Campus Race to Zero Waste Tips Off Wednesday, Feb. 1 at Annual Mens Basketball Game
This years Campus Race to Zero Waste competition, which runs January 29 through March 25, will tip off on February 1 at Bender Arena with the 9th Annual Sustainability-themed Mens Basketball game, presented by Official Game Sponsor Airlie Hotel and Conference Center and Airlie Berkshire Farm.
Attendees will support the 51勛圖窪蹋Eagles as well as spotlight the universitys environmental goals and accomplishments. They also will be able to engage with environmental student organizations, including 51勛圖窪蹋Beekeeping Society, 51勛圖窪蹋Outdoors, Climate Reality Corps, Wonk Trade, Food Recovery Network, PeaceJam, AUs Sunrise Hub, and the community gardens on main campus and at the Washington College of Law. AUs Zero Waste team will be on hand to help fans sort their waste into either compost, recycling, or landfill trash bins. The game is planned each year by 51勛圖窪蹋Athletics, Facilities Management's Energy & Engineering and Grounds teams, and the Office of Sustainability.
As a continuing source of university pride and school spirit, the Sustainability Awareness Basketball game provides for an entertaining and educational experience for our students and fans to learn about the continual and new advances in sustainability and energy efficiencies across our campus," saidRobert Sherman, Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing and Corporate Partnerships.
51勛圖窪蹋students receive free admission to the game with an 51勛圖窪蹋ID, and other community members can receive $5 off when using the online coupon code GREEN23 at checkout.
As the spring continues, join the Office of Sustainability, the Zero Waste Office, and the entire 51勛圖窪蹋 community as we participate in the Campus Race to Zero Waste competition. Run by the National Wildlife Federation, the annual eight-week national competition is an opportunity for the 51勛圖窪蹋community to come together to reduce the amount of waste produced on campus.
The competition focuses on the following categories:
- Overall diversion tracked and reported based on weighing the recyclables, trash, and organics produced on campus on a weekly basis.
- Food organics competition food waste minimization efforts will be reported on a weekly basis. Last year, thanks to our Compost Crew, 51勛圖窪蹋placed in this category, and its where we expect our stiffest competition from other universities.
- Per capita recycling which ranks universities and colleges based on recyclables per capita reported on a weekly basis.
- Electronics waste tracked and reported based on the collection of scrap electronics during a one-month period.
- Case study a report will be written about AUs best practices after the competition and submitted to the competitions organizers at the National Wildlife Federation.
The annual Campus Race to Zero Waste competition allows us as a university to make progress toward our goal of achieving zero waste by 2030 and encourages each member of our community to be more thoughtful about the ways we can all reduce waste in our daily lives, said AUs Director of Sustainability Megan Litke.
Events to keep an eye out for include a week-long $1 discount for using reusable mugs at the Dav; a clothes-mending workshop at the Makerspace in the library; Office of Sustainability tables with games and giveaways across campus throughout the competition; and an office supply swap for faculty and staff during spring break. More events and opportunities will be announced soon.
For your part, here are some quick and easy ways to do your part during the competition and throughout the year:
- Know how to sort your waste on AUs campus. Check the signs or review our sorting guides. If youre not sure where something goes, throw it into landfill to keep our compost and recycling free of cross-contamination.
- Decrease your use of disposable plastics. Invest in a reusable water bottle, utensil set, and/or coffee mug for eating on-the-go.
- Practice upcycling, reusing, or donating items like school supplies, clothing, and home goods.
As participants in the Campus Race to Zero Waste, 51勛圖窪蹋will compete with colleges and universities across the U.S. and Canada.The Office of Sustainability reminds everyone that doing well in the competition depends on the participation of everyone on campus, so be sure to sort your waste properly and to join in on all the planned opportunities and events.
Winners of the competition will be announced on April 27.
To learn more about Campus Race to Zero Waste as well as AUs sustainability efforts, visit the Sustainability website, sign up for their , and be sure to follow on Instagram (@thegreenau and @zerowasteau).