As RecycleMania 2008, the nationwide “friendly competition” among college and university recycling programs to reduce waste and promote recycling on their campuses, races to its April 4 conclusion, Rutgers is on target to turn in more championship performances.

Rutgers remains on pace to defend its 2007 “Gorilla” and “Food Service Organics” titles, according to the latest available statistics. Last year, Rutgers claimed the Gorilla Prize by collecting more than 2.7 million pounds of recyclables, and the Food Service Organics Prize by recycling 71.2 pounds of organic food waste per person on campus.

The university currently is second in the “Per Capita Classic” and third in the “Grand Champion,” “Corrugated Cardboard,” and “Bottles and Cans,” categories. In only its second year of competition, Rutgers finished a close second behind California State University–San Marcos, last year’s Grand Champion.

– Steve Manas