Campus Race to Zero Waste (CRZW) starts again at the University of Washington! For the thirteenth year, the UW will participate in the friendly recycling, composting and waste reduction competition between colleges and universities.
CRZW runs February 2 to March 29, 2025. UW Recycling is organizing and promoting activities focused on waste reduction as part of the competition. Here are some ways you can participate:
SEED Tabling • February 4 & 5
SEED, the student organization focused on sustainability in residence halls, is tabling in the dining halls to talk about compost. They will also provide in-room compost bins to residents that are interested.
- Center Table - February 4 from 6 - 7:30 p.m.
- Local Point - February 5 from 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Trivia Week • February 10 – 14
UW Recycling is hosting a trivia week on their Instagram February 10-14. A waste question will post to the account’s story every day for participants to answer. One person with the correct answer each day will be randomly selected to receive a giveaway!
Trash Art Contest • February 12 – March 28
The annual UW Trash Art Contest is back for a sixth year. Students, staff and faculty can create art pieces from items normally thought of as trash or literary pieces about waste.
Contest categories include: 2D art, 3D art, textile art and literature. Winners will receive $100 or $50 e-gift cards. The contest opens February 12 and closes March 28, 2025. Winning pieces will be displayed in an exhibit in Odegaard Undergraduate Library in April.
Check out submissions from previous years!
HuES - Fast Fashion Meeting • February 13
Huskies for Equitable Sustainability (HuES) will be discussing fast fashion at their February meeting. Contact Emily Adams at emiadams@uw.edu for the time and location if you're a student who'd like to join this month's meeting.
HFS Waste Sort Event • March 6
The Housing & Food Services (HFS) Sustainability Committee is hosting a waste sort event on March 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m in the Oak Hall Denny Room.
Students and staff can put on the provided protective equipment and sort through real waste from the UW! Participants will learn more about campus waste firsthand.
Learn about recycling with Recology
(Open to HFS residents only)
The UW’s recycling vendor, Recology, will be tabling in residence halls in February and March. Stop by, grab some candy and learn more about waste in your residence hall!
- Cedar Apartments East Lobby February 4 from 2:15 - 4 p.m.
- Terry Hall Lobby February 5 from 12:15 - 3 p.m.
- Willow Hall Lobby February 12 from 12:15 - 3 p.m.
- Mercer Court Waste Chutes February 18 from 2:15 - 4 p.m.
- Oak Hall Lobby February 19 from 12:15 - 3 p.m.
- Maple Hall Lobby February 25 from 2:15 – 4 p.m.
- Terry Hall Lobby February 26 from 12:15 - 3 p.m.
- Lander Hall Desk March 4 from 2:15 – 4 pm.
- Elm Hall Lobby March 5 from 12:15 – 3 p.m.
If you have questions about any of the CRZW the events, you can contact recycle@uw.edu.
Learn more ways to reduce and reuse on campus
- Zero Waste & Reuse Programs at the UW
- Online waste trainings:
- Waste 101 (students)
- Intro to recycling & waste diversion at UW Seattle (staff & faculty)