Are You a RecycleManiac?

‘I think 30 percent is more than doable.’ – Erik Olson

by Laney Chmielewski, CSU Communications Student Staff Writer

Starting Feb. 4, Minnesota State University, Mankato again joins nearly 200 colleges from U.S. and Canada in the campus-wide effort for claiming best trash recycling honors. The 8-week annual spring contest has competing campuses filing weekly reports on the amount of recycling and trash collected.

Erik Olson, student co-chair of the MSU Environmental Committee, said the committee seeks a stronger campus showing than last year’s first entry into RecycleMania.

“Last year, MSU ranked 127th out of 190 schools with a recycling/overall waste rate of 25.9 percent” Olson said. “This year, we hope to get our recycling/overall waste rate to at least 30 percent. With a little Maverick motivation and teamwork, I think 30 percent is more than doable.”

Kickoff activities include a game day RecycleMania event during the Feb. 10 Maverick men and women’s home basketball games with Winona State. Participate who recycle during the evening games in Bresnan Arena will receive a ticket for prize giveaways.

Throughout the competition, the MSU Green Campus team will be tabling with info and free goodies in the Centennial Student Union. Recycling reminders will be posted around campus. Olson hopes the message will carry beyond the 8-week competition.

“We should always make a conscious effort to ‘go green. Taking the extra second to really make an effort to recycle makes a bigger difference than you may think,” he said. “Let’s all work together to make the home of Purple and Gold a little greener.”

RecycleMania concludes March 31. Results will be determined in three campus recycling categories including which school generates the least amount of trash/recycling.

Winning schools in the national competition receive an award made out of recycled materials and claim the right to host the special traveling trophy. Winners in each category also will be displayed on the RecycleMania website and recognized in a national press release.

For any additional information, visit www.mnsu.edu/greencampus/recyclemania

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