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�Ը������� University is participating in the annual RecycleMania challenge, an international competition where colleges and universities strive to reduce waste and increase recycling. The month of February marked the official start of the 2014 eight-week RecycleMania competition that runs through March 29.  RecycleMania is supported by the sustainability office, which specializes in the ongoing recycling efforts at �Ը�������.  There are four challenges going on in one tournament where �Ը������� ultimately seeks to minimize waste and increase recycling:  �Ը������� is competing in various waste minimization and recycling competitions categories against 461 colleges and universities in North America including 17 schools in Ohio.  �Ը������� is competing for rights to the RecycleMania “Braggin' Wheel” against the University of Akron.  Residence Services will reward residents who recycle the most (measured in pounds per capita) in the hall vs. hall competition with a $200 Hall Council party.  Custodial area staff in administrative and academic buildings will compete to see which area recycled the most. “This will be �Ը�������’s fifth year participating in the tournament and the third year competing head-to-head with the University of Akron for the recycling ‘Braggin’ Wheel,’” says Melanie Knowles, sustainability manager at �Ը�������.  Knowles says that the eight-week tournament is a good time for students, faculty and staff to be mindful to reduce, reuse and recycle.  New this year, plastics # 1 through # 7 are accepted, instead of only # 1 - # 2. Want to win? Throw those recyclables in a blue bin!  The tournament is for the entire campus. By framing recycling in competitive terms, RecycleMania seeks to tap school spirit as a motivator. The larger outcome for the program is to build awareness, be mindful of our resources and to continue to build and reward the recycling habits of those individuals on campus.  The 2013 competition included 523 colleges. More than 3.5 million students and staff participated, collectively recycling 90.8 million pounds of recyclables and organic materials. There will be various events around campus highlighting RecycleMania, including an online pledge, an electronics waste recycling drive held Wednesdays in March from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Administrative Services Building dock (open to the Kent Campus and community) and personal care item recycling collections for items that are hard to recycle like toothpaste tubes and deodorant packaging. �Ը������� University at Stark also is competing in RecycleMania. It’s game time! Let’s go Flashes!