RecycleMania sparks competition at BSU

02/26/2014

By Elizabeth Sekkes
Comment Staff

Sophomore John Whittemore takes time to do his part in lowering the amount of trash on campus during the RecycleMania contest. Kendra Perry - Photo. — Sophomore John Whittemore takes time to do his part in lowering the amount of trash on campus during the RecycleMania contest. Kendra Perry – Photo.

During a busy day on campus, it is almost too easy to throw unneeded items in the trash.

However, Bridgewater State University, in partnership with over 30 colleges in Massachusetts and 600 colleges nationwide, are hoping to put an end to compulsive garbage disposal with a project called RecycleMania.

From February 2 through March 29, students across campus are encouraged to think twice before throwing away unwanted items. In an effort to reduce as much waste as possible, all trash from all locations on campus will be tallied up at the end of each week throughout the duration of RecycleMania.

As of right now on campus, Scott Hall is the leading dormority in recycling items, followed by Weygand Hall.

The ultimate goal of the project is to ensure that the total amount of trash each week is as close to zero as possible.

Those behind RecycleMania encourage students to donate unwanted items, and to reuse plastic water receptacles. If it is permitted by the professor, double-sided printing of assignments is also encouraged.

Joe Carroll, a senior communication studies major, said RecycleMania is an especially good idea for students who are living in the student apartments.

“I think it’s actually a really cool event,” Carroll said. “I’ve never really heard of it. I think it would be great for this campus because just living in a student apartment, I see how much recyclable materials get thrown away.”

At the end of the project, all participating schools will compete for the lowest amount of trash collected. The winning school with the lowest amount of computed garbage will appropriately win a prize made of recycled materials.

Dillion O’Shey, a senior criminal justice major, said the prize at the end of the competition is a good incentive for students to participate in RecycleMania.

“I think it’s a great idea,” O’Shey said. “I think the idea of a prize is a good motivator to actually recycle. Some people care for recycling, some people don’t, but if you give them the right reason, everybody will.”

Adam Kitchen, a junior communication studies major, said participating in RecycleMania will benefit the BSU campus.

“I think it’s a good idea to enter the contest because not only will it help us measure how much trash that we throw away, but it’s also a good way of getting the campus involved with recycling,” Kitchen said.

The winning school of RecyleMania will be announced on March 29.

Elizabeth Sekkes is The Comment’s News Editor. Email her at esekkes@student.bridgew.edu.