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Printer-Friendly ModeProjects decrease campus’ carbon footprint
October 12, 2009 —
You have an empty bottle in hand and you’re going to get rid of it. But where exactly do you plan on sending it?
Every day, students make decisions about what they do with what they’re finished using. But conservationists at the University have taken efforts to decrease the size of SVSU’s carbon footprint, including increased recycling and a program to use food waste.
Josh Webb, purchasing manager of the SVSU Office of Business Services, said awareness wasn’t just an option.
“We need to educate with regard to the merits of reusable containers in an effort to reduce waste,” he said, “as well as other methods to reduce waste.”
In its attempt to help, the business office installed 40 sets of indoor recycling containers around campus. The bins’ use increased immediately. Staff members have plans to add containers in housing to encourage more students to take part.
The SVSU recycling program started in 2004 with seven outdoor bins and has since expanded to 25 outdoor and 50 indoor containers. When the program began, the average amount recycled in a year was 7,000 pounds of materials. By the final months of 2008, four years later, Cardinal students were recycling more than 18,000 pounds.
In addition this year, more items are recyclable at SVSU. As of August, plastic recycling had expanded to include plastics labeled numbers 1 through 5 and 7, while the local community recycling center still only offers numbers 1 and 2 collection for residents.
But fixing some problems hasn’t proven to be so clean. In 2007, SVSU’s Dining Services analyzed its trash output and found that, on average, it disposes of about 300 pounds of food daily.
SVSU’s science departments teamed up with the on-campus environmentalist group, the Green Cardinal Initiative. They began a program to use worms to create organic fertilizer from leftovers.
The worms, known as red wigglers, live in large bins inside SVSU greenhouses. Food — anything from fruits and vegetables to used coffee grounds — is carried in buckets to these bins and spread among the dirt. Through a process known as vermicomposting, the worms then eat the food waste and produce a solid called vermicast, a nutrient-rich component of healthy soil. Another product is “worm tea,” an organic liquid fertilizer that can be used to grow plants in the greenhouse.
Since late July, the project has saved more than 15,000 pounds in food waste.
All is part of the process in stepping up the conservation effort. Many students said they see the importance in recycling.
The American Resource Management urges users to not contaminate the bins with food or other non-recyclable materials. Keeping these clean prevents recycled material from being ruined and increases the result of recycling efforts.
To learn more about conservation efforts on campus, visit the Green Cardinal Web site.