Centre News

On your mark, get set, recycle! RecycleMania, which kicked off on Centre College's campus Jan. 17, is a competition involving more than 607 colleges and universities across the globe to see which institution can collect the largest amount of recyclable materials in a 10-week period. Centre has been working hard to recycle as much as possible during the past three weeks.

Campuses have until March 27 to see who can take the prize in four categories: largest amount of recyclables per capita, the largest total amount of recyclables, the least amount of trash per capita and highest recycling rate.

So far, Centre students have recycled an average of 2.48 pounds per person.

Increased recycling on campus will also help fulfill the tangible action component of the provisions outlined in the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). In 2007, Centre President John Roush was one of the charter higher education leaders to endorse the goals of this pact. As one of the Commitment's earliest supporters, Roush is also recognized as a member of the ACUPCC Leadership Circle. Since that time, membership has grown to more than 650 institutions across the country.

By signing the commitment, member institutions agree to work toward creating a comprehensive institutional action plan moving toward environmental impact neutrality. While participating institutions are required to pledge at least two actions to the cause, Centre has made three pledges in an effort to decrease its environmental footprint.

Those pledges are: 1) Establish a policy that all new campus construction will be built to at least the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Silver standard or equivalent; 2) Adopt an energy-efficient appliance purchasing policy, requiring purchase of ENERGY STAR certified products in all areas for which such ratings exist; and 3) Participate in the Waste Minimization component of the national RecycleMania competition, and adopt three or more associated measures to reduce waste.

According to the RecycleMania Web site, certain on-campus facilities tend to produce most of campus waste. Residence halls and dining halls have been the largest producers of campus waste—from 30 to 70 percent of campus trash. Data from waste audits conducted at these buildings suggest that up to half of all residence hall trash is recyclable.

Centre collects plastic bottles, aluminum and steel cans, cardboard, fiberboard, magazines, newspaper, mixed paper and clean trash and grocery bags. Recycling containers are set up in every building on campus.

For more on Centre green policies and actions, click here.