RU Looks to Break Out in RecycleMania
As the 12th annual RecycleMania competition nears the midway point, Radford University has yet to separate itself from the pack.
In the Gorilla competition for cumulative recycling volume, RU has generated 29,260 pounds of recyclables, or 14 tons of plastic, paper and other materials. RU trails Wake Forest and the University of Richmond in the eight-week competition by less than 700 pounds and is ranked 166 out of the participating 249 schools. RU's recycling efforts have resulted in the savings of 26 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Waste Reduction Model.
RU is currently recycling 12.3 percent of its trash weekly. The College of William and Mary is Virginia’s leader with a recycling rate of more than 46 percent. American University is the Grand Champion leader with a recycling rate of almost 90 percent.
According to the RecycleMania scoreboard, RU is recycling almost 3 pounds per person yet throwing away 24 pounds of trash per person. RU is ranked in the top half of the rankings for recycling paper, corrugated cardboard, bottles and cans. Each person at RU has recycled 1.3 pounds of paper, 1.4 pounds of corrugated cardboard and about a third of a pound of bottles and cans each week.
For more on RU’s recycling and sustainability activities, visit the sustainABILITY website.