Melissa Cadwell

April 19, 2016 - 4:57pm
Syracuse has come in 48th place in the eight-week competition which keeps track of the recycling data of 207 schools nationwide.

It started 15 years ago with a friendly competition between two rival Ohio colleges. Both Ohio University and Miami University had similar recycling programs, and both wanted to increase their recycling rates in dining halls and dorms. So the schools’ recycling coordinators decided to motivate students by channeling their competitive spirits — and RecycleMania was born.

“We didn’t know if it would work or not,” said Stacy Wheeler, president and co-founder of the tournament that became RecycleMania. “After the second week, I realized that we had created a monster.”