Starting April 21, the Portland Timbers, JELD-WEN Field and Centerplate will offer GO Boxes at the food carts on the KeyBank Club Deck for the remainder of the season. GO Box is a Portland-based company that reduces waste created by “traditional” to-go containers by providing reusable alternatives for food carts and their customers.
To participate in this new sustainability initiative, visit the KeyBank Club Deck during home matches and become a GO Box member by paying a one-time fee of $8.50 and collecting a GO Box token. Order a meal from one of the participating carts on the KeyBank Club Deck, turn in the token and enjoy your meal in a reusable container. When finished, simply return the GO Box at the drop site on the KeyBank Club Deck and receive a token to present the next time, whether at JELD-WEN Field or a participating food cart around the city for another meal in a clean, sanitized GO Box.
“We are excited about introducing GO Box at the stadium for a couple reasons. First, we’re always trying to find ways to reduce our waste output, and GO Box has great potential to do that,” said Timbers Director of Community Outreach, Christa Thoeresz. “Additionally, we are raising awareness of a new local business that is offsetting waste in Portland, and we are hopefully increasing the impact they can have in the city.”
GO Box is being piloted on the KeyBank Club Deck April 21 with hope for growth. “The Timbers will be the first sports team to be offering this service at their stadium,” said GO Box founder Laura Weiss. “It’s exciting to see where this partnership may lead, and how it will serve as a model, both in and outside of Portland. The Timbers are leading the way!”
Over 60,000 disposable containers are used at the downtown Portland food carts per month. GO Box, launched in July 2011, has already eliminated the use of nearly 4,000 disposable containers. About 200 GO Boxes are now used each week, and the program now has nearly 700 subscribers.
The Timbers recognize that partnering with GO Box is one of many ways to continue the journey towards a more sustainable environment and are committed to increasing sustainability efforts across all aspects of the company alongside our community outreach platform, Stand Together. Stand Together represents the relationship between the Portland Timbers and their fans and signifies the strong commitment we have to supporting and standing by our community both on and off the field. The Portland Timbers Stand Together mission is to harness the power of sport to improve the lives of children and families in our region through targeted programs, deep partnerships, and philanthropic giving.
