GreekMania recycling event begins March 24

Radford University Recycling is holding its second annual GreekMania recycling event March 24-27.

Throughout the four-day, triathlon-themed competition, Greek organizations battle to determine which can collect the most recyclable materials. Weigh-ins will be held at the Hurlburt Student Center Plaza from 1:30-3:30 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday and Friday during the week.

Mixed containers (metal cans, glass bottles, plastic cups and No. 1-7 plastic bottles) will be collected and weighed on Tuesday, March 24. On Thursday, March 26, mixed paper (newspaper, magazines, junk mail and office paper) will be accepted. Friday, March 27, is cardboard day.

Plastic bags, Styrofoam and pizza boxes will not be accepted.

Fraternity Values Society won last year’s inaugural GreekMania competition by recycling more than 123 pounds of recyclables, or 4.585 pounds per member. Kappa Delta Rho claimed second place with 2.774 pounds per member and Alpha Sigma Tau placed third with 2.676 pounds per member.

The prize for winning the event was the trophy and a pizza party. RU Greek Life, in agreement with RU Recycling, decided to give away the pizza party to Alpha Sigma Tau for bringing in the most recyclables materials of 238 pounds.

RU Recycling is also hosting its second annual Office Clean Out event this week, through March 20. Faculty and staff are encouraged to clean out their desks and office space. Individuals who have offices in the building with the highest recycling rate will be awarded a rolling trophy.

The annual event pits all university academic buildings against one another to see which can clear out the most recyclable materials. Last year, the David Armstrong Complex won in a landslide of mixed paper, recycling 216 pounds of materials from 53 office spaces.

The Armstrong Complex averaged more than four pounds per office. Walker Hall finished a distant second with 178 pounds, or nearly two pounds per office. Whitt Hall finished in third place by recycling nearly 1.68 pounds per office.

To ensure fairness in the competition, RU Recycling averaged the weight of recyclables per office.

"We are very excited to host the 2nd Annual Office Clean Out and GreekMania competitions" said RU Recycling Coordinator Pavan Mudanna. "These competitions show team spirit, and at the same time, the weights brought in add up for the Radford University’s Recyclemania totals."

Both events boost RU’s participation efforts in RecycleMania, a friendly competition among North American colleges and universities that benchmarks recycling programs and promotes waste reduction activities. RecycleMania ends March 28. RU set a goal to collect 100,000 pounds, or 50 tons, of recyclable material. 

Follow RU's progress through the competition on the RU Recycling homepage. Final results will be announced in mid-April.

To learn more about the competitions, contact Muddanna at pmuddanna@radford.edu or 831-7207.