BGSU remains recycling champ

BOWLING GREEN, O. -- Bowling Green State University has defeated seven other universities to win the Recycle Mania competition for the second straight year. In the 10-week contest that ended last week, BGSU claimed the champion’s trophy by recycling 52.5 pounds per on-campus student.

The University of Oregon placed second, with 51.4 pounds, and Miami University (48.9 pounds) edged Harvard University (48.1 pounds) for third place. Rounding out the field were Ohio (29.4 pounds), Western Michigan (22.4) and Ohio State (11.4) universities, and Washington University of St. Louis (4.4).

BGSU’s recycling figures ranged between 4.6 and 5.6 pounds per on-campus student each of the 10 weeks, beginning the week of Feb. 3. The winning total of 52.5 pounds per resident student surpassed last year’s effort, when the University reached the 48-pound mark and defeated Ohio, Miami and Harvard.

“This contest just sparked a lot of interest,” said Craig Wittig, recycling coordinator at BGSU. Participation in recycling is always good among students, faculty and staff, he said, but “when it comes time for this contest, people respond above and beyond.”

Volume has increased by 10-12 percent during Recycle Mania, Wittig added, noting that the University has recycled roughly 1,000 tons of material annually for the last three years. It was about two and a half years ago when recycling bins were installed on every floor of every BGSU residence hall—a move that coincided well with the University’s entrance into the competition, he said.

Recycle Mania started in 2001 as a contest between Miami and Ohio universities. The number of participants has doubled each of the two subsequent years.

The contest was created to help advance waste reduction and recycling programs at the participating universities by increasing student awareness and involvement in campus recycling.

(Posted April 23, 2003)