RW News: FAMU Beats Out FSU in First Campus CANpaign Challenge

Florida A&M University beat out Florida State University (FSU) in the first Campus CANpaign competition, part of the City of Tallahassee’s effort to collect and recycle aluminum cans.

FAMU’s total was 154.6 pounds and FSU’s total was 13. Tallahassee Community College chose not to participate.

“Honestly, I wasn’t at all surprised that FAMU won the competition,” said Michelle Williams, program coordinator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Environmental Science Cooperative Program and who also oversaw FAMU’s collection efforts. “I’ve been at FAMU for 11 years, and I know that when we come together for a common cause, we Rattlers will produce awesome results.”

CANpaign 2007 was Tallahassee’s entry into the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Cash for Cans City Recycling Challenge. In a report released by the City of Tallahassee Solid Waste Services, Tallahasseeans are reported to have dropped off more than 4,300 pounds of aluminum cans on collection day October 13 at The Home Depot located on 3200 Capital Circle NE.

According to Anja DeLoach, Tallahassee recycling and special services coordinator, the CANpaign complements the increased curbside collection of recyclables this past year.

The Campus CANpaign Challenge was coordinated at FAMU by the FAMU Green Coalition, a group of faculty, staff, students and community members dedicated to making FAMU a sustainable community. FAMU student organizations were encouraged to collect cans as a fundraiser for their organizations. Groups received 40 cents per pound for cans collected. The group that collected the most cans received double its money.

FAMU’s top collector was the Environmental Sciences Student Organization (ESSO), which collected 53.4 pounds. Members of ESSO and the FAMU Green Coalition spent several hours collecting, weighing and then tossing cans into large dumpsters on collection day.

For its win, FAMU received a traveling trophy fashioned out of aluminum cans and wood. FAMU President James H. Ammons and architecture Professor Beth Lewis, co-chair of the FAMU Green Coalition, accepted the award at the Second Annual Campus and Community Sustainability Conference.

“I am already excited about next year,” Williams said. “Now that we know exactly what needs to be done, I know that we will be keeping the Campus CANpaign trophy in our possession for years to come.”

Photo: Professor Beth Lewis, co-chair of the FAMU Green Coalition, and FAMU President James H. Ammons hold the Campus CANpaign Challenge trophy.