WIU to Participate in Annual RecycleMania Initiative
January 23, 2008
MACOMB, IL -- Come on Western Illinois University … show the world that Western knows recycling!
For the second consecutive year, Western Illinois University will participate in the nationwide RecyleMania program, billed as "a friendly competition among college and university recycling programs in the United States that provides the campus community with a proactive activity in waste reduction." Over a 10-week period, which runs from Jan. 27 to April 5, more than 370 colleges and universities will compete in different contests to see which institution can collect the largest amount of recyclables per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of trash per capita or have the highest recycling rate. Western is among only 12 Illinois schools to participate in the 2008 competition.
According to University Sustainability Committee Co-Chairs Charles Darnell, Physical Plant director, and Gordon Rand, management associate professor, the main goal of RecyleMania is to increase student awareness of campus recycling and waste minimization. All participating schools are required to report measurements in pounds on a weekly basis.
"While we had a good showing in 2007 for our first year participating in the competition, we would love to have everyone at Western – faculty, staff, students and visitors – come out in force and show the nation that we are living up to our theme of environmental sustainability and to our core value of social responsibility," Darnell added.
RecycleMania is comprised of four primary competitions in addition to four targeted material competitions. Western will compete in the following primary competitions:
Stephen K. Gaski Per Capita Classic, in which school collect the largest amount of acceptable recyclables per person;
Waste Minimization, in which institutions produce the least amount of municipal solid waste (including both recyclables and trash) per person;
Grand Champion -- Schools that participate in both the per capita classic and the waste minimization competitions are automatically eligible to become the Grand Champion of RecycleMania, which is the college or university that, based on their combined results, demonstrates the greatest achievement in both source reduction and recycling; and
Gorilla Prize -- Schools that participate in either the per capita classic or the waste minimization competition are automatically eligible to win the Gorilla Prize, which honors the school that recycles the highest gross tonnage of materials during the 10-week competition, regardless of campus population.
"Waste Management of Macomb has again this year graciously agreed not to comingle Macomb and University recyclables during RecycleMania. This allows Waste Management to provide the University with accurate measures of total recyclables for weekly reporting to the contest headquarters," Darnell said. "We appreciate Waste Management's continued support of our sustainability efforts."
Acceptable recyclables allowed in the 2008 competition include paper (boxboard, catalogs, hard and softbound books, junk mail, magazines, newspapers, office papers and phone books); containers (#1-#7 plastics, aluminum cans, glass and steel cans); and cardboard (baled and unbaled boxes). Construction debris, large shipments of furniture packaging materials and metal scrap recycling may not be reported under RecycleMania contest rules.
RecycleMania began in February 2001 when Ed Newman (Ohio University) and Stacy Edmonds Wheeler (Miami University) decided that something had to be done to increase recycling in the residence and dining halls on their campuses. During the 10-week competition, Miami University and Ohio University went head-to-head to see which school could recycle the most. The first year, Miami University won the competition over Ohio University. RecycleMania gained momentum over the years, with more schools participating each year. In 2004, RecycleMania partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WasteWise program to enhance and expand the competition.
For more information on Western's RecycleMania efforts, contact Darnell at CG-Darnell@wiu.edu or visit the RecyleMania website at www.recyclemaniacs.org
Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing
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