Sustainability Outreach Programs
The Dorm Energy Challenge
The Dorm Energy Challenge is a new program we are running to encourage energy efficiency and conservation in Dorms! The 2008 Challenge ran from October 13 to December 8. We compared the percent of change in energy use from the first four weeks to the second four weeks, and also compared this year’s energy use to last year’s, to provide a clear view of who is saving more energy: New Dorms, Old Dorms, or Hereford!
The results of this year’s contest are in! All three dorm areas showed a decrease in per capita use from the first half to the second half of the contest – Good job everyone! The winner by far, with all criteria involved, was Old Dorms! Old Dorms will be having a pizza party once the spring semester starts, so make sure to look out for your CA's email around the beginning of the semester for the details.
Energy conservation isn’t too difficult, as many of you found out, and is easy to continue all year long. Next year many of you will be paying the electricity bills too, so what you’ve learned this year will help you conserve energy and money for the rest of your life. Our favorite energy tips are: don’t get a digital photo frame because it wastes $9 worth of energy a year (which can really add up if many people get them!), and plug in all your appliances to a power strip and turn the strip off when you are not using it, to prevent wasting energy through ‘standby power.’ For more energy use tips, see your Conservation Advocate’s emails and posters, and look on our Conservation Advocate page.
Volunteering with UVa Recycling
We hold volunteer days at UVa Recycling throughout the school year, when able to by weather. Two hours of volunteering with us will get you an awesome “VA is for Recyclers” t-shirt! You will be either sorting recycling or helping organize the warehouse, so please wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, and that are appropriate for the outside weather.
Here are our current dates:
Volunteer days are a Saturday and Sunday: Feb 21 & 22, 10am-12pm Go here to sign up: http://doodle.com/zmucdw2wf8n9wcvc (limit 10 people per day)
If you cannot make these days, check the website after Spring Break to sign up to volunteer in March or April.
Email Rebecca Oppenheim,
, with questions.
The R.O.S.E. Program
Like free stuff? The R.O.S.E.
(Reusable Office Supply Exchange) Program takes in surplus office
supplies and makes them available to students, faculty, staff, and
student organizations at no charge. We have envelopes,
binders, hanging folders, desk organizers, and much more.
If
there is something you need, or excess items you wish to share,
please contact us by phone, (434) 982-5050, e-mail or
simply stop by UVA Recycling at the end of Leake Drive. Feel free to
come browse!
Chuck It For Charity
Do you
have reusable items that you would like to donate? At the end of
each semester during exams we collect items for charity. What you no
longer want, such a fan, electronics, furniture, microwave, clothes,
and non-perishable food items, can be used by someone less
privileged in the Charlottesville community.
Can't wait until our collection? Please contact one of the
following non-profit groups. These are the same groups that UVA
Recycling works with for our program, and they would be happy to
have your donations anytime throughout the year!
Read more about how our items benefit charities and the community in our interview with Goodwill Industries of the Valleys.
Claim Your Can Contest
During our contest dates, write your UVA e-mail on the bottom of the
aluminum cans you recycle anywhere on Grounds. We will draw out cans by random and e-mail
the winners. It's that easy - just recycle and you can win!
We would like to thank the local vendors who contributed prizes
to Claim Your Can 2008, which is going on from October 1 to November 13.
- Mellow Mushroom
- Qdoba
- Biltmore Grill
- Pita
Pit
- Arch's Frozen Yogurt
- Mincer's
- Take it Away
- Martha's Cafe
Winners will be announced by email on November 10, and prizes can be picked up at America Recycles Day on November 13.
Recyclemania
Each spring, UVA Recycling
participates in Recyclemania, a friendly competition among college
and university recycling programs in the United States that provides
the community with a fun, proactive activity in waste reduction.
Over a 10-week period, campuses compete in different contests to see
which institution can collect the largest amount of recyclables per
capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of
trash per capita, or have the highest recycling rate. Through the
Recyclemania competition, UVA can measure its success against other
schools across the nation. In 2008, UVA won 6th in the nation for the Gorilla Prize,
which measures the highest amount of total recyclables collected.
We also do special events to promote recycling for Recyclemania in the Spring.
They emphasize how recycling is not only good for the earth but fun! Here are the
winners of the Cardboard Fort Contest from Spring 2008 with their fort:
America Recycles Day and Earth
Day
We celebrate and educate at our special events for America Recycles Day and Earth Day! There is always a Dumpster Dive, sustainable give-aways, and representatives from the University and Charlottesville community. America Recycles Day is November 15, and Earth Day is April 22. Our special events are scheduled close to these days every year, so check back near those days to see when the next event is!
Conservation Advocates at the 2008 Earth Day Extravaganza. The “CAN you guess?” contest question was
“With the energy saved by recycling this bale of cans, how many hours could you power your television?”
Attendees received a free water bottle for entering the contest, and the contest winner received $50
from Blue Ridge Mountain Sports!
The results of our Cabell Campaign for America Recycles Day 2007. We collected all the recyclables simply left sitting on desks and floors in Cabell Hall for a week, to show how leaving your litter in the classroom really does add up!
