Stetson University will get a boost to its recycling efforts this summer thanks to a grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation. Stetson will receive 24 recycling bins designed specifically for placement at several campus locations, including the new Stetson Cove apartments and the new Athletics Field House.

“Through our partnership with Keep America Beautiful, the Coca-Cola Bin Grant Program supports local community recycling efforts across the United States,” said Lori George Billingsley, vice president of Community Relations for Coca-Cola Refreshments. “We are pleased that these bins being placed on the Stetson campus will provide additional opportunities for people to recycle.”

Recipients were chosen by Keep America Beautiful based on a number of criteria including level of need, recycling experience and the ability of applicants to sustain their program in the future.

“Our students are very environmentally conscious, and if they have a recycling bin available, they will use it,” said Donna Loftus, Stetson’s recycling coordinator. “We appreciate Keep America Beautiful and The Coca-Cola Foundation’s support of this important initiative.”

Stetson has a comprehensive, year-round recycling program led by Loftus, the Department of Facilities Management and the Stetson “Scrappers” – a team of student workers. “With 23 students on board, we made sure the campus was covered in all areas of recycling,” Loftus said.

In the 2011-12 academic year, the university recycled 59,730 pounds of cardboard, 33,600 pounds of plastic, 61,980 pounds of mixed paper products, and 31,360 pounds of metal products, in addition to ink and toner cartridges and electronic equipment. Stetson partners with Habitat for Humanity to donate items such as shelving and furniture that is sold through Habitat for Humanity’s thrift store to benefit affordable housing initiatives in the community.

Stetson participates annually in America Recycles Day and the national RecycleMania competition for colleges. This year, Stetson placed 14^th in the nation (out of 605 schools) in the Grand Champion category. Loftus serves on the national Board of Directors for RecycleMania and also on Stetson’s Environmental Responsibility Council and the committee for a Green Symposium being planned for next school year.

The recycling bins funded by the grant will be about 3 ½ feet tall and will be placed in locations near trash cans. Stetson already has about 300 recycling bins across campus.

“Providing infrastructure for people to recycle on-the-go in our communities is a key component of making recycling a natural thing to do,” said Matthew M. McKenna, president and CEO, Keep America Beautiful. “We are truly grateful for Coca Cola’s support and commitment to recycling, and for its support and commitment of the Bin Grant Program.”

The Bin Grant Program awards recycling bins directly to recipients and leverages volume buying discounts. In its seven years of operation, the Bin Grant Program has placed 29,000 recycling bins in over 500 communities in 48 states and the District of Columbia.  A full list of the spring 2012 Bin Grant recipients and further information about the grant program are available at http://bingrant.org/.