The University of Washington has won the Campus Race to Zero Waste 2026 Case Study Competition in the Education and Awareness category.
Campus Race to Zero Waste is a friendly competition and benchmarking tool for college and university recycling programs to promote waste reduction activities to their campus communities.
Each year from February through March, UW Recycling coordinates a campaign during the national Campus Race to Zero Waste competition. This year, UW Recycling submitted a case study on their efforts to connect with campus during the competition. It detailed the waste reduction and reuse events UW Recycling hosted as part of the Campus Race to Zero Waste, including a Mending Fair with Seattle REconomy, tabling to promote reusable to-go items at UW Dining cafes, the Trash Art Contest, and a Husky Goods Free Store Pop-Up. (Photos at the top of the post are of the mending fair and tabling).
The case study detailed how UW Recycling mixed online and in-person events and outreach to connect with the campus community. It provides background on how the events were organized and promoted, along with impact, so other schools interested in hosting similar events will have a framework to start from.