| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 57.90 |
| Liaison | Jessica Bowen |
| Submission Date | Aug. 3, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Aquinas College
OP-22: Waste Minimization
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.74 / 5.00 |
Jessica
Eimer Bowen Director of Sustainability Center for Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
None
Waste generated::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 86.80 Tons | 35 Tons |
| Materials composted | 81.40 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials reused, donated or re-sold | 5 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 144.10 Tons | 242.90 Tons |
None
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of residential students | 831 | 791 |
| Number of residential employees | 3 | 0 |
| Number of in-patient hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Full-time equivalent enrollment | 1,901 | 1,888 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 345.88 | 289.30 |
| Full-time equivalent of distance education students | 0 | 0 |
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Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | July 1, 2012 | June 30, 2013 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2005 | June 30, 2006 |
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A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
This is when the Center for Sustainability was established and therefore, when the tracking of waste generation rates began.
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A brief description of any (non-food) waste audits employed by the institution:
Mt. Trashmore (October 10, 2013)- The Sustainability LLC hosted the event “Mt. Trashmore” outside of Wege. This was an event to provide education and show students, staff, and faculty that most of what is in our trash can be further diverted to recycling, composting, and special collections. At the event, many people committed to the Zero Waste Pledge and learned how they can change their waste habits. Dumpsters are also inspected daily (and volumes noted) everyday during the months of February and March, and then periodically throughout the year. Occasional inspections of composting and recycling cans are also inspected across campus, to ensure proper disposal and to help identify additional campus education needs.
None
A brief description of any institutional procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
Our college culture is rooted in frugal spending. We only buy when absolutely necessary and trade whenever possible (through our "1 Saints Junk is Another Saint's Treasure") program.
None
A brief description of any surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
As part of the Sustainability Initiative at Aquinas College, “One Saint’s Junk is Another Saint’s Treasure,” provides students, staff, and faculty the opportunity to search online for free items or items for donation. Find great used items, post your unwanted items for others to view, and avoid throwing your old things away!
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A brief description of the institution's efforts to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
Aquinas has made a switch to more resourceful multi-function machines. These machines allow students and faculty to scan, print, and make copies more efficiently than the old machines. One notable function of these machines is the ability to scan documents, convert them into .pdf format, and email them in order to provide a digital copy of the document. The multi-function machines are set to environmentally friendly defaults, including better margins, reduced toner usage, and double-sided printing automatically. Overall, our wish is to reduce the amount of printing necessary and paper used on campus, and these new machines can help us do so.
Aquinas Faculty members are also encouraged to use the online "Course Connect" system for online viewing of syllabi and other course materials, rather than printing the documents.
Our assembly meetings are also "paperless," with agendas and supporting meeting materials view-able on a projector, rather than printed.
None
A brief description of any limits on paper and ink consumption employed by the institution:
All departments are charged for printing, on a per sheet basis. Budgets for printing and copying is limited.
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A brief description of any programs employed by the institution to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
A large amount of trash tends to be generated during move-in and move-out, so the Zero Waste Team is present in full force. In addition to the recycling and composting bins in place, Goodwill donation bins are added to all of the residence halls, apartments, and houses. Signs are hung on the trash room doors to remind students of these special collections, and encourage re-thinking of waste disposal habits.
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A brief description of any other (non-food) waste minimization strategies employed by the institution:
All residence halls, apartments, and houses on campus have composting, recycling, special recycling (styrofoam, e-waste, batteries, ink cartridges, and goodwill collections) in place. Composting and recycling is also available on every floor of ever building on campus, and special collections is being added campus wide this semester. All trash cans have also been removed from classrooms (with the exception of a few rooms like art studios), to encourage personal responsibility for waste and get us closer to our zero waste goals.
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A brief description of any food waste audits employed by the institution:
A full food audit has not been conducted since 2006. Informal audits are performed by the chef and the director of food service, as appropriate.
None
A brief description of any programs and/or practices to track and reduce pre-consumer food waste in the form of kitchen food waste, prep waste and spoilage:
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None
A brief description of programs and/or practices to track and reduce post-consumer food waste:
Trayless dining is fully implemented.
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A brief description of the institution's provision of reusable and/or third party certified compostable to-go containers for to-go food and beverage items (in conjunction with a composting program):
All to-go containers and disposables used on campus are compostable paper products or the plastics are ASTM 6400 certified.
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A brief description of the institution's provision of reusable service ware for “dine in” meals and reusable and/or third party certified compostable service ware for to-go meals (in conjunction with a composting program):
All dine in meals are served with reusable service ware. All to-go containers and disposables used on campus are compostable paper products or the plastics are ASTM 6400 certified. Composting is fully implemented campus wide, in addition to the kitchen.
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A brief description of any discounts offered to customers who use reusable containers (e.g. mugs) instead of disposable or compostable containers in to-go food service operations:
The Moose Coffee Shop offers a $0.25 discount to those who bring their own mug for coffee. This is an incentive to reduce waste and be aware of ways to continue to reduce your carbon footprint.
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A brief description of other dining services waste minimization programs and initiatives:
Aquinas offers trayless dining, composts all food waste, and uses reusable (i.e. china) tableware almost exclusively across campus.
None
The website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.