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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Closing the Food Loop
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
As a group of student from three different universities and a diverse range of interests, we all noticed that there were many problems with the current food system. To start, …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Closing the Loop: Building a Healthy and Sustainable Campus Food System
- California State University, Northridge (CA)
California State University, Northridge (CSUN) has made remarkable changes to its food landscape in the past few years. Our campus supports and hosts multiple organic food learning gardens as well …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Empowering Student Leaders to Create a Zero Waste Food Court
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
- Aramark (PA)
In order to divert 95% of solid waste from the landfill, UCI Hospitality & Dining (HDS) and Aramark collaborate with Social Ecology Field Study interns, Campus as a Living Lab …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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BYO[Solutions]: Reuse Programs in Campus Dining
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
College campuses are hubs of waste, from plastic bags to disposable food containers and single-use coffee cups. However, universities can use this opportunity to implement waste-reduction programs with the aim …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Renewable Energy for Campus Facilities Services
- Black Hills State University (SD)
Through our case study, we were able to demonstrate that a self-sustaining biodiesel program could be effectively operated on the Black Hills State University campus as well as potentially other …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Greening the Chemistry Research and Teaching Labs: Resources to Increase Safety and Reduce Waste
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
- Beyond Benign (MA)
University and college campuses across the United States are pushing the envelope on greening their campus facilities, operations, and processes. However, despite their disproportionate consumption of resources, laboratories are often …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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A New Resource To Engage Your Chemistry Department In Sustainability
- Beyond Benign (MA)
Despite the underlying fundamental reliance on chemistry innovations for a more sustainable future, undergraduate chemistry teaching laboratories still use traditional experiments that are resource-intensive and employ hazardous reagents. It is …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Mindful Unbuilding: A Zero Waste Campus-Community Adventure
- DePauw University (IN)
What does a university do with a vacant old house that cannot be restored? Ordinarily: bulldoze it and haul it away to a landfill. But what if you were to …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Overcoming Administrative Barriers in Waste Management Projects
- University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)
My project will be primarily covering the barriers that many students face when trying to implement new sustainable projects on their campuses. The focus of my project will be a …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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The Power of Process: Thoughtful Engagement for Successful Projects
- Brown University (RI)
- GreenerU (MA)
You probably know best practices in, say, composting. Maybe you have researched the best compost haulers, how composting food can reduce GHG emissions, and how it saves water and energy. …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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From 'Fix it Fest' to Fix it First: Nurturing a Campus Culture of Reuse
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
Student accessibility to sustainable living resources is an absolute priority at any university. We want students to not only recycle, but also reduce and reuse what they have in order …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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The Intersectionality of the Arts and Environmental Activism
- University of Denver (CO)
At the University of Denver, the Center for Sustainability has established a Zero Waste Program at all sports games, and the average diversion rate of waste from landfill is approximately …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Community-Driven Reuse Initiatives
- Flower City Pickers (NY)
This session will explore examples where waste, whether that is food, electronics, clothing, and more are recovered and either resold or redistributed by creating and leveraging purpose-driven communities. It explores …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Student Oriented Sustainability Projects on a Small Educational Campus
- State University of New York at Canton (NY)
In learning about sustainability practices, students acquire more knowledge through an active process of engagement, by constructing new ideas and working on projects, rather than traditional teaching practices such as …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Using the Campus as a Living Laboratory: The Think 80:20 Recycling Program at Deerfield Academy
- Deerfield Academy (MA)
Many institutions struggle to integrate recycling and organics collections broadly across their campuses. In 2013, Deerfield Academy re-booted its traditional recycling program and began to implement composting out into the …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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#stopsucking: Leveraging Coalitions to Turn #strawlesssummer into an Endless Summer
- College of Charleston (SC)
Approximately 630000 straws are used daily in Charleston, South Carolina. This single-use plastic often finds its way to the environment. Local branches of national organizations such as Surfrider, Lonely Whale, …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Meeting the food waste challenge in higher education
- Montana State University (MT)
Food waste represents a major sustainability challenge with environmental, economic, social and health implications. Institutions of higher education contribute to generating food waste while serving as models in championing sustainability …
- Posted Oct. 23, 2018
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Food Recovery At UIC
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
At the University of Illinois at Chicago's (UIC) dining facilities, there is much food that is prepared but not eaten. It goes to the landfill, but it could be instead …
- Posted Aug. 10, 2018
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Meeting the food waste challenge in higher education
- Montana State University (MT)
Purpose: Food waste represents a major sustainability challenge with environmental, economic, social and health implications. Institutions of higher education contribute to generating food waste while serving as models in championing …
- Posted Aug. 10, 2018
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UConn ECOCoin Program
- University of Connecticut (CT)
In 2017, the University of Connecticut bookstore rolled out its ECOCoin initiative, through which customers are given an ECOCoin each time they forfeit a plastic bag at the register. The …
- Posted July 31, 2018
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Emerson College Food Cam
- Emerson College (MA)
The Emerson College Food Cam is a counter with camera mount that allows members of the campus community to share leftover food with others. Often used by campus catering, donors …
- Posted July 31, 2018
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![BYO[Bag] in use by students](https://storage.googleapis.com/hub-private/cache/d7/8a/d78abdcdc4660cf0bd6e8d97c4ef3818.jpg)
University of Pittsburgh BYO[Bag] Program
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
The University of Pittsburgh BYO[Bag] (Bring Your Own Bag) program launched through Pitt Housing & Dining in 2014 after more than five years of student initiatives to reduce plastic bag …
- Posted July 30, 2018
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University of Dayton Composting Bins
- University of Dayton (OH)
Students in the University of Dayton Hanley Sustainability Institute built two 4’x6’ bins to compost campus food.
- Posted July 30, 2018
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Food Waste Composting Bin Construction
- University of Dayton (OH)
Student leaders in the University of Dayton Hanley Sustainability Institute work with campus Master Carpenter to build two 4’x6’ bins to compost campus food waste.
- Posted July 30, 2018
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Food Waste Composting Bin Construction
- University of Dayton (OH)
Student leaders in the University of Dayton Hanley Sustainability Institute are building two 4’x6’ bins to compost campus food waste.
- Posted July 30, 2018
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Johnson County Community College Green Circle Certification in Cosmetology
- Johnson County Community College (KS)
In February 2017, Johnson County Community College’s Center for Sustainability began to develop a certification protocol for the campus’ cosmetology program to become Green Circle certified. This third-party certification offers …
- Posted July 30, 2018
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University of Dayton Composting and Recycling Bins
- University of Dayton (OH)
The University of Dayton places composting and recycling bins outside dining facilities on campus to encourage composting and recycling and diverting “trash” from landfills.
- Posted July 24, 2018
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University of Dayton Composting Bins
- University of Dayton (OH)
Students in the University of Dayton Hanley Sustainability Institute built two 4’x6’ bins to compost campus food and plastic.
- Posted July 24, 2018
- Photographs
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Reduce the Juice: How to Run a Waste Sprint
- University of London
This communications plan aims to assist universities that are looking to run residence hall sustainability engagement program. It’s designed for running a waste reduction sprint, but could be used as …
- Posted May 30, 2018
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Beyond Diversion: Qualitative Data to Measure Zero Waste Efforts
- Carleton College (MN)
- AASHE (MA)
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
Absence of a streamlined and holistic framework through which to measure and communicate waste reduction efforts has Zero Waste loosely defined among colleges and universities. This issue is aggravated by …
- Posted May 25, 2018
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Project Delta
- University of Texas at El Paso (TX)
- Engineers for a Sustainable World (CO)
Project Delta was created by ESW-UTEP to evaluate and enhance The University of Texas at El Paso's (UTEP's) current recycling system. This project is expected to be finalized by December …
- Posted May 21, 2018
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Creating a Composting Culture at Colorado State University
- Colorado State University (CO)
As Colorado State University (CSU) students, many of us were drawn to this school because of its unique ability to institutionalize sustainability. However, during our time here, we have often …
- Posted May 21, 2018
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Project Juarez
- University of Texas at El Paso (TX)
- Engineers for a Sustainable World (CO)
When our phones are no longer aesthetically pleasing, we tend to either disregard or throw away our phones. The question is why? Essentially, we are throwing away a small computer. …
- Posted May 21, 2018
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Ditch the Disposables
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute (MA)
Ditch the Disposables is a WPI student-run campaign that was started in 2016 to reduce single-use plastic items at WPI. The project began with a reusable container program in the …
- Posted May 21, 2018
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Plastic Entanglements: Ecology, Aesthetics, Materials
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
The exhibition, PLASTIC ENTANGLEMENTS: Ecology, Aesthetics, Materials was on view at Penn State’s Palmer Museum of Art from February 13, 2018 to June 17, 2018 with additional commissioned and NEA-funded …
- Posted May 21, 2018
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Loyola University Chicago Biodiesel Program
- Loyola University Chicago (IL)
The Biodiesel Program, part of the Searle Center for Sustainability Innovations in Loyola’s Institute of Environmental Sustainability, saw its humble beginnings grow from an ingenious student idea to one that …
- Posted May 21, 2018
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The Nova Scotia Community College’s (NSCC) Waste Management Improvement Project
- Nova Scotia Community College (NS)
The project began with waste audits to establish a baseline of NSCC’s waste management practices and to try and improve them. From there it progressed into education efforts at each …
- Posted May 21, 2018
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Stanford R&DE Student Housing Innovation in Cleaning
- Stanford University (CA)
Stanford’s R&DE Student Housing Operations (SHO) adopted a green cleaning standard that has reduced chemical usage in residences by over 90%. The system engineer's water by infusing it with ozone …
- Posted May 21, 2018
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Clean Plates at State: Michigan State University
- Michigan State University (MI)
Michigan State University is continually striving to build a sustainable culture on campus and in the Spartan community. Clean Plates at State helps students and members of our community understand …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Campus-wide Zero Landfill Waste Policy Implementation & Outreach Program - Emory University
- Emory University (GA)
In January 2018, Emory University implemented a completely redesigned waste policy as a leap toward the goal of zero landfill waste (defined nationally as diverting 95% of waste from municipal …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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A Comms Plan for Running a Waste Reduction Engagement in your University
- University of London
Over the last three years at Reduce the Juice we’ve learnt a lot about running successful behaviour change engagements and now want to share what we’ve learnt with the AASHE …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Southern Oregon University Dish Loan Program
- Southern Oregon University (OR)
Southern Oregon University's Ecology and Sustainability Resource Center launched a Dish Loan Program in fall 2017. The Dish Loan Program is a free alternative for campus clubs, organizations, and departments …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Improving office recycling
- Raritan Valley Community College (NJ)
Every semester, the Environmental Science and Sustainability (ENVI201) class studies recycling on campus and comes up with ideas for improvements. Student Deidre Supple had the idea of improving recycling in …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Food Lab Compost Project
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania (PA)
This project aims to reduce food waste produced by the West Chester University Food Lab. First, food scraps from the the Food Lab are collected in a sealed bin. Then, …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Renewable Energy for Campus Facilites Services
- Black Hills State University (SD)
Demonstrating the effectiveness of the use of renewable energy at low costs in campus facilities services vehicles will help Black Hills State University reach its carbon and waste reduction goals. …
- Posted May 17, 2018
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Implementation of a Green Labs Program in Campus Laboratories
- University of Alabama at Birmingham (AL)
UAB Green Labs Program is an institution-wide, voluntary program designed to reduce the university’s carbon output while simultaneously reducing operation costs of research buildings. The program accomplishes its goals by …
- Posted May 11, 2018
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The Razorback Food Recovery
- University of Arkansas (AR)
Food recovery – the practice of preventing surplus foodstuffs from being dumped in the trash – takes numerous forms and provides a variety of social, economic, and environmental benefits. According …
- Posted May 11, 2018
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Adding Recycling into Individual Offices
- South Dakota State University (SD)
2017-2018 has been the year of recycling for South Dakota State University. We looked at recycling levels and determined there was room for improvement. It was determined that availability of …
- Posted May 8, 2018
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Where does it go? Composting at GWU
- George Washington University (DC)
In February 2018, the George Washington University’s Office of Sustainability and Campaign GW embarked upon a new, risk-taking endeavor to expand access to composting and sustainable food waste across its …
- Posted May 8, 2018
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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.