| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.41 |
| Liaison | Yolanda Cieters |
| Submission Date | Feb. 22, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Seattle University
OP-22: Waste Minimization
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.84 / 5.00 |
Phillip
Thompson Director CEJS |
Waste generated::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 600.83 Tons | 617 Tons |
| Materials composted | 692.80 Tons | 48 Tons |
| Materials reused, donated or re-sold | 27.39 Tons | 12.12 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator |
692.30
Tons
Date Revised: March 23, 2016
|
705 Tons |
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of residential students | 2,160 | 1,845 |
| Number of residential employees | 0 | 0 |
| Number of in-patient hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Full-time equivalent enrollment | 6,454.50 | 6,520 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 1,377 | 1,169.50 |
| 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 | July 1, 2014 | June 30, 2015 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2008 | June 30, 2009 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
In 2011, SU added staffing to make a baseline and institute formal measuring, which was mandated by the signing of the Climate Action Plan.
A brief description of any (non-food) waste audits employed by the institution:
From 2008 to 2013 a twice-a-year waste audit was performed for all the residential buildings to determine the recycling rate for resident students and to provide information that would aid in focused outreach to certain buildings or floors that showed lower than average rates. The practice was stopped in 2014 due to internal restructuring. Waste audits are done every 5 years for the 62 exterior collection stations starting in 2008.
A brief description of any institutional procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
*SU has an automated print service in which everyone prints to a main printer which automatically prints in gray and double-sided.
*There is no bottled water distributed or sold on campus. SU has installed bottle filler spouts on all of the drinking fountains to support the use of reusable water bottles.
*At the SU bookstore, you can rent books that are reused and out of date books are donated. There is a SU student reuse page where people can borrow materials.
*SU has a Student “Buy Nothing” page.
*Outdoor Adventure Recreation (OAR) offers a rear swap twice a year.
*SU provides large van transpiration to the airport at the start of each break. Facilities use electric vehicles. SU has a bus to work system in which parking is very expensive but a bus card is very cheap for just 10$/month. SU also has extensive bike storage capacity.
*SU uses Canvas as a way for students to interact outside of the classroom, it allows for work to be turned in electronically.
*The annual recycling event lets employees, students and our surrounding neighbors drop off their hard-to-recycle items for free.
*Toilet tissue on SU campus is coreless.
A brief description of any surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
Surplus furniture is kept in a warehouse for use elsewhere on campus. SU also uses leased modular office equipment that is more easily used in different areas of campus
A brief description of the institution's efforts to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
SU does not print the course catalog, schedule, or the faculty/staff directory but makes these materials available online. Most forms that a student would need to fill out from application to graduation are available to fill out online. Timecards for most employees are filled out online.
A brief description of any limits on paper and ink consumption employed by the institution:
Each student will be allocated 125 free black-and-white printouts for each enrolled academic quarter. If the student exhausts these free copies, he or she will then pay for additional printouts at the rate of $.05 each.
A brief description of any programs employed by the institution to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Each residence hall has a collection station up for 10 days with bins to collect clothes, packaged food, household items, school supplies, toiletries, and recyclables. On Wednesday of Finals week, the recycling/trash closet on each floor is locked so students have to take all their unwanted items to the Move Out Collection Station. Move-out collects about 30 to 45 tons of material that is saved from going to landfill. Move-in SU offers collection of extra cardboard and Styrofoam for recycling.
A brief description of any other (non-food) waste minimization strategies employed by the institution:
SU offers waste collection stations at 200 locations on campus. Each station includes single stream recycling, compost and trash. A zero waste ad campaign focused at student buying habits and waste station helpers are made available for large events.
A brief description of any food waste audits employed by the institution:
If too much food is made, we donate it to Food Lifeline (hot meals). We audit pre-consumer food waste that we compost. The compost is then used on campus. Post consumer and meat and dairy get sent to Cedar Grove (composting facility) and it is visually inspected. We do a yearly waste audit of the Cedar Grove waste (looking at the outside separately from indoor and looking at the feasibility of an anaerobic digester).
The amounts and contamination wastes are logged as we are making the compost.
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:
N/A
A brief description of programs and/or practices to track and reduce post-consumer food waste:
The salad bar changed to charging by weigh for food and there has been a reduction in wasted food from that station.
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):
Everything on campus is either durable or Cedar Grove approved compostable. Cedar Grove has a very rigorous testing system for all the compostable items that they approve.
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):
When ordering food one has to ask for compostable plates and clamshells. In other words, durable is the default. All disposable Items from sugar packets to straws are compostable. Catering also provides durable as the default and all grab and go items use compostable containers and wrappings, including compostable selifan for sandwiches.
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:
20 cent discount is given on all coffee drinks and fountain soda when you bring your own reusable mug to campus eateries.
A brief description of other dining services waste minimization programs and initiatives:
The website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.