myVU - Resources for Faculty and Staff

Help Vanderbilt win Recyclemania competition

Posted 3/14/2011

Hundreds of schools across the country – including Vanderbilt – are competing to see how much we can recycle.  The competition started in February and ends in just a few weeks on April 2.

Students, faculty and staff can all help Vanderbilt win!  Here are a few simple ways to participate:

Reduce:  only consume items you need, buy materials with as little packaging as possible, and use refillable water bottles, cups and bags.

Reuse:  Reuse bags, cups, dishes, and dining ware.

RECYCLE:  Here are the items that can be recycled across campus
- Plastic-with recycle symbols #1 and #2.
- Aluminum- and steel cans (this includes CLEAN aluminum foil).
- Cardboard- flattened, please.
- Paper- any color paper, magazines, newspaper, and cereal and other paperboard boxes
- Glass- clear, green and brown; glass recycling is available in one location next to The Common Center. Glass generated on Vanderbilt’s campus only, please.

Recycling is available in blue bins with black lids located next to the dumpsters outside nearly every residential hall.  You can also recycle using the recycling containers inside most buildings on campus. Please separate your recycling before placing it into any of the bins around campus. Plastic recycling is also available at every men’s and women’s home basketball game.

Vanderbilt also recycles less conventional items such as electronics, batteries, toner and ink cartridges, pens, and mechanical pencils.

For more information about how and where to recycle or the Recyclemania competition, check out the Sustain VU website or email recycle@vanderbilt.edu.

Last year’s RecycleMania Grand Champions, California State University at San Marcos, recycled 78.09% of their entire waste stream.  Another champion school, Rutgers University, recycled 2,131,378 pounds of materials.  Become a Recyclemaniac and help bring the trophy to Nashville!

Contact: Missy Pankake
615-322-NEWS