Elon's annual waste-reduction competition — the Phoenix Cup — set to begin

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Phoenix Cup: Waste, Elon’s annual waste-reduction competition, will soon begin.

The competition begins Feb. 13 and last through March 3, with participants earning rewards for adopting habits that reduce landfill waste.  

​The competition is open to the entire Elon community, with both individuals and teams encouraged to compete. Participants complete a short survey about the actions they took for each week of the competition. Surveys are posted every Thursday.

“Collectively we can make a noticeable difference in human and environmental health by simply not using disposable items or putting the items we do use in the correct receptacle.” Commented Jessica Bilecki, assistant director for education and outreach.

All participants get a prize for completing the survey, with top prizes such as $100 in Phoenix Cash and T-shirts to be rewarded to those who earn the most points and those who produce the least amount of garbage throughout the competition.

Weekly themes are: Mind the Bin, Reduce Food Waste and Purchase Responsibly. Point and prize details are available at the Phoenix Cup webpage. 

Phoenix Cup-related events include College Coffees, a compost workshop on Feb. 16 from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. in McKinnon Hall and the screening of Waste Land Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. in partnership with the Global Neighborhood Film Series.

The Phoenix Cup is a series of competitions aimed at reducing our collective ecological footprint. The fall competition focuses on energy reduction while the spring competition focuses on landfill waste reduction. There is no ‘away’, and at Elon, everything we put in the trash goes to a landfill. Recycling and compost that have too much trash are also thrown away.