The University of Washington Seattle campus won the education & awareness category in the 2025 Campus Race to Zero Waste Case Study Competition.
UW Recycling led the University's Campus Race to Zero Waste (CRZW) efforts and wrote the supporting case study. The UW has participated in the national competition (previously called RecycleMania) since 2012. 
The winning case study outlined UW Recycling’s efforts to promote sustainability-related campus groups and events. It also detailed how the unit coordinated the 2025 UW Trash Art Contest.
"We're lucky to have many sustainability-minded folks to partner with on our campus, supporting the University’s efforts to reduce waste," said UW Recycling Program Coordinator Hannah Whobrey.
Case studies like the one provided by the UW help colleges and universities share ideas and best practices with one another. One aspect of the CRZW judging criteria was how easily the promotion could be replicated by other institutions.
"The 2025 campus participants are leading the way to foster a culture of environmental awareness and sustainability in their communities," said Stacy Wheeler, president and co-founder of the competition. "Campus innovations and systemic changes to address campus waste diversion and recycling are inspiring."
Read the UW’s winning case study and learn about other universities’ zero waste programs on the Campus Race to Zero Waste website.
UW Recycling provides daily waste and recycling collection for the UW Seattle campus. Their team also serves as contract administrators, education and outreach experts, waste diversion innovators and sustainability enthusiasts for the UW Seattle campus.
About Campus Race to Zero Waste
Campus Race to Zero Waste – formerly known as RecycleMania – is the nation’s premier waste reduction and recycling competition among colleges and universities, managed and governed by RecycleMania, Inc. Campus Race to Zero Waste has been helping campuses minimize waste and improve their recycling efforts since its launch in 2001. In 2025, more than 1.4 million college students and staff across the country participated in the competition to reduce the campus waste footprint.