The University has a long-standing ethic of waste reduction and recycling – from the smallest aluminum can to the largest building. In the 2014-15 fiscal year, more than 577 tons of campus waste was recycled and that number is expected to grow. The Facilities Management staff conducts a campus wide waste audit each semester to discover how to improve waste recycling methods.
Residence Halls
Inside the residence halls, recycling is also a priority. Shower curtains, carpet and furniture are made of recycled materials. And at the end of each semester, students are urged to donate or recycle their personal items instead of throwing them away. Other materials recycled on campus include:
Mixed paper
Commingled glass
Plastic bottles and aluminum
Mixed metals
Electronics
Cardboard
Packing materials
Prep food waste from dining hall
Cooking oil and grease
Batteries
Tires
Light bulbs
Motor oil
All grounds maintenance waste
Brown Dining Hall
The University Dining Hall responded to the campus’ desires for better waste management as well. In 2009, the Dining Hall went “trayless,” cutting down on washing and saving more than 71,000 gallons of water per year. In addition, because students fill their plates instead of trays, less food is wasted.
The Dining Hall offers a reusable, recyclable “eco-clamshell.” With a small deposit, students, faculty and staff can obtain one of these light-weight plastic to-go boxes. Customers bring their eco-clamshells to the Dining Hall when they want to take a meal out, and exchange it each time for a clean, sanitized box. About 1,600 eco-clamshells are in circulation on campus, saving some 10,000 pounds of paper take-out boxes from the landfill per year.