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Recycling workgroup meeting

Explore the successful university-wide recycling efforts at the University of Connecticut (UConn), including the annual Move-Out Program, Green Game Day, and Waste Audits, to promote sustainability and reduce environmental impact. Discover the results, community partnerships, and future goals for enhancing recycling practices on campus.

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Recycling workgroup meeting

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  1. November 18, 2009 Recycling workgroup meeting

  2. Give & Go Move-Out Program A collaborative, campus-wide effort! • With support from: • Department of Student Activities • The College of Agriculture & Natural Resources • Off Campus Student Services • Central Stores • Facilities Management • Department of Parking and Transportation Services • Willimantic Waste • U-HAUL • Organizing Committee: • Department of Residential Life • Office of Community Outreach • Town of Mansfield • Green Grads • Department of Dining Services • Office of Environmental Policy

  3. Program Overview • Tuesday (5/5) – Friday (5/8): 10 collection sites staffed from 10:00am-5:00pm. • Saturday (5/9) – Sunday (5/10): 4 collection sites were open. • All goods were transported to the Ratcliffe Hicks Arena for storage, sorting, and pick-up and/or delivery.

  4. Results: • Total Collected: 9,000 lbs. • Major categories included: • Furniture: 2,747 lbs. • Appliances: 1,259 lbs. • Area rugs: 1,740 lbs. • Non-perishable foods: 791 lbs. • Clothing & Shoes: 722 lbs. • Assorted linens: 278 lbs.

  5. Community Partners

  6. Green Game Day at Rentschler Field Saturday, September 26. UConn vs. URI

  7. Around the Stadium

  8. Bag Count (Third Quarter) 210 bags x 40 cans per bag (on average) = 8,400 cans 8,400 cans x $.05 = $420.00 This represents only a small fraction of what we stand to capture.

  9. Sustainable Offices Program Currently 13 offices participating in various stages

  10. Waste Audits 2009 What is the UConn community really recycling?

  11. Past Audits • 2005: UConn hired Haley & Aldrich to conduct waste audits of three on-campus buildings: • North Dining Hall • W.B. Young Building • Hale Dormitory • Led to a set of recommendations which served as the basis for recent infrastructural improvements

  12. 2009 Audits: Goals • Use these audits as a tool to examine our current recycling program • Measure its effectiveness • Make suggestions for improvements • Use the audits as PR • Make a sign to put up while we’re elbow-deep in trash to publicize what we’re doing and why we’re doing it (inspired by the confused looks we got at our first audit)

  13. Audit Locations • Library – already complete! • Academic Buildings (Arjona, Young) • Research Buildings (MSB, BSP) • Office Buildings (CUE, Wilbur Cross) • Gym • Residence Hall/Apartment Buildings: already being audited on a more informal scale by EcoHouse, so we will use their observations to make suggestions

  14. General Procedure • Get permission to do the audit!! • Locate central garbage drop • Pull out representative number of bags (1/3-1/2 of large dumpster) • Sort waste into categories • Weigh/record each category • Count # of recyclables per category to quantify significant trends (e.g. # plastic bottles, # hot beverage sleeves)

  15. Categories of waste • Fiber/Mixed Paper • Metal (aluminum cans, other metals) • Plastics (bottles, bags, other plastics) • Compost • E-waste • Reusable materials (e.g. clothing, office supplies, unopened food) • Non-recyclables/trash

  16. Reporting Results • Percent of waste stream that was recyclable • Develop set of recommendations specific to each building • Calculate potential reductions in our GHG emissions from proper recycling

  17. Our First Audit: Homer Babbidge Library • Monday, Nov 9, 2009, 2-3:30pm, Loading zone at the back of the library (high foot traffic) • Audited about 10 large trash bags

  18. Newspapers and Plastic Drink Bottles!! Cardboard drink sleeves!!

  19. The Co-Op Cares Bag Program • “Wooden nickel” program • 100,000 bags saved to date • $3200.00 donated to various charities • Has served as a model for other college bookstores • Possibilities for expansion across campus?

  20. Expansion of E-Waste Collection • Collection now available in all residential areas across campus! • Mainly in mailrooms and Hall Directors’ offices • Monthly collection by OEP interns • Reimbursement from Think Recycle for selected materials • Cell phones • Inkjet Cartridges • Laser Cartridges

  21. Outdoor Recycling Bin Grant • Worked with Dr. Narasimhan Srinivasan (Marketing) to write a grant for $4000 towards new outdoor recycling bins • “Fulbright Canada Eco-Leadership Program” grant for former Fulbright scholars • Still waiting to hear back!

  22. Discussion: • Implications of availability of single stream recycling • University Catering does not currently provide recycling at events. Can we change this? • Other?

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