This week is the kickoff of a 10-week competition called RecycleMania that will run through April 5.
More than 200 colleges and universities will compete to see who can produce the least amount of waste and recycle the most materials.
Not only will Auburn be competing against other schools, including the University of Alabama and the University of Georgia, but the residential areas (the Hill, the Quad and the Extension) will also be competing against each other to see who can produce the least amount of waste and recycle the most materials.
“This initiative is campus wide, but we are focusing on the residential areas because these are the students who live on campus and produce the largest amount of waste on campus,” said Jennifer Walz, residential recycling program coordinator.
The Residential Recycling Program began this year, and residents have reusable bags to collect their recyclables, which they can deposit into the large recycling bins that are located next to dumpsters near residence halls.
Weekly measurements will be taken from each area, and results will be reported weekly as pounds of recyclables collected per person. Students living in each residential area could “get caught recycling” each week and win prizes.
“We have a committee of about 20 on-campus residents that are spreading the word around campus and coming up with ideas for promoting recycling in our residence halls,” Walz said.
The resident assistants and residents will be working closely together with the Sustainability Initiative and Housing and Residence Life.
In February, the program will have a kickoff party, and at the end of the competition, they will have a celebration for the residence hall area that recycles the most.
“Housing and Residence Life is excited about the opportunity to participate in RecycleMania,” said Becky Bell, assistant director of housing and residence life. “The most exciting part for me is the resident involvement in this project; we had a meeting this week and 25 students, representing most of our residence halls as well as the Extension, were present. I was encouraged to see the commitment to recycling and this project, expressed by these residents.”
The purpose of this competition is to increase awareness for waste reduction and recycling at Auburn.
This competition will help promote the current recycling programs at Auburn and engage students to participate.
By recycling valuable materials such as paper, cardboard, plastics and aluminum, students will be slowing down the input into landfills in the area.
Students will also be supplying manufacturers with materials they need to produce products that are bought everyday.
“I would really like to see more than just the residents get involved so this ‘mania’ will spread campus wide,” said Callie Ann Ellenberg, resident assistant and a sophomore in human development and family studies. “Recycling materials and reducing the amount of waste is critical for our generation. I believe we can act now, and I believe that this program will help bring some critical issues to light and get people thinking about what they are throwing away.”
RecycleMania is sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Recycling Coalition and the Coca-Cola Company.
“Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a permanent recycling commitment on the part of residents who do not currently recycle,” Bell said.
