JENNIFER GRZESKOWIAK

WHO KNEW COUGARS could be so good at recycling? Students at Cal State San Marcos recently claimed the Grand Champ title of the sixth annual RecycleMania, a 10-week recycling competition for colleges and universities across the country.

Cal State prevailed in the Grand Champ category by achieving a recycling rate of more than 50 percent. The school also won the Targeted Materials — Corrugated Cardboard contest with a hefty 72 pounds of recycled cardboard per person. Aside from recognition, the school received one of RecycleMania's signature quirky trophies, constructed with the assistance of Ohio State's chemistry department shop supervisor.

Meanwhile, in an upset, the Oregon State University Beavers beat out three-time winner Miami University in the Per Capita Classic, the competition's original category, with a total of 91 recycled pounds per person. Point Loma Nazarene University generated 35 pounds of waste person during the 10 weeks to clinch the Waste Minimization honor.

Other areas of competition included targeted materials categories for paper (won by Harvard University), bottles and cans (Rhode Island School of Design), and food service organics (Middlebury College). Altogether, participants recycled an average of 43 pounds of targeted materials per person.

The waste-reduction event began as a competition between Ohio University and Miami University and has grown to include almost 100 schools.