Kent State University community
members plant a tree on the Kent
Campus to commemorate Arbor Day.

Kent State University faculty, staff and students gathered between residence halls Centennial A and B on April 24 for the annual Tree Planting Ceremony to commemorate Arbor Day and to celebrate the winners of this year’s RecycleMania competition.

More than 460 universities across the U.S. and Canada were invited to practice waste minimization during the eight-week competition. Kent State placed second in the state for recycling 263,354 pounds of material, which is equivalent to keeping 67 cars off the road for a year.

In the residence hall challenge, Engleman Hall received a first-place plaque and a $200 gift to the hall council for the fourth consecutive year. Centennial A and B received “most improved” and a tree in its courtyard.

Melanie Knowles, sustainability manager for Kent State’s Facilities Planning and Operations, says sustainability is encouraged on campus even after the RecycleMania competition.

“There are ways for students on and off campus to save energy,” says Knowles. “Saving energy saves money and the demand for electricity, which reduces air pollution.”

She urges students, faculty and staff to turn lights off and unplug charging devices when not in use. She says some residence halls on campus are already equipped with “smart power strips” that restrict the flow of energy when not in use.

About a dozen students and staff participated in this year’s Tree Planting Ceremony, which marks the conclusion of RecycleMania. At the ceremony, Kent State also was recognized for receiving the Tree Campus USA designation for the sixth consecutive year. Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation acknowledges colleges and universities that show their commitment to environmentalism and sustainability.

Knowles says the three pillars of sustainability are people, planet and prosperity.

“If these things benefit us financially, they’re good for us as individuals in a community, and it helps our planet. There’s no reason not to pick a sustainable solution,” she says.

For more information about RecycleMania, visit www.kent.edu/sustainability/recyclemania.cfm.

For more information about sustainability at Kent State, visit www.kent.edu/sustainability.