Eco-friendly is Humboldt State’s middle name.
The university actively participates in environmentally friendly activities and organizations. In December, the Waste Reduction and Resource Awareness Program, more commonly known as WRRAP, Environmental Health and Safety, and Plant Operations sponsored an event on campus that allowed students, faculty, and staff to recycle their used electronics or “E-Waste”. HSU placed first among NCAA Division II schools in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Game Day Challenge for 2011. HSU won the competition because we eliminated the most amount of trash generated at football games. WRRAP is also to thank for establishing programs such as R.O.S.E., the Reusable Office Supply Exchange, and Take Back the Tap, which promotes waste reduction through the use of tap water over bottled water.
So how do we take our environmental efforts to the next level? RECYLEMANIA!
RecyleMania is an annual competition that promotes waste reduction and relative activities. Schools all over the United States and Canada race to see who has the highest recycling rate at the end of the eight-week long competition.
RecycleMania began in 2001 as a competition between two schools, Ohio University and Miami University. Within several years, it grew to include over 100 schools. This year, over 600 schools will compete.
RecycleMania’s overall goals for this competition are to motivate students and staff to increase efforts to reduce waste to generate attention and support for campus recycling programs. Last year, over 7.5 million students and staff participated. They recycled 91 million pounds of waste and prevented the release of 127,553 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Humboldt State placed in the top 20 percent of schools with a 30.12 percent recycling rate, which is calculated by dividing recycling weight figures by the full time equivalent student and staff population of the school.
This year, the competition began February 5th and will end March 31. HSU is participating in the Per Capita Classic category, which is based on the largest amount of paper, cardboard, bottles, plastic, and cans on a per person basis; the Food Service Organics category, where the school will collect food waste from the J, the Depot and the compost bins around campus; and the Electronics category. Let’s shoot for the top this year! Here’s how you can help:
- Use the recycle bins placed all around campus for bottles, cans, aluminum foil, and plastics #1 – 7, and the ones for mixed paper and cardboard and electronics.
- Check every week for updates of the school’s rankings on the RecyleMania website or on the HSU Sustainability Facebook page.
- Help Humboldt State WIN! Winners in each category receive national recognition on the RecycleMania website and in a national press release. They are awarded a prize made of recyclable material and the right to host the category’s traveling trophy!
We’re counting on all you Collegiettes to spread the word and bring home the trophy! While you’re at it, check out the “Spirit of Recycling” video competition!