The Golden Recycling Challenge Trophy will remain in North Halls this year.
North, winner of the first recycling challenge, held in April, won the second five-day Great Recycling Challenge, held Nov. 10 through Friday, said John Hurst, assistant director in the Office of Residence Life.
The challenge was designed to raise recycling awareness, Hurst said. During each day of the challenge, Office of Physical Plant workers found the percentage of recycling material thrown into the trash in each residence area. The average of the percentages during the five days was used to determine the winning area, Hurst said.
"I think we're doing some good," he said. "It's better to do something rather than nothing."
To determine the percentage, Office of Physical Plant workers audited five bags from a dumpster in each participating residence area daily. Material that could have been recycled was separated from the trash. Both the recyclable material and waste was weighed. By dividing the total weight of material by the weight of recyclable material, a percentage was found for each area, Hurst said.
"In this case, a lower number is better," he said. "It's not an exact science."
Residence areas North, South, East, West, White Course Apartments and Eastview Terrace competed in the challenge. Both Eastview Terrace and White Course apartments were grouped in the competition. Pollock residence area was not included, Hurst said, adding he was sorry the area was not included in the challenge.
Hurst said he received a number of calls from students looking for more information about the challenge.
"Students are actually listening. They're keeping track," he said.
Fliers and posters placed throughout residence halls asked students to "consider this your challenge" and "recycle as much as you can."
Hurst said because the percentages were based on samples of trash from each residence area, the results might have been skewed. A bag may have been used that included content from "someone who didn't care about recycling," he said.
"I wish we could go into each hall and weigh everything," Hurst said.
Keegan Behm (freshman-nuclear engineering) had not heard of the challenge.
"I didn't see fliers in my building. I wouldn't have recycled more if I had," he said. Behm, a resident of Pinchot Hall in East, said he would be more likely to use the recycling bins if they were closer to his room.
Hurst said students could request additional recycling in their residence area by contacting their resident assistant or housing office. The availability of recycling depends on each building's floor plan. Too many containers could pose a fire hazard, he said.
Andrew Bascom (freshman-nuclear engineering) knew about the challenge, but did not participate.
"I just never got in the habit of recycling," he said.
