Each year, students from across the country and around the world arrive at Auburn University with different experiences and knowledge about recycling. Because recycling guidelines vary from place to place, many students may be unsure about what can and cannot be recycled on campus. This presents an opportunity to teach students Auburn’s recycling system while helping them develop positive habits that can last beyond their time at the university.
To help bridge that gap, the Waste Reduction and Recycling Department launched the first-ever War Eagle Recycling Challenge. The month-long residence hall competition combined hands-on education with friendly competition to increase recycling awareness and encourage students to Recycle Right.
Residence halls earned weekly points based on contamination audits of their outdoor recycling bins. Incorrect items and trash placed in recycling containers lowered a hall’s score, while educational activities provided opportunities to earn additional points. Halls could earn points through activities such as creating Reduce, Reuse, Recycle-themed bulletin boards, hosting recycling trivia or upcycled craft events, and signing a Recycle Right pledge.
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Bulletin Board in Lane Hall.
Resident Assistants played a key role in the challenge by organizing events and engaging residents throughout the month. Their efforts resulted in six educational bulletin boards, multiple upcycled craft events, a recycling-themed trivia night, and more than 200 pledge signatures.
Students also had opportunities to earn points through two separate volunteer activities. One opportunity was with the Waste Reduction and Recycling Department, where participants received a behind-the-scenes look at Auburn’s recycling efforts. The second supported the AUmazing Race, with volunteers coordinated by the Office of Sustainability.
At the conclusion of the competition, Resident Assistants who hosted events received prizes ranging from a Buff City Soap laundry detergent basket to a football signed by Head Coach Alex Golesh. Oak Hall, located in the Village, earned first place with 65 points. As a reward for their outstanding effort, Oak Hall residents and staff will receive complimentary beverages from a local coffee and tea truck. Lane Hall, located in the Quad, finished in second place with 31 points and will celebrate with a pizza party.
Resident Assistant, Juliana Peralta, scored a signed football for her efforts during the challenge.
The success of the War Eagle Recycling Challenge would not have been possible without the support of campus and community partners. The Waste Reduction and Recycling Department is especially grateful to the Resident Assistants who dedicated their time to planning events, creating educational displays, and engaging residents throughout the competition.
The department also thanks the Office of Sustainability for partnering on volunteer opportunities and sustainability initiatives and Auburn University Housing for supporting the program and providing opportunities to connect residents with recycling education.
Special thanks also go to sponsors AU Bookstore, AU Parking Services, Auburn Oil Booksellers, Buff City Soap, Coca-Cola, Grainger, and Waste Management for providing prizes and incentives that helped make participation fun and rewarding.
Together, these efforts helped turn recycling education into an engaging campus experience while encouraging Auburn students to build habits that can make a difference long after the competition ends.
GET CONNECTED
Email aureuse@auburn.edu
Web auburn.edu/recycling
Instagram @au_recycles
Facebook auburnuniversityrecycles
X @AU_Recycles
Written by Cassidy Hartog, Specialist for the Waste Reduction and Recycling Department
