SustainaBLOG

By Rob Andrejewski, Director of Sustainability 

Photo credit: Jessica Crouse

On a beautiful early October day just before fall break, a group of 17 students from Associate Professor Mary Finley-Brook’s Geography 210 class stood somewhat nervously in the parking lot outside of Spider Cottage. Ahead of them stood the valuable, though perhaps unenviable, task of auditing UR’s waste stream.

Donning bright white Tyvek suits, gloves, and safety glasses, the students ripped open bags alongside Facilities staff members and sorted the materials inside: recyclables in one bin, paper in another, and trash in a third. Midway through the project, the class was relieved by volunteers from a second section of GEOG 210. Three hours and nearly 1,000 pounds later, the students had a more accurate understanding of UR’s waste diversion rates.

The results were less than stellar. We are throwing away materials we should be recycling, and we are sending items to be recycled that are not accepted by the materials recovery facility. More than half of the refuse heading to the recycling facility in Manassas contained trash; about a third of the landfill-bound waste contained recycling.  

We cannot generalize the results from one audit to all of campus, but for the waste in this Westhampton College area, there is a profound glitch in the system.

( For an more in-depth report of the waste audit, see the Forum Magazine article written by UR students Ellie Potter and Jessica Crouser.)

In support of recycling

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American creates 4.4 pounds of waste every day. (Other sources put that number closer to 7 pounds per day!) In total we produce a whopping 254 million tons of waste each year. By recycling, we can keep trash out of the landfill, save energy, conserve natural resources, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Americans diverted one-third of our trash from the landfill in 2013, effectively removing the GHG equivalent of 39,000,000 cars (EPA, 2015).

EPA: Total waste generation and per capita generation of waste in the U.S.  

Recycling rates nationally have increased from about 10 percent in 1985 to 34 percent in 2013. We have not seen the same growth locally. Though we have had a program at the University of Richmond since 1991, the recycling rates of our residence halls and office buildings have plateaued at about 18 percent. We need to do better.

To help in these efforts, Dr. Finley-Brook’s students are looking at potential waste reduction strategies. Student groups are examining challenges posed by food waste, effective recycling signage, single-use bottles and containers, batteries, and paper towels. Their recommendations will be made to the Office for Sustainability at presentations later this semester.

Moving upstream

Improving recycling is a necessity; however, it’s not the only area we need to focus. We must also look for upstream solutions, because recycling is an end-of-use option. If we are only worried about making sure people put things in the right bin when they are done with a product, then we are missing the point. We need educational programs and infrastructure systems that support waste minimization all along the product’s life-cycle. This means thinking holistically about about materials management by doing the following:

Ensure the product is necessary to procure and it is the best option available.

Source responsibly and equitably with negligible negative impact to people and the environment.

Trend toward product reuse and durability.

Recycle or compost disposable items when the usable life is completed – preferably at no cost.  

The old reduce-reuse-recycle campaign is written in order of preference. Ask yourself, “Can I get by without it?” when considering a purchase. If you need it, opt for something reusable. Recycling is a better option than the landfill, but it still requires water and energy (and cash) to happen. Reuse mitigates those impacts. Finally, if you must go with disposables, choose recyclable or compostable products.

Recycling is not a panacea, but it is a vital part of the solution to a systemic waste and materials problem. We are excited to address the problems we unearthed earlier this month and look forward to incorporating the students’ suggestions into our materials management processes.

By Marissa Nino, Office for Sustainability Communications Intern

Regan Gifford knew from a very early age that she would have a job in an environmental field. She grew up loving the outdoors and followed in her parents’ footsteps by majoring in Natural Resources Management at SUNY ESF. She became a forestry technician and all signs pointed to years of work cataloging and caring for the land. However, a vacation to Florida when she was just a couple years out of school pulled her toward the sea.

While visiting a clam farm in Cedar Key, Florida, during a family trip, Gifford was amazed at the science behind aquaculture. She was between seasonal forestry jobs and jumped at an opportunity to shadow the hatchery manager. She ended up living in Florida for over a year. Wanting to be a bit closer to home, she moved to Maryland’s Eastern Shore to become a farmhand at Choptank Oyster Company. A chance meeting with the president of the board of the Chesapeake Conservancy - an organization dedicated to strengthening people’s knowledge of and connection to the Chesapeake Bay - led to the next big change in Gifford’s career trajectory. Inspired by the conversation and her own nascent love of the bay, Gifford shucked her oyster job and joined the Chesapeake Conservancy.

The Chesapeake Conservancy is one of three organizations - alongside the James River Association and National Geographic Maps - spearheading the Envision the James (ETJ) initiative.  ETJ solicits feedback and participation from local groups and community members to create a vision that will steward the James River, a vital feeder to the Chesapeake Bay. “Connecting organizations is pivotal to a thriving James and a thriving Chesapeake,” Gifford says. “The ETJ partners have similar priorities but different expertise, so we have to work together.”

Gifford’s role as the Outreach Coordinator for the Chesapeake Conservancy established her as key player in the ETJ initiative and led to her office’s placement on the UR campus. From her office in Jepson Hall, Gifford works on “connecting students to the James River,” a job description that can take on many forms. She works with partner agencies to develop volunteer and internship opportunities, helps faculty incorporate the James River into their curriculum, and matches researchers with agencies in need of their expertise.

“UR’s proximity to the James River, the work of the Geography Department, and the engaged students make the UR campus an ideal place to be,” Gifford says.

UR’s recent collaboration with the Chesapeake Conservancy could be seen on campus this summer when four UR students assisted in mapping trails with Terrain 360, a Richmond-based organization.

Gifford has connected with the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement, the Office for Sustainability, and other campus resources to bolster her abilities to connect students and the river. She and partners on campus are currently planning a faculty workshop to better match campus experts with ETJ partner agencies.

“I like being a matchmaker,” Gifford says. “It’s my job to see everyone’s strengths, understand their needs, and connect them with one another - all for the good of the bay.”