| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 50.16 |
| Liaison | Elaine Durr |
| Submission Date | Nov. 9, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Elon University
OP-22: Waste Minimization
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.88 / 5.00 |
David
Worden Director Environmental Services |
Waste generated::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 132.83 Tons | 112.76 Tons |
| Materials composted | 184.49 Tons | 90 Tons |
| Materials reused, donated or re-sold | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 990.59 Tons | 1,074.47 Tons |
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of residential students | 3,496 | 2,514 |
| Number of residential employees | 22 | 15 |
| Number of in-patient hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Full-time equivalent enrollment | 6,355 | 4,690 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 1,347 | 855 |
| Full-time equivalent of distance education students | 0 | 0 |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | June 1, 2014 | May 31, 2015 |
| Baseline Year | June 1, 2004 | May 31, 2005 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
A brief description of any (non-food) waste audits employed by the institution:
A brief description of any institutional procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
A brief description of any surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
While there is not a surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program, excess and/or unwanted office supplies are reused on campus through an informal system. For example, if a department has a box of folders or a filing cabinet that is no longer needed, that department will contact other departments to determine if they can use the unwanted item. Any furniture that is appropriate for reuse is reused on campus.
A brief description of the institution's efforts to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
The undergraduate course catalogue is available online. Course schedules are no longer printed for all faculty. In addition, semester course schedules are available online and no longer printed.
The faculty and staff directory moved to an 'opt-in' printing in fall 2015. A printed directory will no longer be provided to all faculty and staff.
A brief description of any limits on paper and ink consumption employed by the institution:
Elon has a print management system, which reduced printing in computer labs and the library by 70% in the first full year of implementation on the Elon campus.
Students who want to print must go to a release station and swipe their Phoenix Card (student ID card) before the submitted document will print. Students are allotted about 500 sheets per semester though it is rare for a student to use all of his or her allotment. There is a per page charge for anything over the allotment. In addition, duplex is the default on all computer lab and library printers.
The School of Law campus in Greensboro utilizes the print management system with a higher allotment.
A brief description of any programs employed by the institution to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
The Office of Sustainability, the Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement, Residence Life, Goodwill and Habitat for Humanity, along with other on- and off-campus partners, collaborate to organize 'Don't Trash It!' at the end of the school year. This effort is targeted to both on- and off-campus students and seeks non-perishable food items, clothing, electronics, bedding and furniture in good condition. Items are collected and donated to several local food banks and non-profit organizations.
'Don't Trash It!' runs for two weeks during final exams and through graduation. Donations are taken to a series of drop-off points throughout campus. Donations are then collected and taken to central locations where community partners pick them up. In 2014-2015, over six tons of donations were collected (not including furniture) and given to a variety of non-profit partners, which is not included in the figures reported above.
A brief description of any other (non-food) waste minimization strategies employed by the institution:
A brief description of any food waste audits employed by the institution:
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:
Elon Dining Services performs a kitchen/prep food waste audit daily. All waste is put in a bucket, weighed and then tracked on a website daily. Once a week the numbers are reviewed with the employees and additional training is done if needed.
A brief description of programs and/or practices to track and reduce post-consumer food waste:
Elon Dining Services incorporated trayless dining during the 2007-2008 academic year and has continued to be trayless in all dining locations.
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):
Elon Dining Services provides compostable containers for to-go food at residential dining locations. Compost bins are available in two retail dining locations: Fountain Market and Winter Garden Café.
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):
Elon Dining Services uses reusable service ware in all residential dining facilities.
Retail locations have compostable cups, containers, lids and straws. The cutlery in retail locations is not compostable.
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:
Elon Dining Services has a reusable mug program. Fountain beverages are $1.69. In the case a customer brings a resusable cup/mug/bottle they will receive the refill price ($0.79 vs. $1.69 for a fountain drink or drip coffee).
A brief description of other dining services waste minimization programs and initiatives:
Bottled water is no longer an option when purchasing a meal with a meal plan.
The default service ware option for all catering orders is compostable.
The website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
For materials disposed as garbage, the University does not receive weight information for all of the containers located on campus. The weight for the containers not weighed was conservatively estimated based on the containers that are weighed. The weight of materials composted for 2005 represents yard waste composting. The weight of materials composted for the performance year (FY 2014-2015) includes food composting. Yard waste was collected but not ground to create compost.
For materials disposed as garbage, the University does not receive weight information for all of the containers located on campus. The weight for the containers not weighed was conservatively estimated based on the containers that are weighed. The weight of materials composted for 2005 represents yard waste composting. The weight of materials composted for the performance year (FY 2014-2015) includes food composting. Yard waste was collected but not ground to create compost.
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.