Waste
Introduction
Waste reduction mitigates the need to extract virgin materials from the earth, such as trees and metals. Reducing the generation of waste reduces the flow of waste to incinerators and landfills which produce greenhouse gas emissions, can contaminate air and groundwater supplies, and tend to have disproportionate negative impacts on low-income communities. Source reduction and waste diversion also save institutions costly landfill and hauling service fees. In addition, waste reduction campaigns can engage the entire campus community in contributing to a tangible sustainability goal.
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From Frameworks to Practice: Identifying Sustainable IT Metrics for Higher Ed
- Central Washington University (WA)
- McGill University (QC)
- AASHE (MA)
- HP (CA)
The Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector’s growing carbon footprint and escalating electronic waste pose significant challenges to global sustainability efforts. Recent analyses estimate that ICT now contributes 2.1%–3.9% of global …
- Posted Feb. 4, 2026
- Videos & Webinars
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Think Before You Trash: Implementing Campus Waste Reuse Initiatives at Hood College
- Hood College (MD)
Globally, the average person generates 0.74 kilograms of waste per day, though the spectrum ranges widely from 0.11 to 4.54 kilograms (Kaza et al. 2018). The average college student in …
- Posted Feb. 2, 2026
- Case Studies
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New2U Thrift Store: A Model for Student-Led Circularity and Campus Resilience
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
The New2U Thrift Store is a permanent, student-powered circular economy initiative at the University of Massachusetts Amherst that advances sustainability through year-round reuse, affordability, education, and community development. Launched in …
- Posted Feb. 2, 2026
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Changing Student Behavior through a Circular Economy at the University at Michigan
- University of Michigan (MI)
Both the Lending Library and the FreeStore are housed under Student Life Sustainability under Planet Blue Student Leaders (PBSL). PBSL empowers students to put their values into action through hands-on, …
- Posted Feb. 2, 2026
- Case Studies
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CSUN Move-In & Move-Out Reuse Program: Reducing Waste Through Student-Centered Circularity
- California State University, Northridge (CA)
California State University, Northridge (CSUN) developed the Move-In & Move-Out Reuse Program to reduce landfill waste generated during peak student transition periods while promoting reuse, affordability, and sustainability awareness. The …
- Posted Feb. 2, 2026
- Case Studies
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MSU Culinary Services Staff Eco Ambassadors
- Michigan State University (MI)
The Culinary Services Eco Ambassador Program is innovative in its peer-led, workforce-embedded approach. Rather than relying solely on centralized oversight, Eco Ambassadors are front line staff and supervisors who serve …
- Posted Feb. 2, 2026
- Case Studies
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Lab Swap Shop at the University of Michigan
- University of Michigan (MI)
In June 2024, the Lab Swap Shop opened in a former geology space no longer fit for active research. This reimagined space is a partnership between the Office of Campus …
- Posted Feb. 2, 2026
- Case Studies
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food4VOLS: Establishing a Sustainable Food System
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Culinary Institute (located within the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences, Department of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management) launched the food4VOLS program in August …
- Posted Feb. 2, 2026
- Case Studies
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The ASU Eco Reps Program
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Coca-Cola (GA)
The Arizona State University Eco Reps program is an award-winning, peer-to-peer sustainability communication and engagement initiative that transforms how sustainability is understood, discussed, and practiced across Arizona State University. Led …
- Posted Feb. 2, 2026
- Case Studies
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Matador Move Out: A Collaborative, Closed-Loop Donation Program Supporting Students and Zero Waste
- California State University, Northridge (CA)
Matador Move Out is a collaborative donation and reuse program at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) that transforms the annual student move-out period into an opportunity for environmental stewardship, equity, …
- Posted Feb. 2, 2026
- Case Studies
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Bin There, Done That: Students Leading UVA’s Waste Shift
- University of Virginia (VA)
The Zero Waste Ambassadors (ZWA) at UVA are a cohort of 20-25 undergraduate students who help sort and expand composting around Grounds. Led by the Waste Minimization Student Employees in …
- Posted Feb. 2, 2026
- Case Studies
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The Thrifty Cat: University of Kentucky's First Campus Free Store
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
As a Natural Resources and Environmental Science student at the University of Kentucky, I joined UK Recycling as a student intern through the Sustainability Internship Program (SIP) my junior year. …
- Posted Jan. 27, 2026
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Shared Stewardship: Adopt a Spot at UNC Charlotte
- The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (NC)
In 2009, the Waste Reduction & Recycling office at UNC Charlotte started a campus Adopt a Spot program. In this volunteer-based, student-focused litter removal program, student organizations can “adopt” an …
- Posted Jan. 27, 2026
- Case Studies
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A Greener Way To-Go: Harvard’s Reusable Dining Container Program
- Harvard University (MA)
Harvard College (the undergraduate degree-granting program of Harvard University) has a unique residential system. Virtually all 7,000 undergraduates live on campus for all four years and participate in an undergraduate …
- Posted Jan. 27, 2026
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Returnable Shelves - Promoting Environmental and Social Benefits via Recyclable Waste Diversion
- University of Michigan (MI)
Michigan Dining launched the Returnable Shelves initiative to cut landfill waste and make it easier to access deposit-eligible bottles and cans. The project involved attaching lightweight shelves to existing landfill …
- Posted Jan. 23, 2026
- Case Studies
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Pitt Eats by Chartwells: A Campus‑Driven Approach to Ending Food Insecurity
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
- 412 Food Rescue (PA)
The University of Pittsburgh’s Food Security Lockers innovatively recover surplus food from campus dining and distribute it to food insecure students. Launched in Fall 2023, the University of Pittsburgh’s Food …
- Posted Jan. 23, 2026
- Case Studies
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Seeing Through Raccoon Eyes: How GSU is Using AI Vision Software to Reduce Post-Consumer Food Waste
- Georgia State University (GA)
Georgia State University (GSU) utilizes Raccoon Eyes, a computer-vision food waste auditing tool, to better understand post-consumer food waste patterns and design targeted, data-driven interventions. After a successful pilot in …
- Posted Jan. 22, 2026
- Case Studies
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Prospering Environmental Stewardship at Saint Peter's University
- Saint Peter's University (NJ)
The project includes five sustainability strategies as follows: 1. Campus Kitchen, Food Pantry, Clothes Closet 2. Recycling of University Discards. 3. CURA: (Center for Urban Research in Agriculture) Hydroponics Farm …
- Posted Jan. 21, 2026
- Case Studies
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Give 'N Go Bentley's Move-Out Program
- Bentley University (MA)
- Casella (VT)
Give 'N Go is Bentley University’s campuswide sustainable move-out and reuse program that enables students (and the broader Bentley community) to donate usable goods and “swap” items for free during …
- Posted Jan. 15, 2026
- Case Studies
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15% Discount on CLEANR Filters for AASHE Members
- CLEANR (OH)
AASHE members can receive a 15 percent discount on CLEANR filters. Laundry is a major source of microplastic pollution. CLEANR's filter for washing machines captures over 90% of microplastics before …
- Posted Dec. 16, 2025
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Compostable or Confusing? Unraveling the Complexities of Compostable Products
- World Centric (CA)
As institutions seek to reduce single-use plastics and implement more sustainable procurement practices, compostable products often emerge as a promising solution – but not without confusion.
This session will demystify …
- Posted Oct. 8, 2025
- Conference Presentations
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MGH IHP Career Closet Pop-up
- MGH Institute of Health Professions (MA)
Many health professional students reported the need for business casual clothing, but the cost of these items was prohibitive. The Career Closet Pop-up helps provide students with free professional attire …
- Posted Oct. 8, 2025
- Case Studies
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Problem-Based Learning Approach Facilitating Sustainable Waste Management
- Aalborg Universitet
This work provides inspiration to foster Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in teaching practices related to waste management. Problem-Based Learning is about providing a learning environment where students can work practically and …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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Green university initiatives and undergraduates’ reuse intention for environmental sustainability: The moderating role of environmental values
- City University of Bangladesh
Environmental sustainability is an important issue today. It is harmful to the environment to use single-use cups. Therefore, the research aims to investigate undergraduates' reuse intentions about using reusable drinkware …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
- Publications
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Characterization of food waste in Grizzly Dining Hall at Georgia Gwinnett College: A critical step toward sustainable food waste management
- Georgia Gwinnett College (GA)
- Salt Lake City School District (UT)
This project investigated the generation and characterization of post-service food waste at Georgia Gwinnett College dining hall from Spring 2022 to Spring 2023. In Spring 2022, for three weeks, twice …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
- Publications
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College of the Atlantic_elimination of disposable plastic foodware in retail dining operations
- College of the Atlantic (ME)
College of the Atlantic's reusable to-go ware program eliminates plastic to-go containers from campus dining.
- Posted Aug. 11, 2025
- Photographs
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President Mandel of Williams College signs the Break Free From Plastic Campus Pledge
- Williams College (MA)
President Maud Mandel signs Post Landfill Action Network's Break Free From Plastic Campus Pledge
- Posted Aug. 11, 2025
- Photographs
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Don't Mess with Mansfield: A Community Litter Clean Up
- University of Connecticut (CT)
The University of Connecticut and the Town of Mansfield coordinate two litter clean ups around UConn's flagship campus annually. Attracting over 300 students and dozens of town residents, the events …
- Posted Aug. 11, 2025
- Photographs
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Waste Audit of main library at the University of Maryland
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
Juila Ethan worked with the University Libraries for a year as their first Sustainability Graduate Assistant. She developed strategies to make the libraries more sustainable, including leading a waste audit …
- Posted Aug. 4, 2025
- Photographs
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A culture of reuse at the University of Maryland's annual multi-day arts festival
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
A University of Maryland campus tradition, NextNOW Fest is a signature event in the University of Maryland’s Arts for All initiative, which leverages the combined power of the arts, technology …
- Posted Aug. 4, 2025
- Photographs
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Creating a Campus Closed Loop Zero Waste Approach at Amherst College
- Amherst College (MA)
Reduce and Reuse sit towards the top of the Zero Waste Hierarchy. At Amherst College we have established a series of campus closed loop systems that help reduce the purchase …
- Posted July 22, 2025
- Photographs
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UC San Diego Beach Clean-Up
- University of California San Diego (CA)
In celebration of Earth Day, UC San Diego Environment, Health & Safety organized a series of trash clean-ups to help preserve the beauty of our coastal campus and safeguard its …
- Posted July 14, 2025
- Photographs
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Amherst College - Free Clothing Extravaganza
- Amherst College (MA)
A student holds up a bundle of secondhand clothes they picked out at the Free Clothing Extravaganza, a campus event held just after move-in. The event recirculates over several tons …
- Posted July 14, 2025
- Photographs
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Amherst College - Free Clothing Pop Up
- Amherst College (MA)
Students enjoy a free clothing pop-up outside the Office of Sustainability, featuring gently used items collected from residence halls. The event promotes textile reuse and helps students find what they …
- Posted July 14, 2025
- Photographs
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Amherst College - Restoring Abandoned Bikes
- Amherst College (MA)
A student repairs a previously abandoned bike as part of Amherst College's student-run bike co-op, the Tread Shed. The co-op recovers, restores, and recirculates bikes for community use.
- Posted July 14, 2025
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Recycling plastic bottle initiative at the University of Sharjah, College of Medicine
- University of Sharjah (Sharjah)
The aim of this project was to raise awareness about recycling plastic bottles due to the increased use of plastic bottles - and subsequently, the amount of discarded plastic bottles …
- Posted June 6, 2025
- Case Studies
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Clothing Swap at Penn's LGBT Center
- University of Pennsylvania (PA)
University of Pennsylvania's Environmental Innovations Initiative partnered with the LGBT Center for a clothing swap as part of Earth Day celebrations. Did you know that 100 billion clothing garments are …
- Posted May 5, 2025
- Photographs
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Implementing Recycling-Friendly Infrastructure in Residence Halls
- University of Dayton (OH)
This project was developed as part of the University of Dayton’s Hanley Sustainability Institute Summer Undergraduate Fellowship program and Student Leaders program. HSI was established in 2014 by a gift …
- Posted April 28, 2025
- Case Studies
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Food Recovery Efforts at the University of Dayton
- University of Dayton (OH)
The Food Recovery Network chapter at the University of Dayton helps fight both the issue of hunger and food waste by collecting, transporting, and donating food each week from dining …
- Posted April 28, 2025
- Case Studies
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Spartans Celebrate at the Go Green Go Earth Event
- Michigan State University (MI)
Spartans celebrated Earth Month by attending our annual event celebrating the environment and sustainability. The Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU) in collaboration with the MSU Office hosted sustainability …
- Posted April 28, 2025
- Photographs
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Students and Community Volunteer to Clean Up Local Creek
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)
Celebrated Earth Week hosting a community litter pick up at a local creek.
- Posted April 28, 2025
- Photographs
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Mobilizing Higher-Ed to Combat the Water & Plastic Crises
- Antioch University, Seattle (WA)
- Catawba College (NC)
- The New School (NY)
- AASHE (MA)
- Didomi (MN)
This webinar will explore how higher education institutions can play a transformative role in tackling the global water crisis and reducing single-use plastics on campuses. Using insights from Didomi’s Commitment …
- Posted April 28, 2025
- Videos & Webinars
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Earth Day 2025 at Stellenbosch University
- Stellenbosch University (Western Cape)
Stellenbosch University’s students and staff took to the streets on campus to celebrate Earth Day 2025 with a walk and clean-up on 22 April 2025, committing to this year’s theme …
- Posted April 24, 2025
- Photographs
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Earth Day at Cuyahoga Community College
- Cuyahoga Community College (OH)
Campus events have been pretty slow-going since COVID, but we had a fantastic turnout today. Students received free books and aluminum water bottles after answering climate-related trivia questions. They learned …
- Posted April 22, 2025
- Photographs
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UNC Charlotte Campus Beautification Day
- The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (NC)
The Office of Sustainability and Grounds Department hosted the semi-annual Campus Beautification Day on April 16th. Volunteers planted trees around our Greek Village housing area, and cleaned up litter around …
- Posted April 22, 2025
- Photographs
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Clean up & Climbing Event - Earth Month at IE University
- Instituto de Empresa SL
Earth Day Cleanup & Climbing Event On April 5th, from 10:00 to 12:00, students, staff, and community members came together for a cleanup initiative followed by a climbing activity. The …
- Posted April 17, 2025
- Photographs
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Clean-up Drive
- De La Salle Lipa (BATANGAS)
The Coastal Cleanup drive conducted in San Juan Batangas is one of De La Salle Lipa's long-time initiatives to reduce plastic and other harmful waste that could harm sea turtles …
- Posted April 8, 2025
- Photographs
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Waste Management, Recycling, and Responsible Consumption
- Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
Waste Management, Recycling, and Responsible Consumption
- Posted April 3, 2025
- Photographs
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Solutions Stage - Ecotone Renewables: Building a World Without Waste
- AASHE (MA)
- Ecotone Renewables (PA)
Join us as we introduce Ecotone Renewables and our flagship products, the ZEUS biodigester and Soil Sauce fertilizer. Ecotone Renewables is partnered with higher education institutions in the Northeastern USA …
- Posted Feb. 28, 2025
- Conference Presentations
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.
All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.
OP 18: Waste Minimization & Diversion
- Total waste generated per weighted campus user, performance year
- Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline
- Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator
- Waste-related behavior change initiatives
- Waste auditing efforts
- Website URL - waste minimization and diversion efforts
OP 19: Construction & Demolition Waste Diversion
- Percentage of construction and demolition materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator
- Website URL - construction & demolition waste diversion efforts
OP 20: Hazardous Waste Management
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.