Recyclemania has taken its final tally after 10 weeks of competitive recycling on college campuses nationwide. Compared to last year’s 48,000 pounds, UR students have collected about 20,000 more pounds of paper, bottles and cans this year with an average of about 10.99 pounds of trash per capita.
Grassroots, a student group on campus that promotes environmental causes, held Recylemania as part of the University-wide initiative. Grassroots members measured recycled bottles, cans and paper from areas around campus. The final weigh-in results were submitted April 9.
UR came in 31st out of 49 schools participating in the partial trash collection competition. This means that only selected parts of campus collected trash and not all recycled materials were measured.
“I can say that the students collected in the first three weeks this year the equivalent of 10 weeks of last year,” Staff Development Coordinator for Facilities and Services Judy Clay said. “Quite an accomplishment.”
UR Facilities helped students from Grassroots with the project.
“We are seeing a much higher rate of participation and greater enthusiasm this year according to the Facilities staff. That is terrific,” Director of Facilities Ronald Paprocki said. “I would like to find more ways to engage students in our sustainability programs.”
“Recyclemania was a big deal last year, and I think that’s great; this year it felt more like an ordinary part of life at the University of Rochester, which is where I’d like to see it end up,” Co-President of Grassroots Daniel Grenell said.
Karron is a member of the class of 2011.
