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March/April 2008 RecycleMania Sweeps GW
For the second year in a row, GW is participating in RecycleMania, a 10-week competition to increase awareness of campus recycling and waste reduction efforts. “Recycling benefits the environment, it is required by D.C. regulations, and it directly affects GW’s operating expenses,” says Doug Spengel, manager of energy and environmental programs and part of a six-person GW team promoting RecycleMania on campus. He explains that while GW pays $53 per ton to haul waste away, the University is paid $30 per ton to recycle. “Therefore, for every ton of waste GW can convert into recyclable materials, our net gain is $83 per ton,” he says. During fiscal year 2007, GW disposed of 3,115 tons of waste at a cost of $165,000, according to Spengel. RecycleMania is supported by the Environmental Protection Agency’s WasteWise program and the National Recycling Coalition. The competition includes various categories, with emphasis on recycling the most material and having the least amount of trash. In the competition last year, GW won the “Per Capita Classic” contest among participating D.C. schools. About 400 schools nationwide take part in RecycleMania. “GW’s recycling rate has increased each of the last three years, and we hope the attention given to the RecycleMania contest helps us continue the trend,” says Spengel. The competition runs through April 7. Visit www. recyclemaniacs.org to learn more about RecycleMania or www.living.gwu.edu for more information on GW’s RecycleMania efforts.
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