Spring Break
Western's 'RecycleMania' lives up to core value
Issue date: 2/1/08 Section: News
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 participating 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 RecycleMania 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 - Schools compete by collecting the largest amount of acceptable recyclables per person.
• Waste Minimization - Institutions compete by producing 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. The college or university that, based on their combined results, demonstrates the greatest achievement in both source reduction and recycling wins.
• Gorilla Prize - Schools that participate in either the per capita classic or the waste minimization competition are automatically eligible to win the Gorilla Prize, honoring 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."
- Compiled by University Relations
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 participating 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 RecycleMania 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 - Schools compete by collecting the largest amount of acceptable recyclables per person.
• Waste Minimization - Institutions compete by producing 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. The college or university that, based on their combined results, demonstrates the greatest achievement in both source reduction and recycling wins.
• Gorilla Prize - Schools that participate in either the per capita classic or the waste minimization competition are automatically eligible to win the Gorilla Prize, honoring 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."
- Compiled by University Relations
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