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.
Featured Resources
New Resources
Achieving Campus Waste Goals by Leveraging Diverse Stakeholders on and off Campus
- University of Massachusetts Lowell (MA)
- Casella (VT)
UMass Lowell recently underwent a competitive bid process and the university was able to bring a diverse set of stakeholders to the table to ensure we were able to achieve ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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The Zero Waste Challenge: Utilizing Athletic Events to Pave the Way
- Eastern Washington University (WA)
- University of Denver (CO)
Zero Waste is not only an attainable goal but it is also an environmental and social responsibility of institutions of higher education. Utilizing studies in Zero Waste operations from two ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Working Together Towards Zero Waste
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
This is a meetup for all students, staff, companies, and professionals that are working on campus Zero Waste efforts. Whether you're helping your campus achieve Zero Waste goals, or ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Campus Energy Savings S.P.A.R.K. a Student-Led Recycling Revolution
- Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (PA)
- NORESCO (NC)
Over the past decade, Kutztown University in Pennsylvania has continually worked to retrofit and upgrade campus buildings and services to make them more energy efficient with the help of NORESCO ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Hall Move out, With a Twist.
- University of Arizona (AZ)
This session will review the University of Arizona's Hall Move-Out project. Project goals are to collect sellable goods from students moving out of residence halls and hold a rummage ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Using Compost to Seek Green Justice Beyond the Campus
- University of Arizona (AZ)
The University of Arizona Compost Cats is an organization that works to divert organic waste from landfills and converts it into valuable soil amendment for Southern Arizona's arid soils ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Beyond Waste Diversion: Advancing Sustainable Materials Management at Emory
- Emory University (GA)
- Cascadia Consulting Group, Inc. (WA)
Emory University's Sustainability Vision calls for aggressive waste minimization, including 95% diversion from landfills by 2025. Further, Emory is committed to the highest and best use of materials, innovation ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Compost and Collaboration: Reaching Zero Waste at UCI in Dining Commons and Residence Halls
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
- Aramark (PA)
The University of California system and UC Irvine have committed to reaching Zero Waste, or 95% diversion from landfill by 2020. In 2016, UCI reached 83% diversion, the highest rate ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Engaging Partners in Source Reduction
- Aramark (PA)
40% of food produced in the U.S. is lost or wasted each year (FAO, 2014). Through data capture, staff training and guest education, University of California, Irvine (UCI) Hospitality ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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How to Expand a Recycling Program for Future Years
- University of Nevada Las Vegas (NV)
With a barren desert, no political will to implement policy nor financial incentive to push Nevadans to recycle, recycling in Nevada is virtually nonexistent. Currently, due to low landfill tipping ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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The Drivers Behind Edible Food Recovery Programs at Institutions of Higher Education
- Messiah University (PA)
Of the blemishes on the American food system, food waste is one of those paradoxical issues that somehow exists in the midst of a well-documented environmental and food security crisis ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Instituting Plastic Wrap Recycling in a University Setting: A Case Study
- Medical University of South Carolina (SC)
Since its creation in 1995, the MUSC Recycling Department has grown into a massive operation serving the recycling needs of over 14,000 FTE employees in 131 buildings including confidential ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Green Labs at The University of Texas at Austin
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
The Office of Sustainability's Green Labs program at The University of Texas at Austin is a student-led initiative that serves as a resource to help researchers run a more ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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The Lending Library: Addressing Textbook Affordability and Reducing Waste
- Connecticut College (CT)
As college textbook prices continue to rise, access to the resources needed to succeed in a course has become a social justice issue. The Lending Library, which was started in ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Peruse the Used; Campus Thrift Shop and Move out Program
- Western Colorado University (CO)
At the beginning of the year students come to campus with carloads of excessive 'must have' college products. These items often have a short lifespan with their student as space ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Sustainable Campus Competition LIVE!: How $50,000 Created a Replicable Model for Citywide Composting
- Butler University (IN)
- Indiana University Indianapolis (IN)
At the 2016 AASHE Conference, IUPUI and Butler University were awarded $50,000 as part of the Sustainable Campus Competition LIVE!, a collaboration between AASHE and Kimberly Clark. Because both ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Oscar is grouchy for a reason! Campus recycling behavior research and action
- Colorado Mountain College (CO)
Presents findings from phase one of a multi-phase study on recycling behavior at Colorado Mountain College. Findings are based on surveys of trash and recycling bin contents completed in spring ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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The Solo Cup Challenge: Waste Less, Raise More
- University of North Carolina, Charlotte (NC)
- GreeniPhi (VA)
Trash shouldn't be Greek Life's legacy. It's estimated that sororities and fraternities purchase nearly a billion red plastic cups per academic year. A majority of these cups ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Best Practices for Minimizing Waste on College and University Campuses
- Johnson County Community College (KS)
- Texas State University, San Marcos (TX)
- Staples Business Advantage (MA)
With institutions scoring an average score of 1 point in waste reduction and diversion, there is tremendous room for improvement and institutions across the country are looking for ways to ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Galvanizing Student Power for Intersectional Sustainability Efforts
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
A diversity of perspectives leads to more effective problem-solving. So when we talk about Zero Waste on college campuses, how do we bring different perspectives to the decision-making table? It ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Beyond Diversion - Finding Better Tools to Measure Zero Waste
- Post-Landfill Action Network (NH)
While diversion has been the go-to metric for evaluating waste reduction efforts, it skips over several levels of the waste reduction hierarchy. We end up prioritizing our recycling and composting ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Expanding the Horizons of Campus Recycling: Addressing Expanded Polystyrene Waste at Three Institutions of Higher Education
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
- Washington University in St. Louis (MO)
College and university campuses strive to minimize waste and promote thoughtful disposal practices among campus residents. However, one material that presents unique challenges to sustainably manage is expanded polystyrene (EPS ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Refillable water bottles, reusable bags, and bicycle lights: Is sustainability swag sustainable?
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
When students arrive on your campus, perhaps they find a refillable water bottle in their residence hall room. Or at new student orientation, perhaps they receive a reusable bag with ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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RecycleMania's Race to Zero Waste
- Brigham Young University (UT)
- Keep America Beautiful (CT)
- Aquinas College (MI)
A review of participation and analysis of data from the first full year of RecycleMania's Race to Zero Waste. In it's first year as a formal competition category ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Jumping Through Hoops for Zero-Waste
- University of Arizona (AZ)
- University of Denver (CO)
This presentation will guide students in how to work with different levels of administration like Athletics, Facilities, Sodexo, and sports fans. Often as students, it's hard to make connections ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Throwing in the Towel: Lessons Learned from Launching a Paper Towel Compost Program
- Austin Community College (TX)
Waste diversion is a common thread woven throughout Austin Community College District's sustainability goals. With 11 current campus locations and new facilities added continuously, the footprint of the district ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Food Waste Interventions
- Georgia Southern University (GA)
- Portland State University (OR)
- Sodexo USA (MD)
Information will be shared about Portland State's No Scraps Left Behind (NSLB) program at the PSU Dining Hall, the residential compost program, donations to PSU's food pantry, & ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Surplus Assets Deserve to be Reused, Not Discarded
- Colorado State University (CO)
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
- IRN - The Reuse Network (NH)
Every school generates surplus assets, every day. Computers, dorm and classroom furniture, supplies, desks and chairs, bookcases and storage shelves. The list is endless. Sadly, even though they have years ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Comparing Move Out Programs: Sharing Perspectives on Waste Diversion, Campus & Community Collaboration, & Sustainability Goals.
- Colorado State University (CO)
- University of Iowa (IA)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
- Wilfrid Laurier University (ON)
Be part of an interactive discussion where 4 universities share their move out program from the perspectives of Housing, Sustainability, Facilities & Surplus & learn ways to advance sustainability, reuse ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
- Conference Presentations
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Best Practices for Supporting Campus Food Security
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale (IL)
- University of Utah (UT)
Hunger is present on college campuses across the United States. As literature increases, awareness surrounding challenges in supporting severely food insecure college students has become more apparent, as well. This ...
- Posted Dec. 1, 2017
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Oregon State U Reusable Food To Go Containers
- Oregon State University (OR)
Oregon State University has fully transitioned to reusable to go containers, saving over 400,000 disposable containers per year from the landfill.
- Posted Oct. 18, 2017
- Photographs
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Oregon State U Reusable Food To Go Containers
- Oregon State University (OR)
Oregon State University has fully transitioned to reusable to go containers, saving over 400,000 disposable containers per year from the landfill.
- Posted Oct. 14, 2017
- Photographs
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UVM Eco-Reps educate peers about composting
- University of Vermont (VT)
All University of Vermont undergraduates now take at least one sustainability course, and 20 Eco-Reps extend that educational experience by teaching their peers sustainable behaviors as part of daily life ...
- Posted Oct. 14, 2017
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Southern Illinois University water bottle fill stations
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale (IL)
With support from the campus green fund, Southern Illinois University Carbondale recently installed 27 water bottle fill stations in various buildings around campus in efforts to reduce consumption of single-use ...
- Posted Oct. 14, 2017
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Closed Loop Composting at Central Michigan University
- Central Michigan University (MI)
Through its commitment to utilizing organic waste as a valuable resource, Central Michigan University engages in a full-circle, closed system composting program that also promotes economic prosperity. Material from compost ...
- Posted Oct. 12, 2017
- Photographs
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Stanford 2017 Lab Swap Meet
- Stanford University (CA)
Stanford hosts a biannual lab swap meet that invites lab users to donate items no longer needed for their own research and find items of use donated by others.
- Posted Oct. 12, 2017
- Photographs
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NAU - Sustainable Campus Index - Bookstore Bag Pictures
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
Northern Arizona University’s Bookstore (operated by Follett) is the latest concessionaire to stop handing out plastic bags for retail operations, opting instead for a more environmentally friendly paper bag ...
- Posted Oct. 11, 2017
- Photographs
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Sustainability Scholar 2016 - University of Alberta
- University of Alberta (AB)
The Sustainability Scholars program provides University of Alberta graduate students opportunities to work on applied research projects with the City of Edmonton, campus units and other institutions. Successful projects provide ...
- Posted Oct. 10, 2017
- Photographs
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Campus and Community Involvement in Move-Out Programs
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
- Wilfrid Laurier University (ON)
- AASHE (MA)
Classes end and our students vacate the rooms in their residence halls, cleaning up so that other students may become the new occupants. In the process, students discard lots of ...
- Posted Sept. 22, 2017
- Videos & Webinars
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Going Green and Using Less Paper to Print Exams: Student Performance, Completion Time, and Preference
- Providence College (RI)
Two studies measured the impact on student exam performance and exam completion time of strategies aimed to reduce the amount of paper used for printing multiple-choice course exams. Study 1 ...
- Posted Sept. 20, 2017
- Publications
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Solid waste characterization and recycling potential for a university campus
Integrated waste management systems are one of the greatest challenges for sustainable development. For these systems to be successful, the first step is to carry out waste characterization studies. In ...
- Posted Sept. 20, 2017
- Publications
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Greening academia: Use and disposal of mobile phones among university students
- University of Southampton
Mobile phones have relatively short lifecycles and are rapidly seen as obsolete by many users within little over a year. However, the reusability of these devices as well as their ...
- Posted Sept. 20, 2017
- Publications
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University community responses to on-campus resource recycling
- Massey University
In order to gain a better understanding of the attitudes and behaviour of a campus community toward a university concourse-based recycling scheme, a survey of 1400 students and staff, at ...
- Posted Sept. 5, 2017
- Publications
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Community responses to the removal of bottled water on a university campus
Purpose
This paper aimed to examine the impact of the removal of bottled water on the campus community. This paper presents the findings of a survey conducted at the first ...
- Posted Aug. 28, 2017
- Publications
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Impact on Plate Waste of Switching from a Tray to a Trayless Delivery System in a University Dining Hall and Employee Response to the Switch
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
A potential strategy for decreasing food waste in foodservice operations is trayless dining. The objective of this 2010 study was to compare the impact of using a tray vs a ...
- Posted Aug. 18, 2017
- Publications
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Paper Reduction at the University of Washington
- University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
- University of Washington, Bothell (WA)
- University of Washington, Tacoma (WA)
The University of Washington is committed to reducing paper consumption at the university and using paper made from recycled content when necessary. Learn more about why that's important with ...
- Posted Aug. 17, 2017
- Videos & Webinars
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Marine Debris & Plastic Source Reduction Toolkit for Colleges & Universities
- University of California, San Francisco (CA)
- University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)
- University of California, San Diego (CA)
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (DC)
EPA, the Product Stewardship Institute, and the University of California collaborated on this toolkit to help college campuses and other institutions cut their plastic waste and reduce marine debris and ...
- Posted Aug. 17, 2017
- Publications
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Fix It Friday promotional flyer
- Illinois State University (IL)
- Posted Aug. 15, 2017
- Photographs
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University Campus Solid Waste Management: Combining Life Cycle Assessment and Analytical Hierarchy Process
- University of Malaya
This volume provides a comprehensive method for optimizing solid waste management practices and procedures at college and university campuses through the use of cluster analysis to combine Life Cycle Assessment ...
- Posted Aug. 14, 2017
- Publications
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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.