The city of Oxford now has bragging rights for its green efforts after winning the grand prize in Butler County's 2008 Recycle to Win competition.

While the Recycle to Win competition was new to Butler County in 2008, Oxford is not new as the county's leader in recycling, taking the 2008 win with a recycling rate of 17.37 percent.

According to city records, Oxford has been the top recycling community of Butler County for the past 10 years.

"The citizens of Oxford historically recycle because we are concerned and have a significant appreciation for the natural environment because we live closer to it then other municipalities," said Greg Rutherford, city councilor and leader of Oxford's Environmental Commission.

Along with receiving first place recognition, Oxford will receive a monetary prize for its recycling efforts.

Rutherford said the prize money will help reimburse Oxford for its green efforts.

"Oxford receives a reimbursement rebate of $22 per ton from the county," Rutherford said. "In 2008, the city recycled 1,015.13 tons of waste, and 22 times 1,015.13 is a lot of money."

Rutherford said Oxford rewards its citizens by adding the prize money to the city's budget. He said he hopes Oxford will use the money for additional education on recycling for the community.

In addition to the prize money, Oxford is receiving a sculpture to extend recycling awareness in the community.

Roscoe Wilson, assistant professor of fine art at Miami University's Hamilton campus, created an 8-foot tall, 4-foot wide sculpture called "Beautiful Consumption," out of recyclable materials for the city of Oxford.

According to Wilson's description of his sculpture, the artist created the sculpture to "represent the dilemma of consumerism and waste in contemporary society." Wilson said he felt it was his duty to bring this dilemma in view of the "public eye with art."

"Beautiful Consumption" was commissioned by the Butler County Recycling and Solid Waste District in 2008 and will be exhibited in Oxford from February 2009 to January 2010.

"It is meant to be a traveling sculpture and will move year to year following the city or township who wins the competition," said David Treleaven, Oxford's Environmental Specialist.

Treleaven said a location for the sculpture has not yet been selected.

"We have yet to make a decision on where to place the sculpture, but discussion is underway," Treleaven said.

Once a decision is reached, Treleaven said Oxford plans to hold a revealing ceremony for the sculpture.

Because of this competition, Butler County boasted an overall increase in recycling countywide. According to the Butler County Recycling and Solid Waste District, an additional 1,000 tons of material was recycled in 2008 compared to 2007.

Rutherford said the competition did not include materials recycled on Miami University's campus.

"If the competition included Miami University then Oxford's recycling rate would be much higher," Rutherford said.