Week four of the nationwide RecycleMania competition is now in the can, and UCSC is reducing, reusing, and recycling its way to some impressive standings for being in its rookie year in the challenge.
Based on the first four weeks of the college recycling contest, UCSC has tossed out some solid figures.
- In the Per Capita Classic competition, UCSC is 54th out of 167 nationwide, third out of 11 in California (after Stanford University and Mills College).
- In the Gorilla Prize competition, UCSC is 32nd out of 188 nationwide, second out of 12 in California (after Stanford).
- In the Targeted Material--Corrugated Cardboard subcategory, UCSC is 31st out of 145 nationwide, second out of 10 in California (again after Stanford).
"I think we're doing pretty well," said UCSC Recycling Coordinator Dave Wade, though he noted, "There are a few schools in each category that seem to be in a whole other league."
His goals for UCSC's starting year in the competition are modest, he said.
"First, to throw our hat into the ring and establish our presence nationally, and secondly to lay a base on this campus for competing more seriously next year," said Wade.
ReycleMania is an annual friendly competition among college and university recycling programs across the country.
More than 400 schools are participating in the 2008 competition, vying to see who can motivate their campus communities to recycle more and reduce overall waste over a 10-week period.
During the competition, campuses go head-to-head in different contests to see which institution can collect the largest amount of recyclables per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of trash per capita, or have the highest recycling rate. The contest began Jan. 27.
Results are reported weekly on Fridays on the RecycleMania web site.
For more information, contact Dave Wade at ext. 9-3671 or the Physical Plant work order desk at ext. 9-4444.
