Creating a Zero Waste Path for Higher Education
 Campus communities have been leading the charge for renewable energy, green building and carbon offsets for years. Now, the nation’s 4,000 colleges and universities represent a tremendous opportunity to advance Zero Waste, and CU and Eco-Cycle are teaming up to provide the guiding principles.
One of the main obstacles so far to reaching Zero Waste has been the absence of a clear definition, set of principles or guide that lays out the path for what it means to be a Zero Waste campus. Without these, the term and mission of Zero Waste can be misunderstood, and sometimes misused, by schools trying to become more environmentally sustainable.
Enter a team of CU student recyclers led by Jack DeBell, a 25-year veteran of CU’s award-winning recycling program, and Eric Lombardi, Executive Director of Eco-Cycle and one of the world’s leading Zero Waste experts. Together with the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), they are working to create a definitive set of global Zero Waste policies that can guide and evaluate programs established by institutes of higher education.
Lombardi and DeBell will facilitate a Zero Waste session at AASHE’s October 2010 conference in Denver to help refine aspects of Zero Waste, while considering the unique challenges and opportunities on college campuses. This session will be shared on AASHE’s discussion forum with the goal of creating a set of unifying principles by the end of the year. To stay informed and participate in this ongoing discussion, visit www.aashe.org/forums/operations/waste.
One of the key principles the group is working on is defining a Zero Waste school as one that diverts 90% or more of the campus waste stream from the landfill (or incinerator) through waste reduction, reuse, recycling and composting. Though this may seem a lofty goal, it is the constant push to decrease consumption and increase recovery over time that gets schools to Zero Waste, or darn near. Two online reporting sites have been created to accurately record and report schools’ progress: EPA’s WasteWise program and AASHE’s STARS project.
Another key Zero Waste principle for universities is using environmental purchasing to reduce not only what gets thrown away, but also the total amount of materials used by the campus. CU is among a growing number of schools trying to drive down consumption. For instance, the university recently launched Al’s Exchangeables, a program that offers students reusable to-go boxes for dining halls that can be exchanged throughout the semester.
Also in production is a student-led project at CU that will create a set of curriculum materials such as fact sheets, a glossary of Zero Waste terms, research resources, career placement services and sponsorship opportunities. To help contribute to this body of knowledge, contact Jack DeBell, Development Director for CU Recycling.
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