Categories

Campus Race to Zero Waste offers different levels of participation depending on a school’s goals and ability to track and report weight data.  Review the category options below to determine where you would like to compete.  Schools can compete in as many categories as they would like.

Winners of the national 8 Week Competition and the special categories receive an award in the form of an e-badge to post on their websites and share with their campus community. Winning campuses also receive national recognition through a national press release, email, social media and more.  

Three winners are recognized for each main 8-week category (Zero Waste, Diversion, Food Organics, and Per Capita), based on the Carnegie Classifications for size of campus 1) Small/Very Small, 2) Medium, 3) Large/Very Large.

Watch short tutorial videos for the four main 8-week reporting categories:

  • Zero Waste (coming soon!)
  • Diversion (coming soon!)
  • Food Organics (coming soon!)
  • Per Capita Recycling (coming soon!)

Scroll down to read more details about each competition category - main 8-week reporting categories and one-time reporting special categories. 

8 - Week Reporting Categories - February and March

The main eight-week competition involves four main categories, Diversion, Per Capita, Zero Waste and Food Organics.  Schools can choose to participate in one or all of these categories.  Data is reported and rankings are displayed weekly throughout the eight-week competition.  

Diversion
Recyclables, Food Organics, and Trash weights reported. 

Zero Waste
Recyclables, Food Organics, Trash weights, and Materials for Reuse reported - campus-wide tracking. Campuses will also be required to do one waste audit.
Per Capita Recycling
Recyclable weights reported - Cans/Bottles, Paper & Cardboard (no trash weights). This category is named for Stephen K. Gaski.
Food Organics
Food waste and any organic materials handled alongside total food waste reported. Organics generated in office and campus residential settings and special events can be included in addition to what is collected from dining facilities.

Special Categories: One-Time Reporting Categories

The following categories require reporting only one time at the end of the eight-week competition.  National winners are awarded for each category.

Green Events
Competition based on waste diversion and recycling at events.
GameDay Basketball
Competition based on recycling and waste diversion at a single home basketball game.  
Race to Zero Waste - One Building Challenge
Competition based on comprehensive effort to reduce, reuse and recycle the greatest amount of waste from a single designated building.
Electronics Recycling
Competition based on collection of scrap electronics over one-month period.  
Case Study Competition
Share your best practices in promoting and improving recycling and waste reduction on campus.