The kick-off event for Recyclemania, a two-month recycling competition for colleges and universities in Florida, is on Thursday, Feb. 4 at the Rock from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Florida State University, Florida International University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Nova Southeastern University, Eckerd College and the University of West Florida are also participating. The college that recycles the most materials on a per-capita basis will win. Every Thursday, updated standings will be posted on a billboard in the UC Breezeway and on the Green U Facebook page.
University of Miami Dining Services will be offering food and beverages, including natural juices, and Coca-Cola will be hosting giveaways. Hurricane Productions invited Trash to Treasure to the event, an organization that sells jewelry made out of junk. Representatives from Waste Management are bringing the “Waste Management Robot,” a fully interactive robot made out of recyclables. There will also be games with prizes such as recycled bags and T-shirts.
There will be a table at the Rock with a computer for students to take a survey and to pledge not to contaminate recyclables. Students who fill out the survey will be entered into a raffle to win a $75 gift card to the Patti and Allan Herbert Wellness Center.
“Contaminated recyclables is one of the main issues we are trying to face,” UM Sustainability Manager Teddy Lhoutellier said. “If it looks empty, it doesn’t mean its empty. It has to be clean. This is the kind of stuff we want to get out there.”
The Recyclemania tournament will last from Feb. 4 to March 31. As an incentive, Green U has organized several competitions that encourage students to recycle.
Throughout the month of February, students who post recycling videos on the Green U Facebook page will have the opportunity to win prizes. The video categories are sexy, scary, enormous and proper recycling. Judges will pick four winners each week.
In March, Green U will be tabling in the UC Breezeway every Thursday. Each student who brings a bag of clean and empty recyclables weighing more than three pounds will win a prize.
Recyclemania is part of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, a pledge to reduce waste production and greenhouse gas emissions at college campuses that Donna Shalala signed in 2007.
Feature image courtesy Pixabay user 9355.