Northwest joining nationwide recycling competition beginning Feb. 1

Northwest joining nationwide recycling competition beginning Feb. 1

Northwest Missouri State University is again participating in the annual Campus Race to Zero Waste competition to encourage students, faculty and staff to practice recycling and waste reduction habits on campus.

The eight-week competition, which starts Sunday, Feb. 1, and ends Saturday, March 28, requires participating colleges and universities to report the amount of recycling and waste they collect each week. Participating institutions are then ranked in various categories based on the amount they recycle per capita as well as recycling rates.

The program is governed by a non-profit organization called RecycleMania Inc. and a board of directors consisting of recycling and sustainability managers from a variety of participating universities and colleges.

The competition categories include food organics, electronics recycling, average amount of waste each person on campus recycles and the percentage of waste diverted from the landfill. Last year, Northwest placed first in in the category of Electronics Recycling Per Capita by recycling 2.3 pounds per capita.

Throughout the Campus Race to Zero Waste, the Office of Sustainability and the Bearcats Going Green student organization will organize and lead recycling awareness activities. The Office of Sustainability will also share waste reduction and recycling tips with on-campus residents through social media channels and displays in Northwest buildings.

"The Campus Race to Zero Waste is a time to look for opportunities to reduce the waste we generate, seek ways to reuse items rather than throwing them away and make sure we are recycling correctly at every opportunity," Tim Hill, Northwest's environmental sustainability coordinator, said.

Northwest has participated in the competition annually since 2005. To learn more about the contest and how to contribute, contact the Office of Sustainability at [email protected] or visit campusracetozerowaste.org.