Thu May 10, 2012
Chicago - (May 10, 2012) - Today USAgain, the company that helps divert millions of pounds of clothing and textiles from landfills each year, announces the winners of its annual Earth Month Contest to benefit local schools. The contest is a fun and educational way to raise textile recycling awareness and earn cash for schools.
During the month of April, schools across the country competed to collect textiles in USAgain drop boxes located at their schools. Schools actively spread awareness about current low textile recycling rates and the need to recycle more; 11 million tons of clothing and other textiles are dumped in landfills each year in the United States.
The top three schools in two categories, the most pounds collected overall, and the most pounds collected per student, will be awarded cash prizes of $500, $300 and $250 respectively. All participating schools earned cash for each pound of textiles collected and will be presented with a Certificate of Sustainability from USAgain to honor their commitment to the environment.
The 2012 Winners for Most Pounds Collected Per Student:
The 2012 Winners for Most Pounds Collected Overall:
This year 510 schools across the country participated in the Earth Month Contest. 210,362 pounds of textiles were collected for reuse and recycling, saving 1202 cubic yards in landfill space, and preventing 1,472,534 pounds in CO2 emissions.
"We're proud to support local education through our Earth Month Contest," said Mattias Wallander, CEO of USAgain. "USAgain fundraisers are a great way to educate students and the community about the need for textile recycling and reuse."
For more information, or to host a drop box at your school: http://www.usagain.com/schoolfundraisers
USAgain also offers no-work, no-cost fundraisers and educational field trips at their warehouse locations in 11 states.
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About USAgain:
USAgain, a leader in the textile recycling industry, with corporate headquarters in Chicago, is a for-profit company that recycles and resells unwanted clothing and other textiles. In 2011 alone, the company collected 60 million pounds of discarded clothing. USAgain operates over 10,000 collection bins in seventeen states. The company's mission is to provide consumers with a convenient and eco-friendly option to rid themselves of excess clothing, which are then diverted from landfills. For more information, visit http://www.usagain.com