Youngstown State University is looking to defend its title as the top recycling campus in the state. Last year, YSU ranked first in the state and 10th nationally in the annual Campus Race to Zero Waste competition, formerly known as RecycleMania. The competition kicked off Monday at more than 400 universities and colleges nationwide. YSU has placed first in the state for nine consecutive years and 14 of the last 16. The other two years, YSU placed second, a news release states. Nationally, YSU on average has ranked in the top 20 in each of the past 16 years.
“Our students and employees have consistently led the way across the state and nation when it comes to reducing, reusing and recycling waste,” YSU President Jim Tressel said in the release. “We look forward to another top-tier finish in this year’s competition, retaining our reputation as one of the most recycle-friendly university campuses in the country.” This is YSU’s 17th year in Campus Race to Zero Waste, a competition and benchmarking tool for university recycling programs managed by the National Wildlife Federation. This year’s competition runs through March 26.
Dan Kuzma, YSU recycling manager, said the university will again implement the “Get Caught Green-handed” campaign during the competition, in which students will be rewarded for being caught recycling on campus. Kuzma said this year’s effort will focus specifically on reducing single-use plastic containers, noting that YSU has many water bottle refill stations across campus to eliminate purchasing bottles of water.
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Author: Mahoning Matters
Image: William D. Lewis, Mahoning Matters