Campus Race to Zero Waste

Campus Race to Zero Waste (formerly RecycleMania) is a two month, nationwide recycling competition. During CR2ZW, you're invited to reduce waste, recycle more, attend events, and volunteer at the Rethink Waste Basketball Game. In 2023, we won first place in Virginia for the competition, with more than 270 tons of organic waste diversion since November 2020, and 6,000 pounds of electronic waste collected in 2023 by the Rethink Waste program. Read the 2023 report for University of Richmond.

 

Rethink Waste Basketball Game

Every year Athletics, Custodial Services, Concessions, and dozens of volunteers partner with the Office for Sustainability to offer composting and increased recycling at the Rethink Waste Basketball Game. Volunteers educate game attendees about which bin to put their waste in and are integral to the success of composting and recycling at this game.

At the 2020 game, we had over three dozen volunteers and diverted 74% of our waste from the landfill. We had some big wins at the 2019 RecycleMania Basketball Game as well. Thanks to the efforts of Athletics, Custodial Services, Concessions, and more than 30 volunteers, we were able to divert 62% of waste from the landfill. At the 2017 RecycleMania Game, we diverted 87% of waste from the landfill by recycling and composting with help from our consultant Reduction In Motion.

How You Can Help

We're excited for faculty, staff, and students to get involved in RecycleMania!

On campus, you can recycle mixed paper, plastics 1-7, clean aluminum, and cardboard. See more specific recycling guidelines here. Help us meet our goal by recycling in your office, classroom, residence hall, or apartment.

Have office supplies you no longer need? Bring them to the Spider Exchange.

Want to get rid of old clothes, books, or school supplies? Drop them off in one of the three Goodwill Bins on campus. Locate the bins using our campus sustainability map.

Reduce waste by adopting sustainable habits like buying secondhand items, using a reusable water bottle or thermos, reading documents digitally rather than printing them, and planning your meals carefully to avoid food waste.

You can also sign up to volunteer at or attend events. Thank you for being a green spider and helping us meet our waste diversion goals!