A student team in Colonnades and the "Librarians on 'Greene'" at the Elon University School of Law won a spring campus competition to reduce landfill waste.
Teams of Elon students, faculty and staff competed from Feb. 16 – March 6, 2015, in the Phoenix Cup – Waste competition, which awarded points for taking actions that reduce landfill waste, or for talking and learning about waste-related issues.
“The Dream Team,” led by Colonnades residents Marlena Fernandez, Kaylin Hunter, Kai Chung and Kailyn Schmidt – won the top prize of reusable items and gift cards.
Elon student Nick Hadgis won the $25 Phoenix Cash prize for committing to a waste-reduction behavior during the competition. All students who were not on a Phoenix Cup team but who still committed to a waste-reduction behavior were placed into a raffle for the prize.
Over 25 faculty and staff participated in the competition. Using innovative tactics, like turning empty desk side trash cans upside down, Librarians on “Greene” from the Elon University School of Law won the overall competition.
Phoenix Cup occurs during RecycleMania to give members of the Elon community extra incentive for putting recyclables in the proper bin. Elon is participating in RecycleMania, an 8-week national competition among colleges and universities to promote recycling and waste diversion.
Putting recyclables in recycling bins rather than the trash helps Elon improve its national and state standing in RecycleMania. Last year Elon took 6th place in North Carolina. The contest ends March 31 but students can always ‘Mind the Bin’ by placing recylable material in color-coded bins throughout campus.