If you were rewarded for tossing scrap paper in a recycling bin instead of the trash, would you do it? How about turning off your computer overnight or unplugging your phone charger when not in use?

Last year as part of West Virginia University’s Ecolympics competition, the University recycled more than 32 tons of paper, plastic and aluminum and saw a decrease in energy use among many campus buildings including 10 buildings that decreased the amount of energy they used by at least 20 percent.

This year from Oct. 4 to Oct. 29, students and University employees in buildings across campus are asked to see how much they can recycle and save in just four weeks.

The 2009 champions, Summit Hall in the residence hall category, and the Communications building in the non-residential campus category, have both had previous wins for saving the most energy and recycling.

WVU’s recycling coordinator, Barbara Angeletti, said the competition_ in its fourth year_ is judged on a per-capita basis, so it doesn’t matter if some buildings have more occupants than others.

If the WVU community can cut down on energy usage and ramp up recycling for a month, she said, then the same can be done throughout the year.

“What we hope to do through the Ecolympics is just raise awareness,” she said.

The Ecolympics award is more than just a trophy_ one that the Communications building proudly displays. The winner of the employee competition is treated to a two-hour work-release lunch, and the winning residence hall receives a prize of its choosing. Last year, Summit hall won exercise equipment.

Scott Rubin, area adviser for Summit Hall, said he uses his passion for recycling and conservation to impress on residence hall staff and students the importance of taking only what you need.

The first year that Summit Hall won the competition, the reward was a 60-inch plasma TV. Last year, the hall was able to purchase two treadmills, a stationary bicycle and dumbbell set for its fitness room.

“We’ve tried to put the importance of conservation into their heads,” Rubin said. “I’d rather be recycling for a good reason than just to win a contest. Winning is nice; I’d rather come in second and know that we made a big impact.”

The most impressive feat that Summit achieved last year was a decrease in the amount of energy consumed as students self-policed their lights and turned off their computers when not in use. One year the students exchanged their incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents. Summit Hall has more than 500 students.

But he was most impressed that the students cut the hall’s energy usage by a quarter during Ecolympics 2009.

The ultimate goal of Ecolympics, Angeletti said, is to encourage good habits at WVU, especially in students while they’re forming patterns for the rest of their lives.

Recycling and energy conservation at WVU is not just a one-month deal. Throughout football season, the Mountaineers Recycle program saves about 2.5 tons of material per game. A single ton of aluminum cans consists of 62,000 cans.

“We always like to see our numbers go up,” she said. “We would like to see more recycling.”

She hopes that a recent agreement that WVU’s President James P. Clements signed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will spur the University community to become more involved in this year’s Ecolympics.

Throughout the month, there will be several events for teams to pick up extra points:

Opening Ceremony
On Monday, Oct. 4, the Ecolympics Opening Ceremony will be held on the Mountainlair Plaza from 4 to 8 p.m. All students are welcome to attend and music and food will be provided. Attendees can work through a series of five green-themed games for prizes, and the residence hall with the most participants will be awarded points to go toward its total score.

EPA National Game Day Recycling Challenge
On Saturday, Oct. 9, WVU is participating in the second annual challenge organized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Participants can earn extra points for their residence hall by volunteering as part of the Mountaineers Recycle Program for the WVU vs. UNLV Football game. Volunteers will distribute recycling bags and encourage recycling in tailgating lots and collect recyclables during the game. Residence halls with the most volunteers will earn extra point toward Ecolympics.

Bicycle Giveaway
The week of Oct. 11-15 at the Student Recreation Center, participants can try to guess the number of recyclables in bags to win a Mountaineer bike.

Online Quiz
On Oct. 20, National Campus Sustainability Day, participants may take an online 15-question quiz based around the theme of “Think Globally, Act Locally.”

Scavenger Hunt
The week of Oct. 25 to 29, this student-only event will have participants in teams of four searching for the Ecolympics logo on campus following clues posted online to get their residence hall points.

To follow Ecolympics activities this month, go online to http://wecan.wvu.edu/

-WVU-

dm/10/1/10

CONTACT: Barbara Angeletti, WVU Recycling Coordinator
304-293-9500, Barbara.Angeletti@mail.wvu.edu

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.