MSU is again competing in RecyleMania, an annual recycling competition among more than 400 colleges and universities across North America. This is MSU's fourth year participating in the event.
The goal of RecycleMania is to increase awareness of recycling and waste management programs by including students, staff and faculty in friendly competitions. Each school reports the amount of recycling and trash it collects while promoting further waste-reduction activities in campus communities.
MSU is competing in three categories again this year: Gorilla Prize, E-cycleMania and Grand Champion.
Gorilla Prize recognizes the school that can collect the most total paper, plastic, cardboard, glass and household metal. Last year, MSU finished first in the Big Ten Conference and fourth overall in the Gorilla Prize category by recycling over one million pounds of material.
E-cycleMania is similar to Gorilla Prize, but e-waste, electronic waste, is tallied instead of all recyclable material.
Grand Champion focuses on recycling rate, which is calculated as the percentage of total waste that is recycled instead of sent to the landfill. MSU finished second in the Big Ten last year with a 35.8 percent recycling rate, up from 33.5 percent the year before, and is aiming for a 40 percent recycling rate this year.
MSU’s overarching 2014 RecycleMania goal is to collect more than one million pounds of the following items by March 29:
- White Paper
- Mixed Paper
- Books
- Cardboard
- Boxboard
- Plastics
- Household metal
- Glass
Additionally, the university aims to collect more than 100,000 pounds of electronics. Departments and units across campus can sign up for a one-day clean out sponsored by the MSU Surplus and Recycling Center. To sign up for a department or unit cleaning, go here.
For more information on MSU’s involvement in Recylemania, including current standings, go here.