Stony Brook University March Madness: Sustainability Edition
Students, faculty and staff competing in the National 2012 “RecycleMania” Tournament
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| RecycleMania at Stony Brook University. |
STONY BROOK, NY, March 5, 2012 – Stony Brook University, one of more than 600 North American colleges and universities participating in the 12th annual RecycleMania Tournament, is already knee-deep in the eight-week competition designed to increase recycling participation and raise awareness of the importance of waste reduction in campus communities.
Facing off against colleges and universities from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and five Canadian provinces, Stony Brook University is vying for national recognition, awards made from recyclable materials and bragging rights as the school that is doing the most for the environment.
“Our goal is to increase Stony Brook University’s recycling efforts and reduce waste generation,” said James O’Connor, Director, Office of Sustainability, Facilities and Services Division at Stony Brook University. “This competition builds school spirit, collectively reduces our impact on the environment and generates attention and support for our Sustainability and Recycling programs.”
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| A student does her part for the environment. |
Participating colleges and universities can compete in either the formal competition which ranks schools based on standardized weight measurements, or as part of the less formal “Benchmark” division. In both cases, schools submit weight data for paper, cardboard, cans, bottles, food waste and general trash each week, and are, in turn, able to see how they measure up against each other in the continuously updated results. Click here to track Stony Brook University’s progress in the formal competition.
“RecycleMania’s power comes from the way it taps school spirit to motivate students who may not react to a traditional environmental message,” said Bill Rudy, President of RecycleMania and Recycling Manager at Brigham Young University. This year’s tournament also features a new electronics category, as well as a promotional video contest on YouTube based on a “Spirit of Recycling” theme. Schools that have signed the college and university-based Presidents Climate Commitment can also receive credit for participating in the Waste Minimization category.
“Promoting sustainability to students on college campuses forms a prelude to an environmentally conscious adulthood,” said Matthew M. McKenna, President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful. “Our organization is thrilled to play a role in RecycleMania as both sponsor and administrator of the program.”
How to Participate at Stony Brook University
The 2012 RecycleMania Tournament is currently in full swing and ends on March 30, 2012. As a result, this is the perfect time to clean out your department, office or workspace and help the University’s recycling efforts. If you or your Department are interested in scheduling a clean out or have any questions, please contact the Office of Sustainability/Recycling & Resource Management and we’ll be happy to coordinate recycling bin drop off and pickup. As a reminder, the products targeted during 2012 RecycleMania are paper (including newspapers, magazines, text books and notebooks), bottles, cans, food waste and e-waste. For additional information, please visit the Office of Sustainability/Recycling & Resource Management website atwww.stonybrook.edu/com/recycling or by phone at (631) 632-6400 or (631) 632-9297.
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© Stony Brook University 2012
