Syracuse University is continuing its recycling efforts by participating in RecycleMania, an 8-week competition with participation from more than 100 colleges and universities across the United States and Canada.

The schools involved send weekly reports on the amount of recycling and trash used on campus and are then ranked based on their findings, according to the RecycleMania website. The rankings are based on which schools recycle the most per capita, which schools have the best recycling rate and which schools generate the least amount of combined trash and recycling.

Students at the participating colleges and universities are encouraged to reduce and recycle more as each week’s rankings are updated, according to the website.

Melissa Cadwell, marketing manager of SU’s Sustainability Division, said the purpose of participating in this competition is to “bring awareness to the campus community about the importance of recycling.”

Recycling is important, she said, because it allows manufacturers to use recycled material when making new items, packaging or products instead of using virgin material, which takes more energy.

Cadwell added that although SU does a good job of recycling, it is important to reduce the amount of trash and recyclables that are brought to campus. She encouraged students to instead try to reuse materials and decrease the amount of material wasted.

In addition to its recycling efforts, SU also has a Food Recovery Network with the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Shewa Shwani, a SUNY-ESF student involved in the organization, said the network members go to several dining halls after they close and package the leftover food. They then take the food to homeless shelters in the Syracuse community. Both individuals and clubs or organizations can volunteer weekly with the organization, she said.

While the competition focuses on recycling, Cadwell said, “There are many small things everyone could do each day that would eliminate or decrease the amount of trash and recycling on our campus.”

Published on February 21, 2016 at 10:18 pm

Contact Darlene: dkenn101@syr.edu