"In 1970, just months after that first Earth Day, the Container Corporation of America (CCA), then the biggest manufacturer of corrugated boxes in the U.S. with a reputation for being at the forefront of corporate graphic design, plastered college campuses with posters encouraging aspiring designers to produce a symbol for future use on products made from recycled paper. Said symbol would be a public domain design with a prize of $2,500 and a fellowship to attend the 1970 International Design Conference at Aspen.

"The 500 entries were judged by a team of design experts, including graphic arts legion Saul Bass and the influential IBM designer Eliot Noyes. The winner was a recent graduate of the USC School of Architecture by the name of Gary Anderson." - Kristin Joker

Article: The Story Behind the Symbol