RecycleMania events continue through spring break

As the national recycling campaign comes to a close, Oregon State University campus recycling has kicked up its efforts in an attempt to help bring OSU back to the top of RecycleMania.

This week, campus recycling is hosting one of the biggest collection events of the term in an effort to get OSU back ahead of the University of Oregon. During this week for film plastic and e-waste collection, students, staff and community members are encouraged to bring in broken or unused electronics and clean film plastic for free, convenient recycling.

E-waste items will be either refurbished or recycled by OSU surplus property in Corvallis or by Computer Drive Connection in Cornelius. All collected plastics will be processed by Gatten Services, a local nonprofit organization.

Both OSU-owned and personal items are welcome and can be dropped off at the Recycling Warehouse on weekdays until March 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Some of the items accepted include TVs, computer parts and accessories, cell phones and telephones, small appliances and film plastics.

Also this week the OSU Women’s Center will be hosting a clothing swap, which began yesterday and runs through Friday. Throughout the week, those interested are encouraged to stop by with unwanted clothes, shoes and accessories for donation.

This is the event’s second year at OSU, but it has already made a visible impact across campus, said Jessica Armstrong,  Women’s Center activities coordinator.

“Everyone is really grateful to have free clothing when they can’t afford to buy new, and I’m always getting requests to have more and more swaps,” Armstrong said. “I like organizing clothing swaps with the Women’s Center because I don’t think they happen very often around here.”

Even those who do not have any clothes to donate are welcome to stop by and pick out clothes throughout the week. The Women’s Center is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Clothing and accessories not taken at the end of the week will be donated to the Vina Moses Center, a local emergency service center geared toward helping the less fortunate throughout the year.

OSU staff can also participate in the upcoming departmental shredding discount week, March 18-22, during which staff will receive a half-off discount on confidential paper shredding.

All paper recycled at this event will count toward the final weigh-in at the end of RecycleMania. Online request forms must be submitted during finals week for the discount to apply, and all paper will be picked up no later than March 29.

Overall, this year’s RecycleMania competition has been a hit at Oregon State, and it’s still not too late to put OSU back on top.

“We recommend people find out what is recyclable on campus and do what they can to recycle as much as possible,” said Andrea Norris, outreach coordinator for Campus Recycling.

In the first six weeks of the competition, OSU has recycled more than 201,600 pounds and composted almost 41,000 pounds, according to the university’s official RecycleMania results webpage. With only four weeks left, Oregon State has fallen below the University of Oregon for the first time this term, with 9.28 to 9.65 pounds of recycling and composting per person.

Norris believes helping OSU succeed in this competition can even be as simple as carrying a recyclable object to a bin that’s out of immediate reach and encouraging others to do the same.

“We still have a few weeks left, so I think it’s still any school’s game,” Norris said.

Students and staff who wish to get involved with future waste reduction events can do so by volunteering with the campus recycling group Waste Watchers. The group meets once a week to plan events and brainstorm ways to encourage people to reduce waste and help preserve the environment.

More information on this group, as well as other RecycleMania and waste reduction events, can be found on Campus Recycling’s website at recycle.oregonstate.edu.

Lara von Linsowe-Wilson, news reporter
news@dailybarometer.com