Ed Newman, Recycling and Refuse ManagerEd Newman, Recycling and Refuse Manager

Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania ConferenceProfessional Recyclers of Pennsylvania ConferencePittsburgh, PAPittsburgh, PAJuly 27, 2006July 27, 2006

RecycleMania: An Inter-Collegiate RecycleMania: An Inter-Collegiate Recycling CompetitionRecycling Competition

Move Over NCAA: Move Over NCAA: Here Comes RecycleManiaHere Comes RecycleMania

What got competition started?What got competition started?

• Residence hall trash —70% of campus totalResidence hall trash —70% of campus total

• OU/Miami Sports Rivals/BenchmarkOU/Miami Sports Rivals/Benchmark

• Both noted proactive leaders in OhioBoth noted proactive leaders in Ohio

So then…who is on top of the heap?

• Each year half are new residentsEach year half are new residents

7,500 of 20,000 7,500 of 20,000 students live on students live on campuscampus

Difficult to get students’ Difficult to get students’ attentionattention

•Pre-Pre-collegecollege

•OrientatioOrientationn

•Move-InMove-In

Students’ priorities Students’ priorities

•SchoolSchool

•Social lifeSocial life

•BEER!BEER!

•Somewhere on the Somewhere on the horizon… horizon… solid waste solid waste management habitsmanagement habits

How to move recycling up the priority scale?How to move recycling up the priority scale?

How to get it to be second nature?How to get it to be second nature?

•Tried numerous things to bolster recycling Tried numerous things to bolster recycling

•Met with hall council — hit a wallMet with hall council — hit a wall

•Contacted Stacey Edmonds — Miami UniversityContacted Stacey Edmonds — Miami University

•We met — developed RecycleManiaWe met — developed RecycleMania

GoalsGoals• Fair and friendly competitionFair and friendly competition

• Increase recyclingIncrease recycling

• Have a successful competitionHave a successful competition

ResultsResults• Interest soared at both schoolsInterest soared at both schools

• Ohio — Administration all Ohio — Administration all over itover it

• Miami — Had more support Miami — Had more support from studentsfrom students

• Baseline data for auxiliary Baseline data for auxiliary parts of campusparts of campus

Our goals were Our goals were metmet

RecycleMania grows each RecycleMania grows each year!year!

Growth of RecycleMania

0

20

40

60

80

100

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Year

0

5

10

15

20

Number of Schools Pounds Recycled

Total weight in 10 weeks 2001 534,710 lbs268 tons

Total wt. in 10 weeks 2006 18,675,897 lbs 9,330 tons

Students involved 200114,550

Students involved 2006880,000

Total campus population 2006 1,155,000

2006 Number of Schools by State2006 Number of Schools by StateSouth West East Midwest

AL-1 CA-4 VT-2 OK-2

GA-1 AZ-3 NH-2 OH-6

KY-1 CO-2 RI- 3 MI-4

MD-3 OR-3 PA-9 IL-2

NC-2 UT-2 CT-3 IN-1

SC-5 WA-2 NY-3 MO-4

TN-1

TX-1

VA-2

NJ-4

ME-2

MA-9

IA-2

MN-2

Sports Conferences with the Most Sports Conferences with the Most Schools RepresentedSchools Represented

• New England Small College Athletic ConferenceNew England Small College Athletic Conference

• Ivy LeagueIvy League

• Atlantic 10Atlantic 10

• Atlantic CoastAtlantic Coast

• Mid American Conference (MAC)Mid American Conference (MAC)

88

55

55

44

44

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Ohio U. 32.6 46.6 29.4 44.02 50.8 41.24

Winning School 41.2 48.0 52.5 58.28 66.19 91.35

Ohio U. and WinnerOhio U. and Winner

Two Main Competitions

Per Capita ClassicWeight of Recyclables

Population

2006 introduced the Waste Minimization

Rate

Weight of Recyclables + Trash Weight

Population

= Overall Waste Generation

Grand ChampionGrand Champion

Weight of RecyclablesWeight of Recyclables X 100 = Top Waste ReducerX 100 = Top Waste ReducerWeight of Recyclables + Weight of TrashWeight of Recyclables + Weight of Trash & Top Recycler& Top Recycler

Other Sub-CompetitionsOther Sub-Competitions

Targeted MaterialsTargeted Materials = Per Capita Weight = Per Capita Weight Population Population

Targeted Materials includedTargeted Materials included::

• Food Service Organic Waste Food Service Organic Waste • Bottles and CansBottles and Cans

• CardboardCardboard• Paper including News, Glossy, Mixed, BooksPaper including News, Glossy, Mixed, Books

Some Strategies for CompetingSome Strategies for Competing

Campus Contests

Media Outlets VideoUniv. News ServiceMass-EmailSchool NewspaperPSAsWeb

Sporting Events Half-timeVideo Board Adopt-a-gameZamboni Ride

Strategies GaloreStrategies GaloreMascots School or made up one

Other costumes

Special Events Dumpster Dives

Dorm Storm

Pep Rally

Homecoming

Partnering Sustainability

Student Senate

Environmental Groups

Residence Life

Wastebusters

Public Relations

TCOM Student

Artists

The main thing is….The main thing is….

• Level of effort you put in is up to Level of effort you put in is up to youyou

• Make it work for youMake it work for you• Have funHave fun• Compete with who you want to Compete with who you want to

compete withcompete with• Focus on PA Schools, Conference, Focus on PA Schools, Conference,

Rival, Peer School Rival, Peer School • Establish simple goals Establish simple goals

RecycleMania ChecklistRecycleMania Checklist

Determine population on campus to competeDetermine population on campus to compete Residence and Dining Halls only?Residence and Dining Halls only? Campus Wide?Campus Wide? Use same population for all competitionsUse same population for all competitions Weight or Volume Based MeasurementWeight or Volume Based Measurement RegistrationRegistration Publicizing winning school at the endPublicizing winning school at the end

•Trophies for 1st two competitions

•Ad in student newspaper congratulating winner

•Bragging rights

•Learning to do our job better

•Communicating better

•Generating excitement

•Developing new ways to reach people

Great tool for:

Other BenefitsOther Benefits •Baseline dataBaseline data

•Increase visibility/awareness Increase visibility/awareness

•Locally and beyondLocally and beyond

•Builds bridges with others — networkingBuilds bridges with others — networking

•On campusOn campus

•Off campusOff campus

•Increase recycling — main goalIncrease recycling — main goal

•Learning about campusLearning about campus

Tips for Tips for competingcompeting•Bring in your rival to focus on as Bring in your rival to focus on as

the one to beatthe one to beat

•Start preparing earlyStart preparing early

•Register your schoolRegister your school

•Use RecycleMania and Use RecycleMania and WasteWise resourcesWasteWise resources

•Recyclemaniacs.orgRecyclemaniacs.org

•See what other schools are doing See what other schools are doing — don’t be bashful— don’t be bashful

•Identify who on your campus can Identify who on your campus can helphelp

Competition applicable to:Competition applicable to:

• Offices in a buildingOffices in a building

• Intra-school, home roomsIntra-school, home rooms

• Inter-SchoolsInter-Schools

• Cities and townsCities and towns

Can you compete?Can you compete?