Another Chance to... Beat Duke
Defend our "ACC Grand Champions" in RecycleMania 2012! We are currently THIRD in the ACC under the Grand Championship division!
- Sign the RecycleMania pledge
- Like our recycling logo (500 likes for $5,000 worth of recycling bins for our campus!)
If there is something the university is good at, it is recycling. After becoming ACC Grand Champions of RecyleMania 2011 and beating top ACC schools across the country, including Duke and Clemson, the university and its students are ready to defend their title. Testudo needs you!
RecycleMania is an annual competition between over 400 colleges and universities nationwide. Schools are ranked according to who collects the most recyclables per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of trash per capita, and the highest recycling rate. The goal of the competition is to promote waste reduction activities to the campus community. The competition runs this year from February 5th through March 31st. Recycle all of your paper, cardboard, cans, and bottles.
“The RecycleMania competition is an opportunity to showcase what we do well all year-round. We have a great recycling program and many very dedicated recyclers on campus,” said university recycling coordinator, Bill Guididas. “Sustainability and recycling are becoming a part of everyday life on campus.”
RecycleMania at UMD brings visibility to recycling. Even more, new single-stream recycling bins in residence halls and academic and administrative buildings help recyclers distinguish between recycling bins and trash bins. Students like the new look of the bins.
“Recycling has become a lot easier at UMD,” said Sophie Huget, freshman environmental politics and policy major. “Having the pictures of the items on the recycling bins is helpful.”
Single-stream recycling, introduced to campus last year, makes it easy for anyone to recycle because it simplifies the process. People can recycle paper, cans and glass in the same bin. Steven Wang, junior information systems and operations management major, said he noticed an increase in recycling in his residence hall.
“One of the biggest changes I've noticed in residence halls is the introduction of single-stream recycling. I have definitely noticed a significantly higher use of the recycling bins since it is a lot easier and residents can throw all their recyclables in one place,” he said.
Not only did the residence halls make it easier for students to recycle, but Dining Services also contributed.
“Dining Services expanded their compost collection during the second half of 2011. The additional organic material that is being collected in the Dining Halls should improve our 2012 RecycleMania standings,” said Recycling Specialist from the Department of Building and Landscape Services in Facilities Management, Adrienne Small.
Paper Purge is also another way for the community to recycle unwanted paper and cardboard products. Staff and volunteers travel door to door picking up recycling and providing a shredding truck for sensitive documents. Look out for Paper Purge in February and March this year.
Through the addition of easier recycling opportunities and composting, the university hopes to reach their Climate Action goal of a 75% recycling rate by 2013. Join students all across the U.S. competing in RecycleMania now through the end of March. Sign the pledge, join our event on Facebook and start recycling. You recycle, we win. Go Terps, Beat Duke!