So how much garbage does Fordham produce? The University will soon find out.
On Feb. 3, Fordham will enter RecycleMania, a friendly competition that measures trash and recyclable production at American colleges. The event seeks to increase recycling on campuses and highlight the work done by universities’ sustainability programs.
The University is in the midst of a two-week trial period, which helps to hone its trash-assessment plan in time for the official start of competition.
Over the duration of the contest, which ends on April 2, the custodial staff will report its collection data to RecycleMania each week. Fordham’s progress in relation to other colleges and universities will be noted in the following categories:
• largest amount of recyclables per capita;
• largest amount of total recyclables;
• least amount of trash per capita; and
• highest recycling rate.
Only garbage and recyclables collected in Lincoln Center and Rose Hill residence halls will go toward the RecycleMania tally.
The information will be monitored by sustainability consultant Great Forest and sent to the residence halls weekly so students can track their progress. The hall that recycles the most per capita will win a prize.
This is Fordham’s first year in RecycleMania. The contest began in 2001 with two universities and has grown to include 576 schools this year.
For more information, please go to www.recyclemania.org/.
– Joseph McLaughlin
