The 2024 Campus Race to Zero Waste competition

February 25 – March 2     Competition Week 5
March 3 – 9     Competition Week 6
March 10 – 16*   Competition Week 7
March 17 – 23   Competition Week 8
*Spring Break  

Important Deadlines:

  • Week 7 ends, Saturday, March 16; Reporting for Week 7 is due on Wednesday, March 20 (end of day); To report for Week 7, go to ReTRAC log-in at https://connect.re-trac.com/login and click on Week 7 report.
  • Week 8 begins Sunday, March 17 through Saturday, March 23; Reporting for Week 8 is due on Wednesday, March 27 (end of day). To report for Week 8, go to ReTRAC log-in at https://connect.re-trac.com/login and click on Week 8 report.
  • Clean-Up Events Category; Reporting is outside ReTRAC; There are three options to report the trash from your clean-up by the end of the reporting period, April 9, 2024:
  • Fill out the online form
  • Download and print the collection form
  • Download the Litterati app from the Apple Store or the Google Play Store, use Join Code: CLEANEARTH
  • Trash collected as part of this category will be counted toward National Wildlife Federation’s Clean Earth Challenge (CEC) campaign. If you are hosting a clean-up before March 23 and would like to participate in this category, please let me know. Your campus can also participate in the CEC for Earth Month (April)!

    NOTE: Reporting for special categories Electronics Recycling, Race to Zero Waste – One Building Challenge, GameDay Basketball and Green Events is due by the end of the review period, April 9, 2024.

    UPCOMING WEBINAR > Mar 19 Webinar: 2024 Case Study Opportunity - Register for Webinar.

For questions: CR2ZW@NWF.ORG


Key Information and Resources:

  • Check out the 2024 calendar for upcoming deadlines. 
  • Quick LinksCheck out key resources and information for Campus Race to Zero Waste 2024 campus participants including the 2024 Scoreboard, downloadable templates, info on volume-to-weight estimates, and more. The 2024 Scoreboard will be updated with real-time report links in time for the beginning of the competition.  
  • Competition Tracking and Reporting Webinar Recording – You can watch all webinar recordings from the fall at this link. If you have any questions about tracking and reporting, please do not hesitate to contact me. 
  • Get a Free Candy Wrapper Recycling Box for Valentine’s Day! Reduce your waste this Valentine’s Day, by recycling candy wrappers through the Trash or Treasure Valentine's Day campaign!💕 Schools, colleges, community organizations & businesses are invited to order a free recycling box. Learn more https://www.rubicon.com/trash-or-treasure/.
  • Feb 20 Webinar: Plastics Reduction Partner Certification Program. This certification program recognizes colleges and universities taking action to reduce single-use plastics on campus. Register for Webinar
  • Feb 27 Webinar: Composting Garden and Landscaping Organics this Spring. Register for Webinar

Check out the 2023 Scoreboard with final results.

A friendly reminder to please complete the 2023 Competition Survey!

Complete the Survey


CR2ZW 2023 Impact Highlights:

  • 3.4 million students, faculty and staff reached
  • 200 colleges and university participants from 44 U.S. states and Canada
  • 29.4 million pounds of waste donated, composted and recycled
  • 205 million single-use plastics kept out of the landfill
  • Participants prevented the release of 29,108 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent into the atmosphere, which is equal to avoiding the annual emissions from 6,128 cars

And CONGRATULATIONS to our winners!

Zero Waste Category

  • Small campus: Macalester College, Minnesota
  • Medium: No campuses named in this category for the 2023 competition
  • Large campus: California State University, Dominguez Hills, California
    • 2nd Place: Kent State University, Ohio

Food Organics Category

  • Small campus: Macalester College, Minnesota
    • 2nd Place: Aquinas College, Michigan
  • Medium campus: Loyola Marymount University, California
    • 2nd Place: Bowling Green State University, Ohio
  • Large campus: Stanford University, California
    • 2nd Place: American University, District of Columbia

Diversion Category

  • Small campus: Macalester College, Minnesota
    • 2nd Place: Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
  • Medium campus: Loyola Marymount University, California
    • 2nd Place: Youngstown State University, Ohio
  • Large campus: University of Ottawa, Canada
    • 2nd Place: University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Per Capita Category

  • Small campus: Neumann University, Pennsylvania
    • 2nd Place: Coe College, Iowa
  • Medium campus: Loyola Marymount University, California
    • 2nd Place: Wilkes University, Pennsylvania
  • Large campus: Boston College, Massachusetts
    • 2nd Place: Stanford University, California

GameDay Basketball

  • Diversion category: The Ohio State University, Ohio
  • Per Capita Recycling category: University of Southern California, California

Race to Zero Waste – One Building challenge

  • Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania

Electronics challenge

  • Per Capita Recycling category: Black Hills State University, South Dakota
  • Total Pounds Recycled category: Rutgers University, New Jersey