FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Anti-Trash Costume Bash Features Recyclable Costumes
Competition Encourages Students: Don’t Trash Arizona!
PHOENIX (Oct. 21, 2007) – Arizona State University (ASU) students will be dressing up in some pretty trashy costumes this Halloween. To promote litter-free highways and to spread the message, “Don’t Trash Arizona,” ASU students will compete in an “Anti-Trash Costume Bash” featuring costumes made almost completely from recyclable materials.
The Earth-friendly Halloween event is being organized by the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) in conjunction with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and Arizona State University. During the contest, student entrants will showcase their hand-crafted costumes built from some of the most common recyclable materials found along Valley freeways, such as plastic, cardboard, Styrofoam, and paper. At least 90 percent of each costume must be made from recyclable materials.
The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007, at ASU’s Tempe campus, in the Union Stage Room on the lower level of the Memorial Union. To enter, students must register in advance at www.asu.edu/mu/anti-trash. Students can compete in either an individual or team category. First place winners will take home $500 cash, courtesy of U-Haul International, a corporate partner in the Don’t Trash Arizona campaign.
Representatives from MAG, ADOT, and ASU will serve as judges for the contest. Organizers hope the Anti-Trash Costume Bash will garner student support of Don’t Trash Arizona’s efforts to reduce litter statewide.
“According to a statewide study conducted by MAG and ADOT, an overwhelming majority of residents (80 percent) consider litter along freeways to be a problem in our state,” says MAG Chair James M. Cavanaugh, mayor of Goodyear. “The Anti-Trash Costume Bash is a fun way to encourage students and all motorists to take pride in our beautiful state and to dispose of litter properly, such as by recycling.”
A key reason for taking the message to college students is that the research finds that young adults, especially males aged 18-24, have the highest propensity to litter. Of those who admit to littering, 55 percent have high school diplomas and at least some college or a college degree. Research also reveals that litter offenders are often smokers, buy fast food two times per week, and frequent bars and night clubs.
About 60 percent of all littering is deliberate. Other trash is accidental, with 19 percent of respondents admitting that trash had fallen out of the vehicle they were driving or riding in within the past three months. Despite the fact that littering can cost Arizona drivers a misdemeanor fine of up to $500, 42 percent of respondents reported they are more likely to litter while driving than in any other circumstance.
“Tempe takes great pride in keeping trash off the streets and we are fortunate to have support from partners such as ASU, which is enthusiastic about hosting this event on campus,” says Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman, who serves on the MAG policy committee that addresses litter issues. “Not only is litter ugly, but nationwide there are more than 25,000 accidents and 80 fatalities related to roadway debris each year. Freeway litter damages our economy, degrades our quality of life, and devastates lives when motorists are killed in debris-related accidents,” added Hallman.
Since June 2006, with extra funding from MAG, ADOT has increased the number of crews removing litter on Arizona highways. Approximately 500 bags of trash are removed from Valley freeways every weekday. Each year, 150,000 bags of trash are picked up along the Maricopa County freeway system, at a cost of approximately $3 million. For more information on the Don’t Trash Arizona campaign and the Anti-Trash Costume Bash, visit www.DontTrashAZ.com.
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