By Kait Murray, Kent Wired
KIC’s Recyclepalooza kicks off Campus Race to Zero Waste with sustainability-themed activities
KIC hosted Recycle Palooza on Feb. 8, where students were able to learn about sustainability, play games and plant seeds to take home.
, Reporter
February 9, 2023
A long line wrapped around the second floor of the Kent Student Center Wednesday evening as students waited to take part in reusing, reducing and recycling at Recyclepalooza.
With about a hundred students coming and going from the KSC Ballroom, Kent Interhall Council, the organizer of the event, gave everyone their own “passport” to travel to the different sustainability-themed booths set up around the room.
All of the booths were set up by campus hall councils or sustainability-oriented organizations.
Some of the activities at the booths included potting plants, painting tote bags, recycling trivia and bottle bowling with different prizes to win.
“I think recycling has a huge presence at Kent State already,” said Caleb Strack, the executive director of KIC. “I mean, recycling containers are within sight almost wherever you are, and I think coming to events like this where recycling is shown as the ‘cool’ thing to do as well as the cool facts about it will make students more inclined to recycle.”
Recyclepalooza is an annual event to kick off the start of the —an eight-week competition to increase campus recycling and minimize waste.
Colleges across the United States and Canada will report the amount of recycling and trash that is collected each week. The colleges will be ranked in different categories based on who recycles the most.
National recognition is awarded to the winning school in each category on the website as well as in a national press release. Kent State placed first in two categories back in 2021.
“I think with COVID and everything, it’s not as often anymore that we can all get together and meet people,” said Anna Berry, intern for the Office of Sustainability. “That’s why I think it’s important that we create events like this and chances for people to meet each other and have fun.”
Many of the students were excited about the possibility of winning sustainable prizes as well as supporting the cause behind the event, including sophomore fashion merchandising major Lauren Nelson.
“I’m here for the tote bags,” Nelson said. “But I’m also really into sustainability.”
Jillian Schrift is a reporter. Contact her at jschrif1@kent.edu.