State College of Florida possibly compressed the record for collecting the most number of plastic bottles with the first load of the morning. But a Guinness World Records authority made it official at 3 p.m. Thursday -- just halfway through a listed eight-hour window.
clapping broke out when Guinness "adjudicator" Kim Partrick offered a long-awaited certificate to the SCF crowd, which thought it had earned the record last Earth Day when it turned in 4,020 pounds of plastic bottles for recycling. This time, Partrick flew in from New York to inspect the weigh-in first-hand, and by mid-afternoon the tally stood at 2,800 pounds.
The final total was 4,980 pounds.
The previous record -- recorded by Washington state elementary schoolchildren in 2008 -- was 657 pounds.
"I'd like to try to make this an yearly district festival and challenge Sarasota County to beat us," said 23-year-old organizer and SCF student Shane Henry. "I think we can do this every year."
Waste Pro, which handled the collection and weighing chores, dumped an flood of plastic garbage shortly after the rivalry began at 11 a.m. District manager Andy Toller said the stash came from schools, businesses and homes.
"Fabulous," he said later as busloads of students and drive-ups deposited swollen bags of empty bottles near his industrial-sized pyramid. "This is a much bigger turnout than last year."
SCF President Lars Heffner credited sophomore Henry for its Earthiest success.
"This was Shane's dream, and he made it happen," Hafner said as he surveyed nearly two dozen eco-minded vendor and exhibitor booths, including one staffed by 2000 Florida State Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke. "He's a young man you'll want to keep your eye on."
Hybrid cars, hydrogen cells, organic herbs and gift bags made from crushed limestone lined the event perimeters and gave patrons plenty of green options to think about.
Waste Pro's Toller credited Henry for pulling the threads together, but the young marketing major deflected the praise.
"None of this would've been possible without the sponsors and the volunteers," Henry said.
clapping broke out when Guinness "adjudicator" Kim Partrick offered a long-awaited certificate to the SCF crowd, which thought it had earned the record last Earth Day when it turned in 4,020 pounds of plastic bottles for recycling. This time, Partrick flew in from New York to inspect the weigh-in first-hand, and by mid-afternoon the tally stood at 2,800 pounds.
The final total was 4,980 pounds.
The previous record -- recorded by Washington state elementary schoolchildren in 2008 -- was 657 pounds.
"I'd like to try to make this an yearly district festival and challenge Sarasota County to beat us," said 23-year-old organizer and SCF student Shane Henry. "I think we can do this every year."
Waste Pro, which handled the collection and weighing chores, dumped an flood of plastic garbage shortly after the rivalry began at 11 a.m. District manager Andy Toller said the stash came from schools, businesses and homes.
"Fabulous," he said later as busloads of students and drive-ups deposited swollen bags of empty bottles near his industrial-sized pyramid. "This is a much bigger turnout than last year."
SCF President Lars Heffner credited sophomore Henry for its Earthiest success.
"This was Shane's dream, and he made it happen," Hafner said as he surveyed nearly two dozen eco-minded vendor and exhibitor booths, including one staffed by 2000 Florida State Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke. "He's a young man you'll want to keep your eye on."
Hybrid cars, hydrogen cells, organic herbs and gift bags made from crushed limestone lined the event perimeters and gave patrons plenty of green options to think about.
Waste Pro's Toller credited Henry for pulling the threads together, but the young marketing major deflected the praise.
"None of this would've been possible without the sponsors and the volunteers," Henry said.
SOURCE:heraldtribune.com
