COMPETITIONS/CONTESTS:
There are many different ways to hold a competition or contest. Simple ideas include holding a recycled art contest or creating a design contest. Making a waste reduction crossword puzzle or holding a drawing are also creative ideas. Guess the weight is another idea.

Competitions are more complex but can be very effective. Holding competitions between dorms are popular. Often University Housing areas can offer pizza or ice cream rewards to dorm participants. This also provides and opportunity to promote the waste reduction/recycling efforts going on at the University and additionally provide incentive for the program to track materials and present cost-benefit information to Housing and University officials.

If you're really feeling the competitive edge and school spirit, holding competitions with other schools can be inspiring and exciting. Here's what Ohio University did (GO TEAM!!!):

Recycle Mania 2001 Media Packet

Introduction

This media packet will aid in the promotion of the 2001 Recycle Mania event sponsored by the recycling programs of Miami University and Ohio University. Inquiries about the 2001 Recycle Mania event can be directed to Stacy Edmonds (Miami University's representative) and Ed Newman (Ohio University's representative). This media packet contains the following information:

What is Recycle Mania 2001?
(General Overview)

Why is there a need for Recycle Mania?

Overall Goals and Objectives of Recycle Mania
*Miami University's Recycling Profile
*Miami University's Recycling Goals
*Ohio University's Recycling Profile
*Ohio University's Recycling Goals

Rules of Recycle Mania 2001
*Important Dates
*How to Play
*Acceptable Recyclables
*Measurements
*Disposition of the Competition

Announcement of Achievements and Prizes

Samples of Posters and Advertisements

 


What is Recycle Mania 2001 (General Overview)
Recycle Mania was ingeniously stumbled upon by Ed Newman (Ohio University's recycling guru) during his early morning "dumpster dives" wading through trash and recyclables. Ed recalls that one of his double-flip spin-dives got the ideas rolling. It was at that moment that a thought of a competition between Miami University and Ohio University was born. The Recycle Mania competition was developed into a full-blown event with the assistance of Stacy Edmonds (Miami University's recycling guru) who had the wisdom and energy to make Ed's idea become reality.

Recycle Mania 2001 event is a friendly competition between the two leading recycling programs in Ohio. Schools will compete to see who can collect the largest amount of recyclables from residence halls, on-campus apartments and dining halls in 10 weeks. Measurements will be reported on a daily basis in pounds recycled per student (lbs/students) living on-campus. The Recycle Mania event will provide students with a fun, pro-active activity in waste-reduction. The university that recycles the most in the residence halls, on-campus apartments and dining halls (measured in pounds per student living on-campus) wins. A Recycle Mania trophy will be presented to the winner's student government president and associates. The winner gets to put a half page advertisement in the other university's school newspaper (compliments of the other school) to congratulate their success of Recycle Mania 2001!

The main goal of this event is to increase student awareness in campus recycling through the collaboration and partnership with Miami University and Ohio University. In the end, this event will display that both programs have won and have made achievements in recycling!


Why is there a need for Recycle Mania?
Miami University and Ohio University have successfully operated a waste management and recycling programs for more than 10 years and boasts one of the highest recycling and waste diversion rates of any state university in Ohio. Despite recycling successes their residence halls, on-campus apartments and dining halls are the largest producers of campus waste - approximately 70% of campus trash. Data from waste audits conducted at these buildings suggest that approximately half of all residence hall trash is recyclable.


Recycle Mania Overall Goals and Objective
§ To have a fair and friendly recycling competition
§ To increase recycling participation by (on-campus) students and staff
§ To heighten awareness of schools' waste management and recycling programs
§ To expand economic opportunities while addressing environmental issues in a positive way
§ To lower waste generated on-campus by pre-cycling, reusing, and recycling
§ To successfully organize this event so it can be repeated and possibly expanded in the future


Miami University's Profile
Year Recycling Program Started: 1989
Students Living On-campus: 6745 people
Number of Residence Halls: 36
Number of On-campus Apartment Buildings: 4
Number of Dining Halls: 5
Number of "To Go" Food Areas: 18
Current Recycling Percentage for On-campus Housing: 5%-12%

Miami University's Recycling Goals
§ To surpass 60% waste diversion rate (campus-wide)
§ To decrease materials going to the landfill by 15% over last years numbers
§ To increase recycling participation in residence halls, campus apartments and dining halls

Ohio University's Profile
Year Recycling Program Started: 1990
Students Living On-campus: 7044 people
Number of Residence Halls: 39
Number of On-campus Apartment Buildings: 12
Number of Dining Halls: 4
Current Recycling Percentage for On-campus Housing: N/A

Ohio University's Recycling Goal
§ To recycle 80% of campus waste with minimum disruption of day to day operations


Rules of Recycle Mania 2001
Both universities have agreed upon these rules and will abide by them throughout the competition. These event rules were designed to promote a fair and honest competition. It provides a clear understanding about the starting and stopping dates of this event. It defines the participants, location of collections, recyclables and measurements acceptable. It defines reporting standards for both schools. Most importantly, it defines the disposition of the competition.



Important Dates
Contest Starting Date: February 5, 2001
Contest Stopping Date: April 13, 2001
Final Results will be announced the week of Earth Day (April 16, 2001)

How to play: Every student from Miami University and Ohio University is invited to participate in the recycling contest. Schools will compete to see who can collect the largest amount of recyclables from residence halls, on-campus apartments and dining halls in 10 weeks. Residence halls and on-campus apartments at both schools are outfitted with recycling containers. These containers need to be put into use to capture recyclables. All recyclables should be brought to the residence halls' recycling bins instead of the trash.

Acceptable Recyclables:
§ Glass containers (all colors)
§ Aluminum cans
§ Plastic bottles (#1's & #2's)
§ Newspapers
§ Glossy paper
§ Mixed non-glossy school and office paper
§ Paperboard (e.g. cereal food boxes, food boxes, backs of notepads)
§ Cardboard (e.g. pizza boxes, food boxes and shipping boxes)
§ Tin cans
§ Hard and soft-backed books and text books

Measurements: Both schools are responsible and accountable for accurately measuring and reporting their own recyclables collected from residence halls, on-campus apartments and dining halls. Recyclables will be weighed on a daily basis using the best methods available.

Announcements will be made available during the competition to local newspapers charting weekly measurements and weights at each school. Measurements will be reported as pounds recycled per student (lbs/student) living on-campus.

§ Miami University's housing service workers will collect all recyclables placed in the inside residence hall recycling bins by students. They will transport all recyclables to the hall's lockable recycling dumpsters found outside their building. Twice a week the university's recycling workers will pick-up the recyclables found in lockable recycling dumpsters and record number of bags and the volume. Recyclables are transported to the recycling center where they are weighed on the university's electric scale. Weights are recorded by hall by Jim Buckley, MU's Recycling Coordinator. Weights are calculated to show recyclables collected in pounds per student living on-campus. According to Miami University's department of housing there are 6745 people living on-campus as of January 1, 2001. This number will be used to calculate pounds recycled per student.

§ Ohio University's students in residence halls and apartments are expected to take their recyclables out to the recycling storage and collection sites by the trash dumpsters located at their buildings. Service staff will take recyclables from public areas of the residence halls to the outside recycling areas. Dining hall service staff will recycle from their operations. Recyclables are picked up by Athens-Hocking Recycling Center, OU's recycling and trash collection vender. Athens-Hocking recycling workers will weigh their trucks at OU's truck scales located at the heating plant prior to collecting recyclables at residence halls, dining halls and on-campus apartments. After finishing their collection route they will weigh their trucks again and calculate the tare weight. The weights will be given to Ed Newman, OU's Recycling Manager. As with Miami, weights will be calculated to reflect pounds recycled per student living on-campus. According to OU's department of housing there are approximately 7044 people living on-campus as of January 1, 2001. This number will be used to calculate pounds recycled per student.

Disposition of the competition: Recycle Mania 2001 competition was created exclusively to advance waste reduction and recycling programs at Miami University and Ohio University. This competition is only a vehicle used to expand current programs at both universities. It will be conducted in a friendly, cooperative manner. Both schools will not tolerate discourteous, offensive and perverse behaviors. The goal of this event is to increase student awareness and involvement in campus recycling through the collaboration and partnership with Miami University and Ohio University. In the end, this event will show that both programs have won and have made achievements in recycling!



Additional Rules:
§ This event excludes the following activities. This event will not measure special recycling pick-ups, building clean-outs, reusable material, recycling of scrap metal, scrap wood, pallets and other miscellaneous recyclable items not listed under acceptable recyclable items under the rules section.

§ This event is only for on-campus participants. It excludes fraternities, sororities or any other persons, groups, and organizations from bring recyclable materials to on-campus collection sites.


Announcement of Achievements and Prizes
Recycle Mania 2001 event will hopefully achieve stated recycling goals and objectives, making Miami University and Ohio University winners at the end of the competition.

A note to the media:
During the competition there will be two key focuses:

1) The achievement of local goals set by own recycling coordinators - universities will place first and foremost importance on whether their school met their own local goals that they set at the beginning of the competition.

2) A secondary focus - The competition between Miami University and Ohio University.

Announcements will be made available during the competition to local newspapers charting weekly measurements and weights at each school. Measurements will be reported as pounds recycled per student (lbs/student) living on-campus.

§ Miami University will use scoreboards, table tents and newsletters at the dining halls to announce Recycle Mania information. Miami will use posters around campus, the famous Sorority "chalkboard message" writers, MUTV and recycling bulletin boards located in residence halls to promote this event. Miami's Associated Student Government (ASG), Senate, Residence Hall Association (RHA), Campus Activities Council (CAC) and Recycling Hall Representatives (RHR) will advocate the importance of the recycling competition between schools to students and staff. Housing department managers, housekeeping staff, the department of Residence Life and the university's recycling committee will be supporters and promoters of this competition. Most importantly, Miami's News and Public Information department and the Miami Student staff will hopefully provide media coverage of Recycle Mania in its entirety.

 

§ Ohio University will use scoreboards set up in many locations around campus to announce Recycle Mania information. OU's famous "Graffiti Wall" will be used to promote this event as well as banners and posters around campus. Most importantly, OU's News and Public Information department and the Post staff will hopefully provide media coverage of Recycle Mania in its entirety.

Prizes:
§ Winner between Miami University and Ohio University will receive the Recycle Mania Trophy. The trophy will be presented to the winner's student government the week of April 13th, 2001.

§ The winner also gets to put a half page Ad in the other school's newspaper (compliments of the other university) on their achievements!

§ Both schools will announce recycling accomplishments to the media - so every one really wins in the end!

Contacts:
Inquiries about the 2001 Recycle Mania event can be directed to Stacy Edmonds (Miami University's representative) and Ed Newman (Ohio University's representative). Thank you.


Samples recycle stickers
http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/recycle/stickers.htm

Ed Newman, Ohio University Recycling & Refuse Manager
Stacy Edmonds, Miami University Associate Recycling Coordinator
RE: FYI -- Recycling Mania Competition

We have prepared a media packet announcing our "Recycle Mania 2001 Competition" for the News and Public Information departments at Ohio University and Miami University.

If you have any questions about the content of the packet, please contact both Ed Newman (OU representative) and Stacy Edmonds (MU representative) at the following addresses. Thank you.

Happy Recycling.
Ed Newman
Ohio University, OU's Recycling & Refuse Manager
1 Riverside Dr., Athens, OH 45701-2979
Phone # 740-593-0231 - E-mail: newman@mail.facilities.ohiou.edu

Stacy Edmonds
MU's Associate Recycling Coordinator
Miami University, 242 MacMillan Hall, Oxford, OH 45056
Phone # 513-529-7005, E-mail: edmondsn@muohio.edu

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