RecycleMania recently released its results for the 2020 competition, with Guilford College ranking fourth in the Food Organics category and 16th in the Per Capita Classic. This year’s accomplishments build off of the College’s success in the 2019 RecycleMania competition.
The Food Organics category focuses on reducing food waste through minimization activities, donation, and biofuels. This includes food donated to people, fed to animals, composted, and oils/grease converted to biodiesel. The Per Capita Classic focuses on which school collects the largest combined amount of paper, cardboard, bottles, and cans on a per person basis. Due to participating schools transitioning to online learning, the unofficial results for this year’s competition are based on the first five weeks and include the Diversion, Per Capita Recycling, Food Organics, and Zero Waste categories.
“I’m very proud for Guilford College to earn such high rankings, especially in the food organics division,” says David Petree, Guilford’s Director of Environmental Sustainability. “These results showcase Guilford’s commitment to food justice through a highly collaborative effort from students, dining services, facilities, academics, and off-campus affiliates. They also highlight our commitment to excellence not only to our immediate College community but the greater Greensboro community at large. Bravo, Guilford College!”
Guilford's efforts have not stopped during the recent Covid-19 pandemic. The Guilford College Farm, with support from the administration and the Sustainable Food Systems major, is providing hundreds of families in the area with fresh, sustainably grown vegetables through a CSA, online store, and donations to area food banks.
For 19 years, RecycleMania has used friendly competition to help colleges and universities find pathways toward zero waste (90+% diverted from trash) on campus. Zero waste accounts for everything from increasing recycling and food organics (composting) as a ratio of waste to reducing consumption, food waste, and single-use plastics. Each spring colleges across the U.S. compete for eight weeks by reporting the amount of trash and recycling collected on their campus each week. This number is turned into a ranking across a variety of categories including who recycles the most per capita and which school creates the least amount of total waste.
Learn more about Sustainability at Guilford College.