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RecycleMania

Georgia Southern participates in a nationwide RecycleMania competition for eight weeks each spring. RecycleMania is a friendly recycling tournament among universities across the United States and Canada to promote campus recycling programs and waste minimization. Participating institutions compete to collect the most recyclables per capita, the greatest total weight of recyclables, and to generate the least amount of waste through campus recycling activities. Weight of recyclables and waste are reported every week with nationwide results displayed on Fridays.

Caught Green Handed!

Who: Eagle Nation! All Faculty, Staff, & Students

When: Feb 2 until March 28th.

Where: Anywhere on Georgia Southern’s campus – The RAC, residence halls, GUS mart, on the pedestrian, in the hallways, in the office

How: Catcher to take a picture of the sustainable act and then email sustainability@georgiasouthern.edu with the following information:

  1. Identify catcher by name, and whether they are faculty, staff, or student
  2. Identify culprit by name, email, and whether they are faculty, staff, or student
  3. Attach picture of the scene
  4. Then leave the rest to us: You have now been entered into the raffle. (Good luck and keep recycling!)
Examples of Sustainable Acts to look out for:
  • using a reusable water bottle
  • bringing lunch in reusable containers
  • biking to or around campus
  • recycling anything
  • using the back of recycled paper to take notes

Find out if your catch is featured on the Sustainability programs Instagram page @gasouthernsustainability!

Did you win? Winners will be announced during the Sustainability Showcase Closing Reception April 22nd @3 p.m. located at the Henderson Library.

Competition dates – February 2 – March 28th, 2020

2020 Recycle Mania Tournament

Georgia Southern has assembled a great support team including the Division of Facilities Services, CfS, Housing, Auxiliary Services and Southern Adventures to help make RecycleMania a success – now all we need is YOU! Recycle everything you can to help us become a top recycling university in the nation!

This year, one of our main goals during RecycleMania is to reduce contamination in the recycling bins. Contamination is the placement of an item in a recycling bin that does not belong there, such as putting a styrofoam plate or potato chip bag into a recycle bin marked ‘Plastic Only’. When contamination occurs, the entire bin has to be thrown away instead of recycled. See the graphic below to identify what can and cannot be recycled on the Statesboro campus!

Click on the graphic to view:

What can I put in campus recycle bins? Mixed paper- mixed office paper, mail, posters, newspapers, catalogs, magazines, envelops, file folders. No thanks- food, paper cups, fast food bags, plastic and metal binders, spiral bound notebooks. Plastic Bottles-yes please- Narrow necked bottles, water bottles, soda bottles, 2-liter bottles, milk jugs. No thanks- candy and ship packets, straws, plastic bags, plastic food containers, plastic utensils, chemical/oil/detergent containers. Cardboard- yes please- Corrugated cardboard (look for ridges and grooves). No thanks- paper board (cereal boxes, pasta boxes, toothpaste boxes), packaging materials (bubble wrap, inflatable air packaging, Styrofoam), pizza boxes. Aluminum cans- yes please- aluminum beverage cans. No thanks- glass, tin foil, foil pans, jars, tin food cans. please sort responsibly. When in doubt, throw it out. Empty all containers. Keep items loose, clean and dry. Don't tie up in plastic bags.
What can I recycle off campus? Bulloch county solid waste and recycling collection Centers. Hours of operation" Monday-Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 6am-6pm, Sunday: 1pm-6pm, Thursday: Closed. Accepted materials: glass, aluminum, steel cans, scrap metal, plastic #1 (Pet plastic), plastic #2 (frosted or colored plastic), newspaper, magazines, mixed paper, corrugated cardboard, used motor oil and filters, clothing, household items, yard waste, tires (must be removed from rims), appliances. more information: bullochcounty.net/recycling/recycling-centers. 912-764-6369

This year we are featuring:

Caught Green Handed – We are partnering with Facilities to catch people green-handed during RecycleMania. Any part of the campus community can be involved! All you need to do is take photos of people that are caught taking a sustainable action (such as recycling or drinking from a reusable bottle), email us at sustainability@georgiasouthern.edu with their name, email and photo. Culprits and catchers will be entered in a drawing to win prizes from the Tech Corner.

Weekly tabling messages – CfS will table weekly to promote RecycleMania and other upcoming events.

Plastic bottles repurposed to make a house

Why RecycleMania Matters

RecycleMania allows institutions to promote campus recycling and waste reduction programs and motivates students and staff on the importance of recycling and waste reduction across generations. The rankings encourage support for college recycling efforts as well as improvements in campus recycling programs over time. Winning institutions receive national recognition on the RecycleMania website and a national press release. In addition, winning institutions receive a trophy made out of recycled materials and the right to host the category’s special traveling trophy for the upcoming year.

How to Get Involved

The Center for Sustainability will host events and volunteer opportunities each year during RecycleMania to promote recycling efforts across campus. Sign up on our online signup genius to volunteer (see Get Involved). There are currently 600+ recycle bins across campus and along the pedestrium for all of your recycling needs. Come join us in participating in RecycleMania and make Georgia Southern University a top recycling institution!

Center for Sustainability Turns Trash to Treasure

Georgia Southern University’s Center for Sustainability celebrated the end of RecycleMania 2014 by constructing a plastic bottle greenhouse. 1,500 used 2-liter plastic bottles were collected to construct a greenhouse that will be used to grow produce for the dining facilities. The Department of Facilities Services and over 50 student volunteers worked in shifts to accomplish the one-day build. The greenhouse is a great example of how an everyday item that is usually thrown away can become a resource for a greater purpose.

The greenhouse construction was broadcast on the WTOC’s Evening News in Savannah, and the Georgia Farm Monitor broadcast the project nationally, garnering interest from the Pacific coast.

Spring 2016 RecycleMania Results

Click here for 2016 Residence Hall Competition Standings!

We improved our recycling efforts during RecycleMania 2016 by 9,300 lbs. and placed 1st in the state in bottle and can recycling.

We recycled 83,620 lbs over the 8 weeks of RecycleMania which comes out to 3.864 lbs. of recycling per person.

Spring 2015 RecycleMania Results

Georgia Southern University ranked 72nd in recycling bottles and cans.

Spring 2014 RecycleMania Results

Georgia Southern University’s 2014 cumulative greenhouse gas emission reductions during Recycle Mania 2014 = 112 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent = 22 cars off the road = Energy consumption of 10 households

Georgia Southern University ranked 116th in recycling corrugated cardboard.

Last updated: 11/2/2020

Office of Leadership and Community Engagement • P.O. Box 8114 • 912-478-1435 • leader@georgiasouthern.edu