REFILLABLE MUGS AND BOTTLES

Refillable mugs and bottles are a cost-effective and convenient way to help each student reduce waste. They are also subtle yet powerful tools for increasing awareness about waste among students and staff on campus.

If everyone at the UO reused a refillable mug once a day, 20,000 disposable cups a day, 140,000 a week and 7.2 million disposable cups a year would be saved!

Refillable mugs and bottles are one of a new UO student's earliest introductions to waste reduction. At the beginning of each academic year, every freshman moving into the UO residence halls is given a free refillable plastic bottle. These bottles offer students the opportunity to take drinks out of the dining halls and refill with water for free at soda fountains.

Refillable bottles are purchased by the Housing Department so that they can be given out each Fall term. This system has been in place for several years and continues to save both students and UO Housing funds.

Please see " Reduce paper beverage container waste ," from the Oregon Daily Emerald.

FOOD WASTE AUDITS

What is a Food Waste Audit? A Food Waste Audit is an educational and promotional event that generates awareness among students about the environmental issues surrounding food waste.

Food waste audits are a great tool for assessing the food waste in a cafeteria setting. This is an important tool for reducing production of food waste on campus and also for assessing the need for a campus composting effort.

What is the purpose of doing a Food Waste Audit?
With the goal of reducing waste among the residence hall community, it is important to look at ways of reducing the different areas of waste that contribute to the waste stream. Food waste is often overlooked as part of the waste stream. In food service settings that cater to students, such as buffet-style dining halls, a lesson about wasteful food consumption is particularly appropriate.

A food waste audit can be a very effective educational event in generating awareness. An audit attempts to instill three important concepts:

1. uneaten food is not an inevitable part of a meal,
2. food waste can be prevented by taking modest portions
3. each individual's choice that results in food being wasted has a tremendous impact on the collective waste that is generated.

A goal of the audit is to figure the average per person amount of waste created during a meal. The average waste created by one person at one meal may be an insignificant number, yet when that pattern is repeated several times per day by many people, the collective waste becomes quite significant. One perception that may be a contributing factor to food being consistently wasted may come as a result of a buffet-style dining hall setting. Some students' wasteful food consumption may stem from the understanding that the "all-you-can-eat" system actually equates to "all-you-can-take." Some schools actually have reduced the size of the plates, eliminated trays and also have gone to a point system where people get charged per portion. There are many opportunities to reduce waste in an institutional food service setting. Also many school are looking towards food banks to at least capture the cooked but not served meals. These are just examples of how food waste audits can help schools assess their production and waste while having valuable information to help reduce the overall food (and other compostables) wasted.

Many students take large portions that they cannot finish instead of taking more modest portion sizes at their first visit to the serving areas and going back for more. This results in wasted uneaten food. Food that is prepared and then thrown away is not only wasteful from a landfill use perspective, but also because of the resources that go into preparing that food. Since dining hall meals are often planned by according to servings that were consumed previously, students taking food that goes uneaten often causes more food to be prepared than is necessary.

Please see " Gourmet Garbage ," from the Oregon Daily Emerald.

What is involved in putting a Food Waste Audit together?

Organizing an Audit
Student employee participation is essential for the success of the audit. Make this a student-initiated project as often as possible because it is very beneficial to those who actually do the audit. Participating student employees can also gain an understanding of the impacts of food waste. The following four steps illustrate the ways food waste audits are conducted in the UO dining halls:

1) Select a date for the audit.

• can be performed at any time during the school year
• most effective at the beginning of a new school year and in conjunction with environmental celebrations, such as America Recycles Day and Earth Day.
• periodic audits throughout the year can help determine whether food waste awareness education has been effective
• conducting audits during one meal period in one dining hall keeps audits simple and manageable by a small number of people

2) Select a meal period, dining hall and waste collection method for the audit.

• dining hall appropriate for audit and get approval from necessary supervisors
• find out what will be served on the day of the audit
• determine best categories for collecting and separating food waste
• potential categories - uneaten food, inedible/compostable food scraps
• compost materials when and where possible
• food waste from dining hall audits is composted at either the UO Urban Farm or combined with other compostables from campus
• Napkin Audits can be audited at same time as food waste

3) Organize the dining hall area, collection containers and monitors to conduct the audit.

• organize audit to maximize convenience and ease for students. Several things can help:

•  set up audit collection containers near area where students are accustomed to taking dishes

•  staff audit with monitors - Monitors help alleviate confusion, answer students questions and keep wastes separated properly

•  oversized signs and posters grab attention and help direct students

• help audit look like a special, fun event by outfitting monitors with custom-designed lab coats and name tags
• choose clearly-labeled collection containers that are easy to set-up and clean (e.g., Rubbermaid-style containers with openings cut out of lids)

4) Gathering data from the audit.

• determine number of patrons during audited meal - station someone at the entrance and count the number of patrons that enter the dining hall
• weighed food waste once all patrons have disposed of their waste
• per person average = food waste weight divided by number of patrons

Promoting an Audit
Audits can be conducted with or without prior announcements to students. If conducted without prior notice, there is a risk of residents not understanding how to participate. Conversely, it is almost certain to get results that more closely reflect residents consumption habits. If audits are announced prior to the event, residents will be more informed during the event, but may also change their consumption habits for that day so as to not appear wasteful.

A table tent created to stand on each table of the dining hall is an easy way to communicate the purpose, day, and meal of the proposed audit. Table tents are distributed in the dining hall one week prior to the event.

Publishing the Results of an Audit
Most students are in a hurry to leave the dining hall once finished eating, therefore much of the education surrounding the audit is done through the publication of the audit results. Even if the audit was not announced to students prior to the event, publishing the results of the audit is fundamental to the educational purposes of the audit.

A major component of food waste education lies with the extrapolation of an audit's individual meal results into statistics for a week or a month. The numbers add up quickly and can help students be aware that their daily, individual, and seemingly small amount of food waste results in a significant amount in a month.

Table tents are most often used to publish audit results. They should be set out very soon after the audit so that students can relate their experience during the audit to the information that they receive from the table tents. Along with the results, table tents include information about how to reduce food waste and the environmental impacts of wasteful consumption.

Food Waste Audit Data

Date	Location	Meal	Number Served	Lbs. Food	Lbs. Per Person	Lbs. Trash	Lbs. Per Person	Lbs. Napkins	Lbs. Per Person	No. Napkins Per Person	Fruit & Veggie Scraps	Lbs. Per Person
4/20/95	Carson	Lunch	980	260.0	0.265	42.0	0.043	8.0	0.008	1.0
4/20/95	Hamilton	Dinner	690	250.0	0.360	14.0	0.020	11.0	0.016	2.0
4/20/95	Univ. Inn	Breakfast	267	57.0	0.210	17.0	0.060	3.0	0.011	1.4
1/16/96	Univ. Inn	Dinner	406	200.0	0.490	15.0	0.036	10.0	0.024	3.0
1/18/96	Carson	Breakfast	512	105.0	0.210	8.0	0.015	5.0	0.009	1.1
4/24/96	Carson	Dinner	1126	235.0	0.200	10.0	0.009	36.0	0.032	4.0
4/20/98	Carson	Lunch	407	100.0	0.250	----------	----------	8.0	0.020	2.5
5/25/99	Carson	Breakfast	389	79.0	0.200	----------	----------	5.0	0.013	1.6
10/25/99	Carson	Lunch	965	----------	----------	----------	----------	24.0	0.025	3.1
11/15/99	Carson	Lunch	858	259.0	0.300	----------	----------	18.0	0.021	2.6
11/13/01	Carson	Lunch	556	127.0	0.230	2.0	0.004	9.0	0.016	2.0	48.0	0.007
11/15/01	Carson	Lunch	515	114.0	0.220	14.0	0.027	7.0	0.013	1.7	34.0	0.066
11/14/03	Carson	Lunch	465	133.0	0.280	10.0	0.020	8.0	0.017	2.1	39.0	0.080

Date	Location	Meal	Number Served	Lbs. Uneaten Food	Lbs. Per Person	Lbs. Trash	Lbs. Per Person	Lbs. Napkins	Lbs. Per Person	No. Napkins Per Person	Compostable Waste (Fruit/Veggie Scraps, Paper waste)	Lbs. Per Person
4/22/04	Carson	Lunch	425	94	0.22	8	0.02	7	0.02	1.6	51	0.12
2/22/06	Carson	Lunch	640	105	0.17	17	0.02	2.4	0.003	0.6	55.5	0.08
2/23/06	Barnhart	Lunch	181	61	0.34	3.5	0.02	2.5	0.0013	0.98	5.5	0.03
3/8/06	Carson	Lunch	397	83	0.2	31	0.08	1.5	0.0037	0.64	40	0.1
3/9/06	Barnhart	Dinner	257	90	0.35	4	0.015	1.5	0.005	0.42	8	0.03
11/16/06	Carson	Lunch	379	126	0.33	11.5	0.03	2	0.005	1.32	38	0.1
2/21/07	Carson	Lunch	302	73	0.24	5.5	0.018	1	0.003	0.66	39	0.13
11/14/07	Carson	Lunch	360	93	0.258	38.5	0.11	1.5	0.004	0.83	33	0.09
4/23/08	Carson	Lunch	317	72.5	0.23	12.5	0.04	3	0.009	1.9	20	0.06
10/16/08	Carson	Lunch	391	124.5	0.31	5	0.012	2	0.005	0.84	17	0.04
3/11/08	Carson	Lunch	274	53	0.19	21	0.07	1.5	0.005	1.09	14	0.05
4/21/08	Carson	Lunch	317	72.5	0.23	12.5	0.04	3	0.009	1.9	20	0.06
10/16/08	Carson	Lunch	391	124.5	0.31	5	0.012	2	0.005	0.84	17	0.04
3/11/08	Carson	Lunch	274	53	0.19	21	0.07	1.5	0.005	1.09	14	0.05
4/21/09	Carson	Lunch	388	72.5	0.18	0.5	0.0012	1	0.002	0.5	32	0.08
10/22/09	Carson	Lunch	433	120.5	0.27	16.5	0.04	3	0.006	1.38	13.5	0.03
11/5/09	Carson	Lunch	479	99	0.2	36.5	0.07	1	0.002	0.5	16.5	0.03
2/24/10	Barnhart	Dinner	231	52	0.22	1.5	0.006	n/a	n/a	n/a	4	0.02
2/26/10	Carson	Lunch	558	91.5	0.16	0.5	0.0008	1	0.002	0.36	20.5	0.036
Beginning in 2006, Napkins category refers to all unused napkins. Uneaten Food includes both compostable and non-compostable leftovers. Compostable Waste includes inedible fruit/veggie scraps and paper waste

NAPKIN USE AUDITS

Napkin audits can be done randomly during the year to figure out the average amount of napkins used per person. These are most often done in conjunction with Food Waste Audits. These audits are done in eat-in dining halls, so that all napkins generated within the dining hall and disposed of on site, rather than being thrown away outside. This method helps to maintain accuracy. A collection is done of all the napkins used during one meal period. To determine the average napkin use per person for that meal period, follow this sample calculation:

Step 1: Determine the weight per napkin .
Divide the weight of a ream of napkins by the number of napkins in one ream.
Sample calculation: 2.5 lbs / 500 napkins = 0.005 lbs per napkin*

Step 2: Determine weight of napkins collected.
Weigh all containers or bags of collected napkins.

Step 3: Determine the number of napkins collected.
Divide the weight of collected napkins by the per napkin weight*
Sample calculation: 10 lbs / 0.005 lbs = 2000 napkins collected

Step 4: Determine the number of napkins per person.
Divide the number of napkins collected by the number of people present at meal
Sample calculation: 2000 napkins / 800 people = 2.5 napkins per person

An important educational component of napkin audits lies with the extrapolation of the individual meal statistics into statistics for a week or a month. The numbers add up quickly and can be very helpful in promoting napkin waste reduction. After the audit is conducted, table tents are displayed to inform residents of the number of napkins used per person and to promote waste reduction. Slogans such as "Use Wisely, Napkins = Trees" and interesting waste reduction tips can be added to the table tents to show how one napkin can affect so many other resources.

An audit two or three weeks later can help determine whether or not napkin use has reduced. If multiple audits will be done throughout the year for comparison, all audits should be conducted at the same dining hall and meal period. Compare the numbers from both audits and present them in another table tent to show residents whether there has been a change in napkin use and thus what that napkin use means in environmental impacts. Include "use wisely" slogans and waste reduction facts, in the announced results to further promote waste reduction.

IN-ROOM RECYCLING BINS
Please refer to information about In-room recycling bins in the Residence Hall section.

RECYCLING COMPETITIONS
Recycling staff can facilitate social and educational events in Housing such as intra-hall recycling competitions, donation drives and Earth Week activities. RecycleMania , the inter-collegiate recycling competition, is a great opportunity to develop activities and events specifically focusing on students living on campus.

Contact the Housing Recycling Coordinator at (541) 346-0929 if you are interested in seeing any of these events happen in your area. Please see more information on competitions and other activities here.

 

FAMILY HOUSING YARD SALES & DONATION DRIVES held during Spring term opportunity for family housing residents to get rid of unwanted, reusable items Housing Recycling Coordinator organizes post-sale pick-up of unsold or unclaimed items with local charity organization held in front of Common Area at Spencer View advertisements placed in local newspapers and signs posted around neighborhood staff set up tables and residents layout items to sell residents determine prices and oversee selling unsold items are centralized for pick-up by charity organization additional opportunity to hold round-ups of special waste such as household hazardous and electronic waste

FALL MOVE-INS
Residence Halls

Just before classes begin each Fall term, nearly 3700 students move into on-campus residence halls. The bustle of traffic and people make this time of year a recycling challenge. The residence halls open for Move-ins beginning in the middle of the week prior to the first day of classes. Many students moving into residence halls are new to on-campus life and take a few days to get oriented with the details

Prior to residents moving on-campus, several things are done to promote recycling and waste reduction among residents: Each room is outfitted with an in-room recycling bin. Put up informational doorhangers on hall rooms or attach educational flyers to in-room recycling bins. Incoming freshmen are giving a refillable water bottle

Recycling service during Move-ins recycling pick-up schedule increases from a lighter summer schedule to a heavier, more frequent pick-ups starting Move-in Week (week prior to start of Fall term) locations for extra cardboard collection around residence halls determined by Housing recycling Coordinator, Housing staff and cardboard hauler Block styrofoam and clean plastic bags are also collected alongside corrugated cardboard when possible extra containers typically placed in highly visible areas along path of high traffic corrugated cardboard recycling pick-ups increase to twice per day for two week period recycling staff regularly visit all residence hall cardboard sites and maintain organization of the sites by flattening boxes, sorting recyclables and trash and cleaning up collection areas Move-in Week generates over 12 tons of corrugated cardboard for recycling

Off-Campus Housing
The Housing Recycling Program does not conduct special preparations for Move-ins at the off-campus housing complexes. Large numbers of new tenants moving in at the same time is less predictable that the one-time move-in period for the residence halls.. A way of handling an influx of new tenants over a short period is for the director of the off-campus areas to communicate with the Housing Recycling Coordinator about the potential needs for more recycling service during this influx.

MOVE-MOVE-OUTS

 

SPRING MOVE-OUTS Residence Halls Housing Recycling during Move-Out week busiest time of the year for Housing Recycling Program residence halls affected most dramatically recycling collection remains in same locations for Move-Outs two to three times of student labor needed to service increased recycling
Why is Move-Out week so busy? last week of term is Final Exam week and Move-Out week room preparation for summer conferences and camps begins immediately following Move-Out week residents MUST be out of halls by 7pm Friday of Move-Out week mass exodus of most residents during final three days of Move-Out week collection of recyclables increases 300% above an average week during the academic year

Recovering Reusables

• donation drive sponsored by Housing
• donation drive runs during the final two weeks of Spring term
• local charity organization is chosen annually to receive donated items
• charity organization provides and empties collection containers
• containers are placed in the common area of each residence halls (e.g., lounges and foyers)
  (see data for reusable goods collected during for donation drive here)

Preparing for Move-Out Week discuss recycling service plans and details with Housing Department staff at Spring term closedown meeting create a move-out campaign and/or slogan to brand recycling and reuse efforts create awareness about recycling and donating reusable items through many avenues: advertisements in student newspaper hall lobby posters informational doorhangers placed on each residence hall room door ( reshallmoveout.pdf ) recycling and donation language in Housing department information/memos given to residents about move-out process dining hall table tents Collect packing boxes prior to Move-Out Week and give them away as a promotion for the donation drive

Despite the large quantities of recyclable and reusable materials that are recovered each year, there are equally large quantities of these items getting thrown away. Therefore, a tremendous potential exists for developing new methods for Move-out Week collection.

Several other Move-out Week waste recovery ideas:

• color-coded bags for sorting recycling and reusable items. Bags could increase in-room capacity and help residents take more on each trip to recycling and donation sites.

• site collection containers for recycling and reusables next to exterior trash dumpsters. Residents then have the last-minute option to recycle and donate.

• set up staffed central exterior trash/recycling stations either in addition to or in place of trash and recycling areas that are used through-out the year.
• use volunteers to staff recycling/waste collection areas to help students separate recyclables, reusable items and trash.

Off-Campus Housing

• family housing resident population turnover is steadier throughout the year (than residence halls)
• information about resources for donating usable items is given to residents when they notify the Housing department of their intent to vacate
• yard sale and donation drives held in June at Spencer View and East Campus
• informational doorhangers about recycling placed on doorknobs during late Spring term
• recycling advertisements placed in student newspaper

Below are some other colleges and universities Move-Out recycling programs:

California State University , Chico State - http://www.aschico.com/recycle/annualevents
Diversion Excursion

Ohio University - http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/recycle/move_out.htm
(includes a helpful Powerpoint presentation).