Cornell University
IN-24: Innovation A

This volunteer program launched in Fall 2018 after pilot programs demonstrated negligible contamination rates when residence hall kitchen compost buckets were managed by student volunteers. In 2018-2019, 45 student volunteers attended a 60-minute Compost Manager training that introduced sustainability at Cornell; covered climate change, food waste, and intersectional justice concepts; described volunteer expectations; and provided volunteers with buckets (with screw on lids), signage, and marketing materials to make composting accessible to every on-campus residential community with a volunteer (21 buildings). In the first year, Compost Managers diverted over 10,000 lbs of food scraps from the landfill; students used four central drop spots to send compost to our campus compost facility. In 2019-2020, 65 student volunteers attended training, and we have expanded the program to include interested co-ops, fraternities & sororities, graduate student housing, and limited off-campus student housing (as a pilot). The Residential Compost Managers program laid the groundwork for two key composting initiatives at the university: 1) A team of Compost Managers formed “Cornell Compost” in Fall 2019, a new student organization committed to providing coordinated waste monitoring and compost services at large-scale university events, and 2) Office composting is scheduled to begin Spring 2020, inviting staff and faculty to participate in a 30-minute training, serve as Compost Managers for their departments, and bring office compost buckets to central drop spots on campus.