RecycleMania competition has begun

RecycleMania has begun, and Emerson College hopes its participation in the eight-week, nationwide competition will increase campus recycling rates year-round.

RecycleMania is a nonprofit organization aimed at improving recycling rates at colleges and universities across the country, and holds its annual competition in February and March.

President Lee Pelton has asked students, faculty, and staff to take an online pledge to increase recycling during the competition and throughout the school year.

Despite recycling more than 300 tons of material in 2013, Emerson’s overall recycling rate in last year’s competition was 17 percent. The College hopes to increase its rate to 25 percent this year.

Each week during the competition, participating colleges and universities report the weights of trash and recycled materials.

Two events so far are taking place on the Emerson campus to encourage recycling, according to Eric Van Vlandren, campus sustainability coordinator.

• On Wednesday and Thursday, March 5 and 6, faculty and staff can participate in a “freecycle” and “clean out your office” event at the Bordy Theater, 216 Tremont Street, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Here, College employees can dispose of unwanted paper files, and a staff member from the Iwasaki Library’s Archives Office will be on hand to ensure historically significant items are saved. “E-waste,” such as computer screens, telephones, radios, and computer mouses, can also be disposed. Any other recyclable items, such as metal and plastic, will also be accepted. Lastly, the freecycle—essentially an item swap—will also occur. For example, if you have an old lamp that works perfectly fine, you can bring it to the freecycle and another employee may take it for his or her office.
• On Friday, March 28, at 4:00 pm, an art exhibit of work made entirely out of recycled materials will open at the Iwasaki Library. A panel of student, staff, and faculty judges will choose the student artwork for the exhibit.

Editor’s Note: A fashion show that was previously publicized as part of the RecycleMania events has been cancelled.