Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 37.45
Liaison Cody Friend
Submission Date May 10, 2014
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Nebraska at Omaha
OP-22: Waste Minimization

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.27 / 5.00 Patrick Wheeler
Environmental Advocate/Sustainability Champion
EHS
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Waste generated::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 121.50 Tons 125.38 Tons
Materials composted 0 Tons 0 Tons
Materials reused, donated or re-sold 0 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 574.30 Tons 519.99 Tons

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of residential students 1,319 1,359
Number of residential employees 63 63
Number of in-patient hospital beds 0 0
Full-time equivalent enrollment 12,248 11,826
Full-time equivalent of employees 1,521 1,460
Full-time equivalent of distance education students 2,928 3,159

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2012 June 30, 2013
Baseline Year July 1, 2008 June 30, 2011

A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:

Baseline was best estimate of average expected results over 3 years.


A brief description of any (non-food) waste audits employed by the institution:

2007 - Environmental Club of UNO conducted a waste audit in the spring of 2007 prior to start a co-mingled recycling program.


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:

We no longer maintain a warehouse for surplus property, but list on Craig's List any items no longer needed by UNO. This facilitates rapid redistribution of surplus property and virtually eliminates waste.


A brief description of the institution's efforts to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:

We no longer print course catalogs and only sparingly make directories available in print. Further, most colleges do not print syllabi, but make them (and most other "handout" materials) available electronically.


A brief description of any limits on paper and ink consumption employed by the institution:
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A brief description of any programs employed by the institution to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:

Housing managers now help schedule swap meets and make containers available for charitable donations and recycling for large events like move-in/move-out.


A brief description of any other (non-food) waste minimization strategies employed by the institution:
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A brief description of any food waste audits employed by the institution:

UNO operates on an ala carte system, so very little food is taken then wasted.


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:
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A brief description of programs and/or practices to track and reduce post-consumer food waste:
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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):

UNO has taken the first step in eliminating styrofoam and plastics from almost all of its food service operations, replacing them instead with compostable or biodegradable dinnerware/napkins--mostly from local PLA manufacturer, Cargill. We do not commercially compost but would love to hear about success stories of others.


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):
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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:

A lug-a-mug program was implemented years ago that results in charging the customer for the next smaller size beverage when utilizing reusable drinkware. This initiative was started through student efforts and supported by food services.


A brief description of other dining services waste minimization programs and initiatives:
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The website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization initiatives is available:
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.