UTSA is currently competing against more than 100 universities in Recycle Mania, an 8 week, nationwide competition intended to raise awareness towards waste reduction and recycling.
Participating colleges compete for the title of “grand champion” of Recycle Mania. Competing schools must report their weekly recycling and waste amounts to the recycle Mania Program. Each competing school is responsible for tracking the weight of its weekly recycling and waste amounts.
The waste and recycling amounts for each school are ranked based on the school’s recycling percentage compared to their total waste generated. The grand champion school will receive national recognition by being featured in a national press release.
The UTSA Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management sponsors the annual competition and encourages students to recycle on and around campus.
This will be UTSA’s eighth time participating in the annual Recycle Mania tournament; its goal is to place in the top 10 percent of all participating colleges and universities. In 2015, UTSA placed 22nd out of the 232 participating schools. This year, 187 universities are participating in the challenge. So far, with a recycling rate of 50.75 percent, UTSA ranks 36th.
In order for UTSA to rank higher, the university community must value the importance of recycling and ensure that the university will do its part to help recycling efforts and spread awareness of the issue.
Roadrunners can contribute to the efforts of waste reduction by throwing away any paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminum and glass in the designated recycling bins around campus. Students can also help by spreading the word to faculty, staff and other students.
The underlying purpose of the event is to build habits that will continue even after the contest concludes, on April 2.
