Recyclemania Update #1

Contact: Ohio University Refuse and Recycling Manager Ed Newman, 740-593-0231

Ohio University students were in the lead after the first week of "Recyclemania 2001," a friendly 10-week competiton with Miami University to see which campus can recycle the most materials.

The contest, which began Feb. 5 and ends April 13, is intended to encourage the smart use and reuse of materials. Each week, recyclables from the two schools' residence halls and dining halls are weighed, and per-capita figures are compiled based on the number of on-campus residents. (Ohio University has 7,044 students living on campus, while Miami has 6,745.)

The week of Feb 5-11, Ohio students took an early lead in the contest, recycling 3.965 pounds per capita. Miami's per-capita total was 3.71 pounds. That works out to about 27,932 pounds of recycles collected at Ohio and 25,030 collected at Miami.

Refuse and Recycling Manager Ed Newman said he's pleased Ohio University has taken an early lead, but he's clearly not getting cocky.

"It's very encouraging to me to know that we're doing as well as we are," Newman said. "That being said, there's clearly still a lot of room for improvement. That's the whole idea of this contest."

At the end of the 10 weeks, the campus that collects the most recyclables will win a unique trophy made of recycled materials. "Trophy Man" stands about three feet high, and his body parts include a rusted propane tank, a bowling ball, a few door knobs and an old iron.

Newman lined up the trophy's creation by Robin Kelly, a longtime recycling advocate who made the "Mattress Man" attraction that stands guard outside ReUse Industries in Albany.