Newsroom

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Starting this Sunday, Oregon State University will begin competing in Recyclemania, a 10-week, nationwide competition between universities to see which can recycle the most.

Campus Recycling, the department coordinating OSU’s participation, will mark the beginning of the competition with a kick-off event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20 in the Memorial Union Quad.

The kick-off will include recycling games, an opportunity for people to sign pledges to increase their recycling rate, and information about the competition and recycling on campus. The activities have been organized by undergraduate students enrolled in the geosciences department’s course “Environmental Conservation and Sustainability,” which involves students in environmental community service projects as part of the curriculum.

“We are very excited to get students involved in educating their peers about sustainable practices,” said Andrea Norris, recycling program assistant and coordinator of marketing and outreach for the competition. “This is also an important time for all members of the campus community to come together toward a common goal.”

This year, the Recyclemania competition will take place from Jan. 18 through March 28. OSU is going up against more than 250 colleges and universities. The university will compete in the Per Capita Classic, trying to collect the greatest amount of recyclables per person, and the Targeted Materials category, trying to collect the greatest amount of cans and bottles, paper, and cardboard of all the universities competing.

OSU has ranked well in previous years, placing first in the nation in 2006 and fourth in 2005 and 2008 in the Per Capita Classic. In the Targeted Materials category, OSU placed first in the nation for cans and bottles and fifth for cardboard last year.

“Our goal is not only to collect more recyclables than last year, but to also raise awareness so that we see a permanent increase in recycling rates,” said Pete Lepre, recycling program manager.

Statistics on how much recycling OSU collects each week and how it ranks against other universities can be found on Campus Recycling’s website and will be updated every Friday during the competition. Information will also be posted on a large sign in the Memorial Union Quad.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Andrea Norris at andrea.norris@oregonstate.edu.