Northwestern University
OP-22: Waste Minimization

Waste generation baseline is using 2011 data. Food waste composting began in 2012 so utilizing 2011 as a baseline allows us to see progress since spearheading that major change.

We are in the process of conducting a major waste audit this year (2017). An outside consultant has been contracted to do a full analysis and composition of our waste, including analysis of waste by building type. This will lead to the development of a Solid Waste Management Plan for the University targeted at setting and achieving diversion rates. Our waste hauler did an audit in 2015, compiling every load from our campus for a week gathered from trash and recycling routes. Waste was visually sorted and percentages reported on the various loads, including trash in the recycling and recycling in the trash. An intern at the Office of Sustainability also conducted an audit of recycling bin placement across campus, monitoring where bins were currently located and identifying need for replacements, upgrades, and best locations in buildings.

A Sustainable Procurement Policy and a Supplier Sustainability Assessment (to be used by vendors in the bidding process) is being drafted. The following information is included in the current Procurement Policy: "Northwestern considers environmental impact in purchasing decisions, when appropriate. Procurement and Payment Services (PPS) will consider the use of products and services with less environmental impact than competing products when it is a good best-value decision to do so (based on a thorough total-cost-of-ownership analysis). When establishing contracts and agreements on behalf of the University, PPS considers the initial price as well as the factors listed below. Northwestern also encourages departments/schools to consider the use of products and services that impact the environment less than competing products, when it is a good best value decision to do so. A good best value decision based on a thorough total cost of ownership analysis considers the initial cost of the item as well as factors such as: -Shipping Materials. Purchase products that are shipped in containers that are returnable or reusable and made from recycled content (i.e. cardboard boxes). Also request bulk packaging when multiple items are ordered for delivery at the same time. -Recycled Content. Purchase products made with recycled content suitable for the intended use. Look for a high percentage of post-consumer content. “Post consumer” is material that has served its intended purpose and has been discarded for disposal or recovery by a business or consumer. Other recycled content includes post-industrial wastes, which are by-products of a manufacturing process that would normally not be reused in the process. -Other. Environmental performance of the supplier and/or producer should also be considered, such as waste prevention, waste reduction, pollution prevention, clean air and water programs, re-use of materials, minimization of scrap material, and any other green factory initiatives, etc. The University strongly desires to minimize the amount of waste sent to landfills. Both the product purchased and the packaging materials associated with it should be minimized to prevent waste as much as possible."

The Surplus Property Exchange is an online bulletin board where Northwestern departments/schools can list surplus University property for other departments/schools to purchase or take for free. Available items include computers, furniture, toner, lab supplies and more. Staff can also subscribe to a listserv to receive an email notification when a new item is posted on the Exchange. University employees and students may bid on items for personal use after the item has been listed for more than 30 days.

All course catalogs, directories and schedules are distributed to students online, through department websites and CAESAR, the student academic portal. Students are able to browse classes, course descriptions, course times and comments from previous students through CAESAR. Our Graduate School went paperless for admissions in 2013. All admissions materials are delivered electronically. The Student Organizations and Activities Office offers financial incentives for student groups to go paperless at information fairs. The Library sponsors Paperless Month every April with targeted messages around reducing printing, utilizing 'print to Pdf' options, and sharing information on the amount of paper used in the Library. Professors are also becoming more cognizant of making materials online, for reducing cost to students and paper waste. Many professors opt to assign readings in PDF or online form or recommend electronic textbooks. Students in the Associated Student Government are working to make electronic course materials more of a standard practice among professors to increase the economic accessibility of courses.

All Northwestern University libraries, plus many public areas, labs and classrooms charge for printing. These printing charges encourage responsible printing and reimburse the university for the cost spent on printing materials. Printing is free for students in certain schools, but where free printing is offered, it's in black and white. http://www.library.northwestern.edu/visit/technology/printers-printing/index.html

During campus move-in additional cardboard recycling dumpsters are placed throughout residential areas. In addition to these dumpsters, cardboard "corrals" are erected in convenient areas during the heaviest move-in days. A "sustainNU crew" is deployed to remind new students about campus recycling and assist with recycling during the Freshman Move-In day. These crews both take cardboard to recycling locations and dumpster dive to retrieve any cardboard that might end up in the trash. During campus move-out, collection boxes are placed in every residence hall and the campus sports center for the collection of clothing, linens, small household items and nonperishable food. More than 10,000 pounds are collected for donation and reuse annually.

Various efforts are incorporated to minimize waste. All incoming freshman are given a reusable water bottle and water filling stations have been installed in every residence hall and across our campus facilities. Our labs are offered a monthly glass blowing service to repair cracked glassware when feasible. All of our Procurement bid documents are electronic. Reusable envelopes are utilized for inter-campus mail. We do divert many items for reuse/donation but do not have great way to track weights for these items. Our current waste audit and Solid Waste Management Plan will address this issue.

Northwestern conducts a hands-on monthly audit for all kitchens on campus that reviews our programs and practices for reducing food waste. Pre-consumer waste is tracked daily. Data from this is shared with staff to motivate the team and keep them on-track. In addition to the physical program audits, pre and post-meal analyses are done in each campus unit. Audits of the Food Management System are conducted by the District Executive Chef and the General Manager for each area.

Northwestern Dining follows Sodexo's Food Waste Reduction program, which emphasizes minimizing waste in planning (pre-production), production, and post-production phases. This plan calls for forecasting of menus and customer counts to ensure no unneeded food is prepared or goes to waste. Additionally, Northwestern Dining has a detailed Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) program in place to monitor food safety at every step of the production process to reduce waste from time and temperature abuse. When food products are delivered to campus, they are inventoried to ensure freshness, proper temperature and quality, thereby minimizing the risk of spoilage and pre-consumer waste. Any leftover vegetable waste like trimmings is turned into homemade stock where possible.

Northwestern Dining hosts a "Weigh the Waste" program, which collects waste from dining halls in large containers by the plate drop-off station and weighs the materials to measure how much students had wasted. Volunteers collected waste from students and sort into liquid, uneaten foods, compostable items, and landfill items. Seeing their leftovers sorted in front of them serves as an educational tool for students to actually visualize how much waste they produce each meal. This sorting also allowed NU Dining to determine the largest sources of waste at the dining halls, which would inform their serving practices. The Weigh the Waste program is repeated in multiple locations to offer competition between halls and is then repeated a few weeks later to see if there is an impact on behavior and food waste. Northwestern is also trayless at all dining halls, which helps us conserve the energy and water it would require to clean trays, and encourages diners to take less food.

To-go meals at the Norris University Center come in paper containers which are compostable. Frontera Fresca, a franchise at Norris, serves all its food in fully compostable meal containers and uses smaller compostable containers for salsa and sauces. In dining halls and non-branded locations, disposable packaging is generally certified compostable.

Reusable service ware is used for all dine in meals residence halls. Northwestern Dining and the ASG Sustainability Committee are evaluating the possibility of providing reusable tableware for rent (without charge) at dining hall locations, so students can check out reusable products to use for student group events, etc. versus having to buy their own or opt for disposable products. Reusable serving wares are offered free of charge for catering at certain venues. We are exploring ways to make use of reusable serving wares for off-site catered events more cost effective. We recently piloted an option to use dining hall serving wares at a campus meeting (instead of breakable china for which there is a transport charge).

A Reusable Container Policy encourages students to use reusable containers when getting refills on drip coffee as well as fountain drinks by offering them a discount price of $1.25 (plus tax) per cup in all retail locations. https://northwestern.sodexomyway.com/planet/recycling.html