse to support Seattle Public Utilities as the city expanded its reuse efforts. Along the way, event teams and thousands of attendees got firsthand experience with a system designed to replace the familiar cycle of use once and throw away.
What worked during the World Cup can now inform reuse at future block parties, festivals, sporting events and other large gatherings across Seattle.
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Corridor of Nations
Corridor of Nations
Flags and artwork transformed the Seattle Center Monorail route into a moving welcome to the nations, communities and people who came together for the FIFA World Cup.
Stadium Neighborhood Liaisons
Stadium Neighborhood Liaisons
SeattleFWC26 funded full-time liaisons in Pioneer Square, SODO and the Chinatown-International District to help businesses closest to Lumen Field prepare for the FIFA World Cup and have a voice in how Seattle hosted it.
Upcycling the World Cup
Upcycling the World Cup
More than 5,000 square feet of World Cup banners, flags and other textile materials were saved for a second life through a partnership with Refugee Artisan Initiative and Reuse Seattle.