Since 2008, Moody Bible Institute has participated in RecycleMania, a competitive program that challenges colleges and universities in North America to think environmentally. For last year’s competition, Moody ranked first in the state of Illinois and 80 in the United States and Canada. While this year’s RecycleMania is still in progress, Moody is currently 148 out of the 607 schools participating.

A team of four including Oakley Smith, Custodial Administrator; Spencer Thorpe, senior biblical studies major; Marsha Schulz, junior international ministries major, and Samuel Stalker, freshman music major, are participating on behalf of Moody. The team is responsible for supervising Moody’s recycling system and promoting creation care to the student body.

RecycleMania launched in 2001, and educates students about the benefits of recycling and promotes waste reduction. Each school is responsible for providing a recycling report for the first 10 weeks of the spring semester in order to qualify for the contest. Waste reduction as well as pounds recycled per person are also taken into account. The winning school will be revealed after Spring Recess.

Moody’s team urges students to actively recycle as many materials as possible and limit their amount of garbage. Every dormitory is equipped with a recycle station on each floor, which clearly explains the recycling process. Thorpe stated, “RecycleMania is a competition our community should be excited about. It is a good way to be environmentally conscious.”

Smith has been encouraged by growing student involvement. He explained that if each student begins to preserve, sustain, reuse and recycle, Moody can not only win a rewarding contest, but also bring honor to God by the way it cares for His creation.

Modified Article by Steph Glinski. Courtesy of The Moody Standard, Volume 75:9, March 2, 2010.