| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 49.88 |
| Liaison | Kristina Hope |
| Submission Date | Feb. 13, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Knox College
OP-22: Waste Minimization
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.69 / 5.00 |
Deb
Steinberg Director of Campus Sustainability Initiatives Office of Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
None
Waste generated::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 66.50 Tons | 61.45 Tons |
| Materials composted | 114 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials reused, donated or re-sold | 11 Tons | 8 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 381 Tons | 403.52 Tons |
None
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of residential students | 1,189 | 1,105 |
| Number of residential employees | 3 | 3 |
| Number of in-patient hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Full-time equivalent enrollment | 1,402 | 1,229 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 461 | 346 |
| Full-time equivalent of distance education students | 0 | 0 |
None
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | June 1, 2013 | July 30, 2014 |
| Baseline Year | June 1, 2005 | July 30, 2006 |
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A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
2005 was arbitrarily chosen as a baseline year when sustainability reporting began at Knox.
None
A brief description of any (non-food) waste audits employed by the institution:
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None
A brief description of any institutional procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
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None
A brief description of any surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
There is a warehouse on campus that receives all used furniture, equipment, and office materials for reuse across campus.
The office supply share zone is an easily accessible area where campus offices can donate unused items or collect items they need. It diverts several hundred pounds of material from the campus waste stream annually, while reducing expenditures and associated resource exploitation.
None
A brief description of the institution's efforts to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
Many paper publications have been phased out over the past few years, so that now all catalogs and directories are available online only (except for special requests).
Many offices have transitioned to digital forms in place of paper copies.
None
A brief description of any limits on paper and ink consumption employed by the institution:
Students are allotted 300 pages each term and must pay for any prints above that number.
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A brief description of any programs employed by the institution to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Since Spring 2012, Knox has attempted to divert as much waste from landfills as possible by having volunteers collect materials during campus move-out, and encouraging regular donations to the on-campus Free Store.
The 2014 move-out was a tremendous success, diverting 11 tons of waste through collection of recyclable and reusable materials for processing, charity, or the campus free store.
None
A brief description of any other (non-food) waste minimization strategies employed by the institution:
Dining services purchases compostable dishware for the snack bar, so that they can be processed in the on-campus compost system.
None
A brief description of any food waste audits employed by the institution:
Pre- and post-consumer waste from the kitchen, cafeteria, and snack bar were weighed daily and categorized for the entire duration of Spring Term 2014
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:
Pre-consumer food waste is separated from the solid waste stream and weighed daily before it is sent directly to the campus composting site.
None
A brief description of programs and/or practices to track and reduce post-consumer food waste:
All dining services establishments have been trayless since 2008. Since the inception of compost collection in the Knox kitchen in March of 2014, post-consumer food waste is weighed daily.
None
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):
The "Eco Clamshell" program began in September 2008 and allows all students to borrow and return reusable & washable to-go containers for board plan meals.
None
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):
Dine-in meals are served on washable dishes and flatware. In the "Gizmo" snack bar, paper boats and plates are collected for compost. Bioplastic flatware, hot condiment cups, and water cups have been purchased in the hope of future opportunities for industrial composting options.
None
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:
Reusable mugs available for purchase in all retail locations allow for discount refills on both hot and cold beverages.
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A brief description of other dining services waste minimization programs and initiatives:
A water cooler and washable cups are provided for faculty and board meetings, instead of plastic water bottles. Many special events are catered in-house, so food packaging is minimized.
None
The website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization initiatives is available:
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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.