'RecycleMania' off to great start

SIUC students, faculty and staff recycled more than 41,000 pounds of various materials during the University's first week of competition in RecycleMania.

Andilee Warner, recycling and solid waster coordinator, said the total of 41,397 pounds was a great start for the 10-week effort, which seeks to raise awareness and participation in campus recycling efforts.

RecycleMania is a competition among colleges and universities nationwide to reduce waste and preserve resources. Starting Sunday, Jan. 28, SIUC began competing with 201 other campuses nationwide - including seven others in Illinois - to collect the most pounds of recyclable materials per capita.

Along with the per-capita contest, the University also entered its successful vermicomposting program in the Targeted Materials portion of RecycleMania. The program involves some 2 million red wriggler worms munching daily on about 1,200 pounds of food service waste, resulting in rich fertilizer and less solid waste.

The contest ends April 7.