'Mind the Bin' contest returns this spring to campus

Two upcoming competitions encourage Elon University students, faculty and staff to reduce landfill waste.

All members of the Elon community have an opportunity to win something by “minding the bin” this spring.

“Mind the Bin” is Elon’s campaign to reduce landfill waste by putting waste items in the appropriate bin: recycling, compost or trash. 

First, Elon University can demonstrate its leadership and win bragging rights by having recycling rates high enough for Elon to be in the top 5 among North Carolina universities for recycling. This is determined through RecycleMania, a national contest occurring through March. 

Second, students, faculty and staff can compete in Phoenix Cup: Waste to earn prizes. Phoenix Cup is a competition to reduce the Phoenix environmental footprint over the course of the academic year. This spring the competition is focused on landfill waste reduction and kicks off February 16.

To compete, teams of 3 to 10 people must register with the Office of Sustainability by February 16. Team members earn points by completing items on a checklist from throughMarch 6. 

The team with the most number of points per person wins gift cards for each team member. Additionally all participating teams will be placed into a raffle for a prize bag. By attending select events during Phoenix Cup, even those not on a team can have a chance to win $25 in Phoenix Cash.