PepsiCo Recycling launches Zero Impact Fund

PepsiCo Recycling, Purchase, New York, has announced an expansion to its college and university programs to help fund sustainable initiatives on campuses. Through the new Zero Impact Fund, schools can submit ideas to accomplish their environmental goals, and winning applications could each receive up to $10,000 from PepsiCo.   

“Great ideas can come from anyone, and we want to empower our college partners by giving them the right resources to lead by example,” says Meagan Smith, PepsiCo Recycling program director. “We hope that they’re able to implement small but impactful sustainability initiatives that inspire other universities to do the same.” 

Eligible colleges and universities can submit a proposal for the 2016-2017 school year at PepsiCoRecycling.com by Nov. 1, 2016. A PepsiCo committee will evaluate one proposal per school based on the following criteria:

• environmental impact -- how the proposed project creates a more sustainable campus; 
• economic impact --the environmentally related cost savings; 
• social impact -- how the campus community is engaged and positive behavior change is fostered; 
• desirability, feasibility, longevity -- the demonstrated support of campus leadership and to the extent to which the initiative is scalable; and 
• ingenuit -- how positive sustainability impact will be achieved in a new or innovative way.
  

Schools selected to receive funding from the PepsiCo Recycling Zero Impact Fund will be notified by the week of Nov. 23, 2016, and funding will be provided to initiate projects as early as January 2017, according to PepsiCo.

Since 2010, PepsiCo Recycling has partnered with more than 100 colleges and universities on campus recycling programs and has awarded more than $70,000 to support campus recycling efforts and increase student engagement. In addition to the Zero Impact Fund, PepsiCo Recycling says it offers resources for colleges and universities to reduce waste produced during collegiate athletic events and engage the campus community around sustainability.

For more information on the PepsiCo Recycling Zero Impact Fund, proposal inspiration, rules and questions about eligibility, visit PepsiCoRecycling.com.

The PepsiCo Recycling initiative, introduced on Earth Day 2010, brings innovative recycling solutions to colleges and universities, K-12 schools, gas stations and retail locations across North America with the goal of increasing the U.S. beverage container recycling rate. With programs including college and university container collections and Recycle Rallies, and the help of many strategic partners, students and public citizens alike, PepsiCo says it is on its way to capturing more recyclables and creating a culture of recycling.