UT's Make Orange Green campaign is encouraging students and faculty to participate in RecycleMania 2008 and the Make Orange Green Challenge, which have been specifically paired to coincide.

RecycleMania is a national competition involving more than 400 schools across the country. It aims to see who can motivate their campus to recycle the most. In 2006, UT won all the RecycleMania categories in the SEC except the containers category. UT is disadvantaged in this category because it does not recycle glass, the heaviest container material. 

"If we were doing glass, I think we would probably sweep all the categories," Sarah Surak, recycling coordinator at UT, said.

RecycleMania began on Sunday, Jan. 27, and the initial rankings will be posted Friday, Feb. 8.  

To participate, students and faculty simply have to recycle anywhere on campus, such as the gray bins located in most campus buildings or the blue bins located in residence halls. Every Starbucks cup and newspaper will add up to help UT earn higher totals. The more recycling the better, because despite past success, winning the categories in 2008 may prove more challenging.

"This year we're going to have some competition," Surak said. "Other SEC schools are finally starting to move in the way of recycling."

The Make Orange Green Challenge is a competition between residence halls to see who can recycle the most. To participate, simply recycle any paper or plastic material using the bins in each hall. The residence hall with the most participation in energy conservation and recycling will win a cookout at the end of the semester.