UW collected more than 144,000 pounds of recyclables during the competition.
The University of Wyoming once again placed among the top 30 percent of schools participating in the annual RecycleMania national recycling competition.
The contest measured the amount of trash and recycled materials collected at more than 500 schools nationwide to determine which participants had the highest recycling rate. Participating colleges and universities collected more than 90 million pounds of materials during the 8-week competition, preventing the release of nearly 121,436 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2E) into the atmosphere. Learn more about RecycleMania and view the results at www.RecycleManiacs.org.
UW performed well in several categories:
Schools competed to collect the largest combined amount of paper, cardboard, bottles and cans per person in the per-capita contest. UW was 157th among 406 schools, with a total of 10.898 pounds recycled per person. This was good for number one out of five Mountain West Conference participants, when UW edged out Colorado State University by recycling one pound more per person.
“Thanks to everyone in the UW community who helped to keep the Mountain West title in the per-capita class,” says Tod Scott, UW manager of Custodial Services and Waste Management.
In the waste minimization competition, schools competed to see who produced the least waste, including both trash and recyclables. UW produced only 29.047 pounds of waste per person, placing 50th among 179 schools participating. UW collected 6.452 pounds of paper per person for recycling, scoring 39th out of 247 schools.
The total amount of recyclables collected was measured for each school, and the participating school with the largest total amount won the Gorilla Prize that recognizes schools with outstanding recycling facilities and habits. UW collected a total of 144,121 pounds of recyclables during the competition for 130th place among 411 schools.
To see UW results in each category, click on https://www.uwyo.edu/sustainability/accomplishments/ and scroll to RecycleMania 2013.
