Recycling at UC

UC’s Office of Facilities Management reports that overall recycling at UC in 2014 totaled 2,100.09 tons, an increase in more than 126 tons over 2013.

Those recyclables included:

• Collections of paper, aluminum cans and plastics: 749.97 tonsMetals: 100 tons
• Books: 15.03 tons
• Cardboard: 71.76 tons
• An office paper shredding event to encourage campus recycling: 33.65 tons
• Cooking oil: 6.71 tons
• Televisions: 3.47 tons
• Organic waste: 64.57 tons
  

UC Food Waste Recycling

UC’s Office of Facilities Management reports that 64.57 tons of food waste from UC’s MarketPointe Dining Center was transferred to an off-site composting facility in 2014, including coffee grounds from UC’s campus Starbucks locations.

Kingsgate Marriott Conference Center also recycles all coffee grounds with Facilities Management.

Food waste from UC's CenterCourt Dining Center is part of a

pilot program in the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS)

to convert food waste into solid fuels, biodiesel and other products. A report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations suggests that global food waste is the world's third-largest emitter of greenhouse gasses from landfills. Now, using UC's breakthrough synergistic technology that integrates algae production with anaerobic digestion, researchers are able to almost completely utilize the carbon in food wastes in a renewable manner.

Coffee Refill Programs

UC Food Services reports that as a result of new reusable mug refill programs at its cafes, the use of disposable cups was avoided in more than 1,000 servings of coffee, plus, coffee drinkers who take advantage of the program get their cup of joe in their reusable mug at a discounted price at Java City and campus Starbucks locations.

Sustainability on the Go

Styrofoam takeout boxes at Stadium View Café were replaced with

reusable containers beginning in fall 2013

. As a result, more than 2,000 Stadium View meals in 2014 were served in the environmentally friendly containers.

Bottle savers

UC has four water bottle filling stations on campus to refill reusable water bottles. They’re located at Campus Recreation Center, Tangeman University Center (TUC), UCIT@Langsam Library and on the 800 level of Rhodes Hall.

Trayless Dining

UC’s dining centers were at the forefront of eliminating food trays beginning in fall 2008, to save on wasted food and the massive amounts of water and chemicals used in cleaning food trays. As a result, more than 1.6 million meals were served without trays in 2014, resulting in water and energy savings as well as reduced food waste.

Re*Use Market

UC Sustainability reports that the student-led Re*Use Market continues to grow every year, an initiative for students moving out of campus housing as spring semester comes to a close. As students move out, they can drop off what they don’t want at a large storage unit on Calhoun Street, close to Calhoun Hall and Siddall Hall. Others can look through and take whatever is dropped off. The Re*Use Market accepts nonperishable food items, household items, furniture and clothing. This year’s Re*Use Market will be held from April 22 to May 3. At the end of the week, any remaining items will be donated by UC Sustainability to local charities.

UC Bookstores Report on Efforts to Read an E-Book and Spare a Tree

The growing popularity of digital books is supporting recycling efforts in UC Bookstores. Linda Gindele, regional manager, says UC Bookstores saved a total of 45,766 books from the landfill over the past year. That includes 4,217 digital books, an increase of 176 percent over the previous year. Other units counted were used books (13,145) rental books (22,943) and books that were bought back by the bookstores but sent to wholesalers (5,060 units). UC Bookstores also recently introduced a new program to collect unwanted computers and cellphones.

UC Voluntary Recycling Information

More UC Earth Day News

Duke Energy Foundation Awards UC $250,000 Grant to Study Water Quality

Office of Information Security Hosts Free Campus Shred Event on April 23

UC is Highlighted Among the Princeton Review’s Green Colleges

UC Events Celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day

UC Off Coal, Thanks to Fuel Pellets

From Food Waste to Fuel, CEAS Does Energy Sustainability Better

UC Dining, Aramark Offer Eggs from Cage-Free Hens

Thanks to Energy-Saving Efforts, UC Earns Most Duke Energy Rebates

UC Becomes First American Public University to Sell Green Bonds

Streets Surrounding UC’s Uptown Campus are Getting Brighter

Biology Department Hosts Plant Sale on Campus