Sort-Free Recycling

1. Sort-Free Recycling www.uiesw.org Recycling Made Easy On Campus Prior to this year, the University of Iowa used a common recycling program which required students and staff to manually sort their paper, plastics and cans. Waste sorts in 2009 and 2010 showed that this system was largely ineffective, and participation was low. 50% of the trash was actually recycleable! On October 29, 2010, UI President Sally Mason announced the UI’s 2020 Vision Sustainability Targets which included a goal to decrease our production of waste by 60% through “increasing recycling, facilitating composting of organic waste, and enhancing green purchasing practices.” And the user-friendly recycling program was born! Past Present Sort-Free Recycling: Phase 1 The campus dorms were the first to experience the new recycling initiative, then the English-Philosophy Building, and now ESW is bringing the system to the Seamans Center for the Engineering Arts and Sciences. ESW is helping UI Facilities Management with a creative marketing campaign – labeling trashcans as “Landfill Bins” and putting up new posters with pictures of what can be recycled and the slogan “Look for the bin, and toss it all in!” Shifting Paradigms Reaching Our Goals Looking towards the future, it will be easier to recycle than to landfill. By removing small landfill bins from the classrooms and strategically placing larger recycling bins, everyone is able to consciously decide what to do with their waste. The easy option of throwing everything away is gone. The engineering building will serve as an example for implementing the recycling program into other buildings on campus. The building’s recycling program will provide well planned design goals to help the University of Iowa exceed the goals set out in the 2020 Vision Sustainability Targets. For more info, go to http://sustainability.uiowa.edu/vision-2020-the-university-of-iowa-s-sustainability-targets/ Future