SU Races to Zero Waste in National Recycling Competition January 29-March 25
SALISBURY, MD---Salisbury University kicks off its spring semester in a race against other campuses across North America. The finish line is zero waste.
The National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Race to Zero Waste, formerly RecycleMania, helps colleges and universities across the U.S. and Canada find pathways toward zero waste, 90% or more diverted from trash, on their campuses.
“SU is no stranger to sustainability and recycling,” said Rachael Faust, SU recycling coordinator. “Having competed in this competition previously, but not since we transitioned to single-stream recycling, I know our campus community can bring in more recyclables now than ever before. I encourage all students, faculty, and staff to help us reach our goal.”
The campus will be competing in the per capita category, submitting weekly reports of weight of recyclables in relation to campus population.
SU’s Recycling Department and University Dining Services also are partnering efforts in reducing post-consumer food waste for the competition’s case study category.
The eight-week contest, from January 29-March 25, includes items gathered from any SU interior or exterior recycling bins or recycling dumpsters.
Materials accepted (all must be clean and dry):
• PET (plastic No. 1) bottles, containers, tubs and jars
• HDPE (plastic No. 2) bottles, containers, tubs and jars
• metal cans
• glass bottles and jars
• paper, flattened cardboard, magazines, pamphlets and books
SU’s recycling program began in 1990, and since then, campus efforts have remained on the cutting edge of sustainable practices, including the Eastern Shore’s first U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified new construction project, the region’s first publicly available electric vehicle charging stations, 10 additional LEED certified buildings, Bird and Bee Campus USA designations, a trayless dining hall, a solar parking canopy producing enough electricity annually to power three campus buildings; and the “green roof” atop the Patricia R. Guerrieri Academic Commons.
For 13 consecutive years, The Princeton Review, in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), has named SU one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges. This year, the University is among the publication’s top 50 “Green Colleges” in the U.S.
For more information email Faust or visit the SU recycling webpage.
Learn more about SU and opportunities to Make Tomorrow Yours at www.salisbury.edu.