Waste Reduction

The Evergreen State College is committed to zero waste by 2020 as specified in our 2007 Updated Strategic Plan and in our Campus Master Plan. The road to zero waste will not be easy – but everyone in our community agrees that the goal of significantly reducing our landfill waste is an effort worth pursuing.

Currently, the facilities department trucks Evergreen’s solid waste to the Hawk’s Prairie Transfer Station in Lacey, WA. From Hawk’s Prairie, it is trucked to Centralia, WA where it is loaded onto a train destined for Goldendale, WA. From Goldendale, Evergreen’s landfill waste is trucked to the Roosevelt Landfill in Klickitat County, WA.

Last year, The Evergreen State College sent nearly 700,000 lbs of solid waste to the landfill. Once at the Roosevelt Landfill, it will take several decades for our solid waste to decompose completely. As it does, it releases methane – a potent greenhouse gas. Through the combination of transportation and decomposition, Evergreen’s solid waste is responsible for about 50 tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year.

On May 22nd, after sorting garbage cans from Red Square, the Greenery, Seminar II, and the Sem II Cafe, the campus waste audit found only 12.5% "garbage." The rest of the waste was either compostable or recyclable!  Read full article... (PDF)

  

  

Food Plus Recycling Program

In Fall Quarter 2008, Evergreen implemented the "Food Plus Recycling Program" in our Campus Activities Building (CAB).  This program will reduce Evergreen's landfill waste through increased composting and recycling.  In the CAB building, you will notice green bins designated for Food Plus Recycling collection.  In these bins you can place all cold cups, coffee cups, plates, knives, spoons, forks, bowls and napkins.  Each of these items are compostable!  It is estimated that Evergreen's landfill waste will be reduced by half through this program.  However, there are a few items which are non-compostable, and therefore, should not be placed in the green Food Plus Recycling bins.  These items include plastic bags, candy wrappers, and bottle lids.  Please take a moment to read the signs and place your waste in the appropriate bin.  This will ensure that this program is a success. Once we demonstrate success in the CAB we will implement Food Plus Recycling campus-wide.

Items that are compostable include:
All Food: Fruits, Vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, shellfish, bones, rice, beans, pasta, bakery items, cheese and eggshells, deli and salad bar foods.

Food Soiled Papers: Waxed Cardboard, pizza boxes, frozen food cartons, napkins, paper towels, paper plates, paper milk/juice cartons, paper cups, tea bags and coffee grounds/filters.

Plants: Floral trimmings, tree trimmings, leaves, grass, brush, weeds and wooden crates

Items that are non-compostable include:
Liquids, grease, oils, plastic or styrofoam, glass, metal, treated/painted wood, coffee cup lids, fruit stickers, straws, foil/plastic juice pouches, cellophane or foil.

Once collected, the compost will be transported to a state-of-the-art facility in Rainer, Washington called Silver Springs Organics.  Recently, Silver Springs Organics was voted 7 out of the 10 best local waste-reduction achievements in 2007 by Thurston County Solid Waste.

Silver Springs Organics is dedicated to:

• Environmental improvement through waste reduction and recycling by diverting organic wastes from landfills and transforming them into a renewable, high-grade compost product;
• Creating good jobs and improving the local economy; and,
• Remaining a steward of the Silver Springs Ranch and preserving it for the enjoyment of future generations.
  
  http://www.silverspringsorganics.com/
  
  

Faculty and Staff Convocation 2008

Convocation 2008 was the largest "green" event in Evergreen's history!  About 340 people gathered for this important community event. Here is a quick follow-up as it relates to sustainability: 

• We had four bins of compost (i.e. food scraps, plates, cups, utensils, napkins).

• We had no glass, no plastic water bottles, and no other recyclable materials.

• We had no landfill waste collected from the food service area - zero!  For comparison, we had about 18 bins of landfill trash at last year’s Convocation. 
• About 85% of the food was locally produced.  Buying local supports our economy, creates and maintains jobs, and builds community partnerships – an all around sustainable practice!

Catering Services, Evergreen's facilities department, Aramark, Thurston County Solid Waste, members of the president's staff, residential and dining services, and everyone who attended deserves a special thank you for making Convocation 2008 a landmark event and a wonderful example of team planning.  

  

E-Waste Recycling

Evergreen now makes it convenient for you to recycle your small electronic waste (better known as e-waste) and plastic wrapping (also known as plastic film).   Simply bring your old cell phones, ink and toner cartridges, compact disks, batteries, audio-visual devices (i.e. iPods and mp3 players) and plastic wrapping to the Evergreen Bookstore and place them in the properly labeled containers.

More detailed information...
E-WASTE
Today, there is a lot of concern about the proper disposal of e-waste. Much of this waste ends up contaminating local landfills or in third world countries where environmental oversight and regulations are lax or nonexistent. The toxic components in electronic devices are having horrible health impacts on people and their water supplies. The e-waste collected at the Bookstore will be periodically picked up by a Seattle-based company called 3R Technology.  It is their mission to properly dispose of these electronics.

Why 3R Technology?
3R Technology is a reputable organization that has been recycling e-waste since 2001. They are distinguished by focusing primarily on the reuse and donation of any items that are still usable. If an item is broken and unusable then 3R Technology breaks down and recycles the metal, plastic, and other component pieces locally (whenever possible). Furthermore, they are voluntary signers of the Basel Action Network Pledge which seeks to ban the export of hazardous waste to developing countries.

3R Technology wipes clean any data on cell phones and other electronic devices before donating them to charitable causes. Nevertheless, it is always a good idea for you to clear any information before disposing of your electronics (especially personal cell phones). 

Also note that ink and toner printer cartridges can usually be mailed directly from your home to the manufacturer.  Additionally, the bookstore has a drop box where you can leave spent cartridges for refilling at a reasonable price. Therefore, please dispose of printer cartridges at the Bookstore as a last resort.

If you have personal computers, TV's, or other large electronic devices or appliances that you need to dispose of visit Thurston County Waste Management for more information.

Plastic Wrapping
The Bookstore also has a bin for plastic wrapping (or film) recycling. After purchase, you can remove the plastic wrap and dispose of it at the Bookstore.  At this time, we do not have enough bins or the human resources to have more locations for recycling plastic wrap.

LeMay Enterprises will pickup and recycle our plastic wrap only if it is:
1) thin enough for you to poke your thumb through
2) you can stretch it (as opposed to it being crinkly)
3) it is clean (no food or other contaminants) Plastic bags are not recyclable through LeMay, please do not put them with the plastic wrap.

More Information on Moving Toward Zero Waste

PODs Project

Each spring, approximately 900 Evergreen students move out of their dorms leaving perfectly reusable items behind. Historically, these items would be destined for the landfill. That began to change in 2004 with the creation of a sustainable “check-out.” Last year, the PODs Project (as it is now called) recovered enough clothing to fill 35 industrial-size laundry machines, 100 pounds of nonperishable food, 200 pounds of cleaning and hygienic supplies and more than 40 pieces of furniture. These items were then delivered to about 10 nonprofit charitable groups in South Sound, including SafePlace, Camp Quixote, Books for Prisoners, Thurston County Food Bank, Rosie’s Place and Habitat for Humanity. Read the article in the Olympian about the PODs Project.

Free Store

In January 2008, the Free Store opened in the Housing Community Center. Items often donated and available for free include clothing, books, CDs, kitchen utensils, shoes and many other items. Everyone in the Evergreen community is familiar with the three R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle) but “reuse” is frequently the one least utilized. The Free Store is helping to change that. Read the article in the Olympian about the Free Store.

“Moving Toward Zero Waste” Student Affairs Annual Pancake Breakfast

The Student Affairs Sustainability Committee, headed by Sharon Goodman, Director of Residential and Dining Services, was asked to take part in the planning of the Annual Pancake Breakfast held on April 17, 2008. When the group began to discuss options for a theme of the event they chose to explore the idea of Zero Waste Dining. The Sustainability Intern with Dining Services, Halli Winstead, and the Sustainability Intern with Residential and Dining Services, Katie Taylor, explored the concept of Zero Waste by meeting with John Pumilio, the Director of Sustainability. Katie and Halli also met with Jay Cortez, Director of Aramark Catering, to identify sources of waste and to discuss creative ways to reduce that waste in as many areas as possible. During that meeting Catering agreed to use China for the event at no cost, Jay also agreed that labor would be at no cost to the event. Katie Taylor worked with conference services to decorate the event room with Sustainability Tips, plant starts and auction materials. Halli coordinated with the Organic Farm to provide compost service for the event.

These efforts resulted in:

• Increased compost and recycling; significantly reduced landfill waste!
• The use of a hot box to hold the pancakes and sausages (instead of sterno or electric sterno chaufer dishes). In order to keep the food hot for participants the catering crew frequently rotated small batches in and out of the hot box.
• The use of China dishes instead of disposable ones.
• The use of newsprint table covers instead of cloth table covers that doubled as medium to write sustainability tips.
• Bulk sugar, ketchup, syrup, cream, half and half, and soy milk rather than small individually packaged items.

During the event:

• Katie Taylor, Halli Winstead and Sharon Goodman each introduced the event. All three talked about different aspects of the planning and coordination of "Moving Toward Zero Waste Dining."
• John Pumilio talked about The Evergreen State College waste stream, the importance of reducing landfill waste and the campus goal to be Zero Waste by 2020.

Post breakfast feedback:

• Numerous catering clients have requested Zero Waste Dining Methods for their catered events.
• Les Purce, President of The Evergreen State College, unofficially requested that all his catered events be done in the "Moving Toward Zero Waste Dining" model.
• Faculty expressed interest in this catering model for future events.
• Numerous event participants commented on job well done!