| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.39 |
| Liaison | Patrice Langevin |
| Submission Date | March 3, 2023 |
Pitzer College
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.97 / 8.00 |
Patrice
Langevin Associate Vice President of Facilities & Capital Projects Facilities and Capital Projects |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 108 Tons | 162 Tons |
| Materials composted | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 216 Tons | 725 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 324 Tons | 887 Tons |
A brief description of the residual conversion facility:
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | July 1, 2018 | June 30, 2019 |
| Baseline Period | July 7, 2007 | June 30, 2008 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
The waste generation baseline of 2008 was adopted because 2008 was when the College completed its first GHG emissions report. We continue to make every effort to mitigate waste generation.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 815 | 634 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 6 | 4 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 1,168 | 998 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 390 | 280 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 1,373.75 | 1,118 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.24 Tons | 0.79 Tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
In the waste figures reported above, has the institution recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold the following materials?:
| Yes or No | |
| Paper, plastics, glass, metals, and other recyclable containers | Yes |
| Food | Yes |
| Cooking oil | No |
| Plant materials | Yes |
| Animal bedding | No |
| White goods (i.e. appliances) | Yes |
| Electronics | Yes |
| Laboratory equipment | No |
| Furniture | Yes |
| Residence hall move-in/move-out waste | Yes |
| Scrap metal | No |
| Pallets | No |
| Tires | No |
| Other (please specify below) | No |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
Pitzer recycles all e-waste: batteries, cables, cords and wires, Computers / Laptops, Computer parts and accessories, DVD/VCR players, Mobile devices, Monitors, Printers, Telephones, Televisions, Toner and ink cartridges.
Materials intended for disposal but subsequently recovered and reused on campus, performance year:
Does the institution use single stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Does the institution use dual stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Does the institution use multi-stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program:
A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
Pitzer provides recycling bins and signage in every room on campus, including the dining hall, 2 cafes, the residence halls, offices, conference rooms, and meeting rooms, and parking lots. Additionally, the Green Guide provides encouragement for the entire Pitzer College community to reuse, recyle, repurpose:
https://www.pitzer.edu/sustainability/wp-content/uploads/sites/66/2015/03/The-Green-Guide.pdf
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
We place recycling and food waste bins at all 3 of our dining facilities, in all rooms on campus, and outside buildings, and include signage. Additionally during events we have additional food and waste recycling containers. Lastly, we provide staff support by frequent emptying of containers so that the Pitzer community isn't discouraged by overfull containers and dump into the trash instead.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
We have centralized printers stations at the campus, rather than printers in individual offices. Additionally, we shut down our computer labs and instead have shared computer and printer stations distributed strategically through the campus for use by all. Locations can be found at the following website link:
https://www.pitzer.edu/information-technology/services/printing/
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
Nearly all of Pitzer's data is available online, including: course catalogs, schedules, phone directory, student handbook, staff handbook, environmental health and safety and other safety handbooks, campus maps, and campus events, and dining hall and food service cafe menus and ingredients.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
The ReRoom initiative is a student lead initiative that takes place during move-in and move-out. During move-out, ReRoom staff accept donations from students, faculty, and staff and store the items over the summer. Then, during the fall move-in, these items are offered for sale to incoming and returning students. In spring of 2015, ReRoom staff collected enough donations to fill four shipping containers. Currently, no hard data exists on the weight of the donated items, though the Sustainability Manager is working with ReRoom staff so that an estimate can be made during the next collection.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Every Winter and Summer we collect all student unwanted furnishings and housewares, furniture, small appliances, and then during summer to incoming freshmen we sell back at a steeply discounted price the furnishings, housewares, furniture and small appliances. Anything not sold is donated to the Salvation Army.
Website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization and diversion efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
05.17.23: Older data was referenced because impacts from COVID prevented Pitzer from conducting more recent data.
In regards to the waste generated reporting field, please note that: Pitzer does have a pre and post-consumer composting program, and the ReRoom Initiative collects materials for reuse, resale, and donation. However, the weight of the materials composted and collected were not tracked during the performance year and thus are not included.
05.17.23: Older data was referenced because impacts from COVID prevented Pitzer from conducting more recent data.
In regards to the waste generated reporting field, please note that: Pitzer does have a pre and post-consumer composting program, and the ReRoom Initiative collects materials for reuse, resale, and donation. However, the weight of the materials composted and collected were not tracked during the performance year and thus are not included.
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.