A nationwide search for a team of student recycling champions aims to help spread the green message at Reading Festival on 24th and 25th August.
The competition, run by Every Can Counts, promises its winners a chance to see behind the scenes at Reading Festival and make a valuable contribution to the event’s environmental efforts.
Entrants had to suggest a bright idea to encourage more festival-goers to do the right thing with their empty drink cans. 
It could be a new way of rewarding recyclers for positive behaviour, a bigger and better way to promote the recycling message, or simply a way of making recycling more appealing.
The ten lucky finalists are Rebecca Smith, Southampton University, Zac Hill, Brighton University, Sydney Fleming-Gale, University of the Arts London, Aliis Kuusik, Edinburgh University, John Kilpatrick, Exeter University, Raggy Munjal, Sheffield University, Edele Gormley, Bournemouth University, Matthew Gardiner, Bucks New University, Miles Zilesnick, Manchester University and Elizabeth Workman, London College of Communication.
The three lucky winners will be chosen in the next couple of weeks.
Their ‘big ideas’ included roll up recycle tents where festival goers have a chance to play fairground games in exchange for empty cans. Another idea, ‘You CAN make this festival last longer’, suggested that festival artists might perform for longer, dependant on how many cans were recycled during the festival.
Diana Caldwell of Every Can Counts, says: “Every entrant was able to demonstrate enthusiasm for and commitment to, leading an environmentally-friendly lifestyle including recycling regularly at home and recycling initiatives on campus. The entries we saw were filled with strong ideas put forward by students who want to lead by example and encourage their peers to recycle their drinks cans.”
“Every can is 100% recyclable and, if recycled, could be back on shelves as another can in just six weeks.”
The winners will see all aspects of the festival’s recycling operation and the waste management team and help run the promotions encouraging festival goers to recycle more. Also they will take part in a training workshop and have the opportunity to write about their experiences in an editorial shared with sustainability industry leaders.
More information: www.everycancounts.co.uk/events/studentrecyclingchampions