Community’s Help Needed as Penn State Berks Competes to Assist PepsiCo Recycling

First, Second, and Third Place Colleges / Universities Receive Cash Awards

Penn State Berks advanced its recycling efforts in 2014 by teaming up with PepsiCo Recycling to bring added recycling incentives, including a PepsiCo Dream Machine kiosk, to campus. As part of the collaboration, Penn State Berks is competing in PepsiCo?s 2014-15 college recycling challenge, which pits participating colleges and universities against one another in a competition that tracks recycling progress online at PepsiCoRecycling.com.

Currently in fourth place among more than 65 competing colleges and universities, Penn State Berks is asking the entire community?campus, alumni, and greater Berks County?to join in helping us in this endeavor. First, second, and third place winners will receive cash prizes for their institutions. The contest ends on March 30, 2015, and all materials must be run through the machine prior to that date to qualify.

The Dream Machine accepts aluminum cans and plastic PET #1 bottles with labels attached (the PET #1 can be found on the bottom of the plastic bottle and applies to various sizes). The college is asking the external campus community to drop off recyclable materials at the Peiffer Farmhouse on campus, located off Broadcasting Road (Campus Map). The drop-off location will be clearly marked with campus signage. Questions about dropping off items, should be directed to Kathy Ashby, Director of Housing and Food Services, at 610-396-6353. The internal campus community is invited to run their recycling materials through the Dream Machine in Tully?s cafeteria in the Perkins Student Center.

Ashby credits Student Government Vice President Andrew Harakel, who serves as Sustainability Chair for Berks and Housing and Food Services Student Sustainability Liaison, as well as Emilio Figueroa, student Resident Assistant, with being instrumental in spreading the word about the Dream Machine on campus. ?It has been primarily through Andy?s efforts, assisted by Emilio, and their recycling of the materials we capture in Tully?s, that we have achieved our current level of success. Also, thanks to the Resident Assistants who used the recent snow day to promote recycling and brought down materials from the residence halls and ran them through the machine.?

With PepsiCo Recycling in just its fourth year, Penn State Berks is proud to be among the first to introduce this rewarding program that provides students with an easy and convenient way to make a difference by recycling their bottles and cans on the go.

Aside from the inherent benefits of keeping our communities free of beverage can litter and our landfills free of recyclable materials, recycling in a Dream Machine enables students to help support local nonprofit organizations. At Penn State Berks, all the points collected from the material captured at Tully's have been donated to the Nature Conservancy. To date, 10,000 points have been donated, which equates to a $100 donation. The Nature Conservancy is an organization focused on protecting our nation?s waterways.

To learn more about PepsiCo Recycling, please visit https://pepsicorecycling.com/Programs/RecyclingOnCampus.

About PepsiCo Recycling
The PepsiCo Recycling initiative, introduced on Earth Day 2010, brings innovative recycling solutions to colleges and universities, K-12 schools, gas stations and popular retail locations across North America with the goal of increasing the U.S. beverage container recycling rate to 50 percent by 2018. With programs including Dream Machine container collections and Recycle Rallies, and the help of many strategic partners, students, and public citizens alike, PepsiCo is well on its way to achieving its goal. To learn more, please visit PepsiCoRecycling.com.