Texas State U Begins Composting in Dining Halls
Texas State University has begun the "Bobcat Blend" program, an initiative that offers closed-loop composting in campus cafeterias. Once the waste has decomposed, it is brought back to help fertilize campus flower beds and green space. The program was developed by a graduate horticulture student.
Temple U Receives EPA's Env'l Achievement Award
The Temple University (PA) Computer Recycling Center has received one of the 2009 Environmental Achievement Awards from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Mid-Atlantic Region. The Center has recycled and rehabbed more than 27,000 computers, monitors, printers, and scanners since its inception in 2003. The Center is funded through income from a Temple policy that requires all Temple faculty and staff to pay a $50 recycling fee every time they purchase a computer through the University.
Bowdoin College Convocation Event Composts 100% of Waste
Bowdoin College (ME) has announced that it composted 100 percent of the trash and food waste at its annual lobster bake that follows Convocation. More than 1,800 guests were served approximately 1,256 lobsters, 78 gallons of Maine fish chowder, and 1,280 ears of corn on the cob. Bowdoin used compostable paper and biodegradable plastic products, eliminated plastic lobster bibs, offered bulk beverages to eliminate bottles, and eliminated individual packages of condiments. Dining staff manned each trash barrel location to make sure material would not be contaminated with non-compostable waste.
Macon State College Uses Materials from Old Buildings for New
Macon State College (GA) has begun demolishing three buildings to make room for its new School of Education. The brick and concrete from the demolished structures will be used in the construction of the new building and the metals will be recycled as scrap. Macon State estimates that the project will recycle approximately 85 to 90 percent of the materials from the old buildings.
SUNY Geneseo Holds Zero-Waste Welcome Picnic
The State University of New York at Geneseo has announced that its annual Welcome Picnic was a zero-waste event this year. Campus Auxiliary Services used compostable cups, plates, silverware, and napkins, and the food-service gloves and garbage bags were biodegradable. After the event, paper and food waste was collected and delivered to the compost pile on campus.
Appalachian State U Holds Yard Sale
Appalachian State University (NC) has completed its annual BIG Sale, a yard sale that sells items donated during move-out to the community and to students. Profits from the event, which totaled over $13,500, were donated to local nonprofits for energy efficiency. The program prevented approximately 52.5 tons of couches, rugs, lamps, shower caddies, and other dorm room items from entering the landfill.
Baylor U, Indiana U Hold Green Move-In
Baylor University (TX) and Indiana University have expanded their recycling efforts for the 2009 move-in. At Baylor, 40 student volunteers from the Entrepreneurship Engaged Learning Group helped to educate and assist parents and incoming students with recycling disposal. Students in residence halls also received an in-room mixed-use recycling box to recycle materials throughout the year. In addition, prior to move-in, students received tips and other information on how to make the move-in process more environmentally friendly. In all, Baylor collected 10.6 tons of recycling during move-in. IU placed giant dumpsters outside residence halls with signs promoting cardboard recycling. The University hoped to surpass the 12 tons of cardboard that was recycled last year. IU also placed compost bins near some dormitories on campus (the compost was used to help the Bloomington City Garden Project) and distributed hand-outs at orientation explaining what can be composted and recycled and the benefits of carrying a reusable water bottle.
Case Western Reserve U Installs Water Purification System
Case Western Reserve University (OH) has installed a water purification system at its Grab It Café to help reduce the need for bottled water on campus. The University estimates that switching to a purification system will eliminate 29,000 water bottles form the waste stream this year. The University has also distributed 1,200 reusable tote bags to incoming students to help reduce the need for plastic bags.
Mississippi State U, Georgia Tech Increase Game Day Recycling
Mississippi State University and Georgia Tech have launched programs that aim to increase recycling during home football games. MSU's "Keep it Clean: Green Gameday, Sustainable Season," developed by the Athletic Department and the University's Environmental Collaborative Office, seeks to encourage Bulldog fans and visitors to recycle aluminum, plastic, and glass and to be responsible for picking up tailgating trash. Georgia Tech has announced plans to expand its Game Day Recycling program, an initiative that started last year. New to the project this year are the "recycling ambassadors" that will work at the gates to help direct visitors to place recyclables in blue bins. The University plans to encourage student organizations to 'adopt-a-game' to help provide the 40 volunteers that will be needed for each football game.
Peninsula College Recycles Building Material
Peninsula College (WA) has begun the process to recycle or reuse approximately 95 percent of the materials from 4 buildings that were deconstructed on campus. A portion of the materials will be used in the construction of the College's new classroom building, which has been designed to meet LEED Silver standards.
San Antonio College Expands Campus Recycling
San Antonio College (TX) has announced plans to expand "GoGreen," the campus wide recycling program. The College will provide all participating buildings with recycling toters, or small recycling bins with wheels, that will be able to handle plastic, paper, glass, and aluminum. In conjunction with the 150 new toters, a compactor and recycling truck will now pick up recycled contents twice a week at participating buildings. Work-study “supervisors” will coordinate with participating GoGreen club officers once the locations of the drop-off toters are known. The program is expected to start this fall.
U Maryland History Department Goes Paperless
The University of Maryland History Department has gone paperless. All course syllabi and other documents will be available exclusively online. The Department has saved an estimated 40,000 sheets since the initiative began this summer.
U Pennsylvania Eliminates Junk Mail
University of Pennsylvania Mail Services has announced that it will no longer accept unsolicited mail from the U.S. Postal Service for redistribution to the college houses. Since 2007, Penn Mail Services has recycled "no value" mail, which is addressed to "occupant" or "resident." From this point forward, however, the U.S. Postal Service will stop delivering the junk mail to the University.
Northwest Missouri State U Introduces Reusable Shopping Bag Prgm
The Northwest Missouri State University Recycling Committee has introduced a cloth shopping bag program in an effort to reduce the volume of paper and plastic shopping bags that end up in landfills. The University plans to give away approximately 15,000 Bearcat-green bags to students, faculty, and staff during the 2009-10 academic year.
U Delaware Expands Recycling
The University of Delaware has expanded its single-stream recycling program to include the entire campus. Blue recycling containers marked with a "single-stream" logo are being placed next to every trash can on campus, in every residence hall, and in each office area. The new bins join the 2,300 that were added last fall when single-stream recycling was launched on the Laird and South campuses.
U Kansas Launches Litter Reduction Campaign
University of Kansas Recycling, the Center for Sustainability, and Facilities Operations and Housekeeping have launched the Campus Litter Reduction Campaign, a pilot program that aims to reduce the amount of trash on campus and to limit extra work for campus housekeeping. The initiative places a newspaper recycling bin, a plastic and aluminum bin, and a trash bin outside of nearly every classroom in three buildings on campus. All of the bins were relocated from other places on campus.
U Pennsylvania Graduation to Feature Recycled-Plastic Caps & Gowns
The University of Pennsylvania has announced that all caps and gowns at the 2010 commencement ceremony will be made of 100 percent, post-consumer, recycled plastic bottles. The fabric will be spun from molten plastic pellets, with an average of 23 bottles needed to make each gown. For every gown purchased, the company producing the outfits will make a contribution to the University's green fund.
Emory U Expands Recycling
Emory University (GA) has expanded its plastics recycling program to accept items with Plastic Identification Codes 1–6. Emory previously accepted only codes one and two.
Coastal Carolina U Expands Recycling Program
Coastal Carolina University (SC) has begun an initiative to expand its recycling efforts. Starting this fall, more recycling will be available in dorm rooms, at football games, and during move-in. Each dorm room will receive a yellow recycling bin and fliers and stickers will be available to inform students what can be recycled. Students will be responsible for collecting recyclable materials from each room.
California State U Monterey Bay Places Bins in Dorm Rooms
California State University, Monterey Bay has purchased 3,100 bright blue recycling bins for residence hall rooms on campus. Each bin comes with a guide that explains what kinds of materials to recycle and a reminder to carry the full bins to the new 6-yard blue recycling dumpsters that will be installed next to each 4-yard green waste dumpster already located near the residence halls. The University funded the purchase with a grant from the California Department of Conservation.
Coastal Carolina U Recycles 700 Mattresses
Coastal Carolina University (SC) has given 700 mattresses that were removed from two campus residence halls to a company that recycles 94 percent of each mattress. The University also recycled the plastic packaging on the mattresses.
North Carolina State U Donates 538,000 Lbs of Dorm Furniture
North Carolina State University has donated 538,000 pounds of dorm room furniture to 18 different local shelters and non-profit groups. The six buildings’ worth of desks, beds, and chests of drawers, and book carols was diverted from going to the landfill.
Suffolk U to Launch Single Stream Recycling Pilot
Suffolk University (MA) has announced plans to launch a single stream recycling pilot in an on-campus residence hall starting in September. Residents and building staff will be able to recycle paper, cardboard, glass, metal, and plastic all in one bin. The University has also set a goal to achieve an average monthly recycling rate of 30 percent at the dormitory.
U Western Ontario Expands Recycling
The University of Western Ontario has begun accepting milk cartons, drink boxes, and plastics with the recycling number four and five in its recycling bins. The University also plans to add new labeling to every recycling bin on campus, with an icon or symbol illustrating acceptable items.
Grand Rapids CC Bookstore Rents Textbooks
Grand Rapids Community College (MI) has announced plans to begin renting textbooks to students starting this fall. GRCC's bookstore provider is testing the rental system at six of its 860 campus stores during the upcoming semester.
Portland State U Composts at Summer Orientation
Portland State University (OR) has announced that it is providing event composting services at its 15 orientation sessions for incoming first year and transfer students. Composting bins, along with student recycling and composting specialists, are located at each Lunch and Resource Fair. PSU collected over 300 pounds of compost and only 100 pounds of trash during the first 2 weeks of orientation.
Emory U (GA) Recycles Electronics
Emory University (GA) has completed its "Electronics Roundup" campaign. Through the campaign, faculty and staff were encouraged to donate institutionally purchased, nonessential electric appliances in order to reduce Emory's overall electricity consumption. Nearly 100 appliances were donated. The campaign is part of Emory's goal to reduce energy use by 25 percent per square foot by 2015 from 2005 levels.
Southern Methodist U Athletics Discontinues Paper Media Guides
Southern Methodist University (TX) Athletics has announced that it will produce only online media guides beginning with the 2009-10 academic year. The paperless production of media guides will help save more than three tons of paper each year. The Athletic Department estimates that it will save close to $100,000 through the new initiative.
Saint Louis U Introduces Single Stream Recycling
Saint Louis University (MO) has begun allowing campus members to recycle plastics and aluminum in the paper recycling bins. The change will affect personal office bins as well as large recycling containers located in public spaces.
U Guam Launches Recycling Initiative
The University of Guam has launched the "Green Initiative," a campus-wide program that aims to collect recyclable aluminum, plastic, cardboard, and shredded paper. The University plans to expand the program to include glass, newspaper, food waste, and used office paper in the future.
Eastern Illinois U to Replace Coal Plant w/ Renewable Energy Ctr
The Eastern Illinois University Board of Trustees has approved the construction of a Renewable Energy Center, which will replace EIU's coal-fired power plant. The new biomass plant will meet EIU’s heating and cooling needs by burning non-treated wood chips obtained as lumber industry by-products. The project is designed to be self-funded by energy savings over a period not to exceed 20 years.
Emory U Begins Pilot Composing Program
Emory University (GA) has begun testing a composting program at its Dobbs University Center (DUC) dining facility. Running for seven weeks, the program will take pre-consumer organic food waste collected at the DUC and haul it to a nearby composting facility. The new initiative is part of the University's goal to divert 65 percent of overall waste and 95 percent of food waste from landfills by 2015.
Florida International U Implements Recycling Program
The Florida International University Student Government Association and University Custodial Services have introduced a new recycling program using bottle-shaped recycling bins for plastic bottles and aluminum cans. The University obtained the bins free of charge from the School of Hospitality Management. The University also received thirty 95-gallon blue bins as part of a new single-stream recycling program.
U Alaska Fairbanks Reuses Unwanted Items
The University of Alaska, Fairbanks hosted a community-wide freecycling event in which students and members of the larger community were encouraged to donate unwanted items. Event attendees were encouraged to take all needed items, free of charge. No selling, bartering, or swapping was permitted. The effort aimed to reduce the amount of items sent to the landfill.
U Vermont Announces Waste Reduction Policy
The University of Vermont has announced a new policy that aims to reduce costs and waste on campus. The University has purchased a six inch high plastic trash can, known as the "mini-bin," for each employee. Under new procedures, custodial staff will no longer empty wastebaskets in individual offices — a task which they do daily now. Instead, faculty and staff will store trash in their mini-bins and dispose of it themselves in a receptacle centrally located near their offices. Employees will also be responsible for carrying their recyclable material such as paper, bottles, and cans to a central bin.
U Wisconsin Madison Begins Composting Initiative
The University of Wisconsin, Madison has launched a project to collect and compost food waste from campus eateries. Organized by We Conserve, a university-wide program that promotes environmental stewardship practices, the project aims to compost more than 400 tons of food waste annually when fully implemented. Food collection reservoirs are set up at two locations on campus, and waste from both sites is taken to a nearby research station run by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences for composting.
Dartmouth College Implements Several Green Dining Initiatives
Dartmouth College (NH) has implemented several new initiatives to make campus dining more sustainable. Among the new initiatives is the new “plate-default” program in the larger dining areas on campus, which means that real plates are used rather than serving items in to-go plastic and paper containers. The campus also implemented tray-less dining at its Sunday all you can eat brunch. In addition, new options on the catering menu offer low-waste event planning and more local food items.
U New Hampshire Supports Composting with New Tractor
The University of New Hampshire has purchased a new tractor and a windrow turner to aerate compost pulp. Purchase of the new equipment resulted from a collaboration with Dining Services, the Office of Sustainability, the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Parents Association.
Duke U Announces Paperless Payroll
Duke University (NC) has announced that starting in July 2009, all university and health system employees will receive electronic direct deposit statements instead of printed statements. Duke has purchased, printed, and manually distributed more than 600,000 paper pay statements in previous years.
Rice U Reuses Office Supplies
Rice University (TX) has held a "freecycling" event in which campus members were able to donate excess or unused office supplies for use in other departments. Items that were not claimed by the end of the event were donated to a charitable organization.
Kansas State U Begins Composting Project
Kansas State University dining facilities has partnered with the K-State student farm to develop a composting program on campus. Food waste in K-State dining halls is now taken to the student farm to be composted.
Maharishi U Mgmt Receives Recycling Grant
Maharishi University of Management (IA) has received a $12,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to support the construction of five more recycling sheds on campus, the construction of mobile recycling stations in the dorms, and an awareness campaign to increase the amount of recycling on campus. The sheds have bins for plastic, clear glass, colored glass, aluminum, white paper, colored paper, newspaper, and glossy paper, as well as an area for cardboard; the mobile stations for dorms will be dollies with recycling bins stacked three high; and the educational campaign will cover the value of recycling.
6 Colleges Test Electronic Book Reader
Case Western Reserve University (OH), Pace University (NY), Princeton University (NJ), Reed College (OR), Arizona State University, and the Darden School at the University of Virginia have partnered with Amazon and major publishers to supply a portion of the student population with the Kindle e-book reader this fall. Case Western has announced plans to give students the large-screen Kindle with textbooks for chemistry, computer science, and a freshman seminar already installed. Case hopes to compare the experiences of students with and without the new device.
Lafayette College Installs Water Refilling Stations
Lafayette College (PA) has installed seven "refilling stations" in high student traffic buildings on campus. The new installations, which work faster than a normal water fountain, aim to promote using reusable water bottles over disposable ones.
St. John's U Pilots Composting Program
St. John's University (NY) has begun a pilot composting program on campus. The University is currently leasing, with the intent to purchase, a large-scale compost tumbler that breaks down food scraps in a manner that passes health safety standards. Earth Club members, with support from the University's team of Sustainability Coordinators, will oversee the operation.
Western State College of Colorado Saves Paper with Printing Quota
The Western State College of Colorado has saved 90,968 sheets of paper through a new print management policy implemented at the beginning of the spring semester. The College implemented a 600 page printing quota in the computer labs for each student and only 1 percent of the student body went over the quota. The goal of the new policy was to raise awareness of unnecessary printing and to reduce the amount of paper waste in campus computer labs.
U Idaho Collects Compost with Bike Trailer
The University of Idaho has begun the Moscow Coffee Compost Project (MoCoPro) in which 15 volunteers collect coffee grounds by bike and trailer from 11 coffee shops located on campus and in the community. In the first nine weeks of the program, volunteers transported more than three tons of coffee grounds to various composting sites around town. The program is free of charge and it completed supported by volunteers.
Colorado State U Begins Single-Stream Recycling
Colorado State University has introduced a single-stream recycling system on campus. The new system accepts aluminum cans, glass, plastic, cardboard, and paper in one bin so that members of the campus community do not have to sort recycling themselves.
Mills College Opens Reused Items Store
Mills College (CA) has opened the Sustainability and Reuse Depot. The Depot allows students, faculty, staff, and members of the local community to donate unwanted items and/or take used items for free. The space is run by Earth CORPS, the student organization that founded the store. At the end of the year, donated items will be given to local charities.
