Efforts aim to increase recycling rates, decrease landfill waste.
They started showing up during the first week of Earth Month in April, and are already in place at the Du Bois Center on south campus and soon will take their assigned places in other high-traffic buildings.
With an aspirational new motto, “Introducing the 4-Rs of recycling: Recycle right, reap rewards,” these bin system improvements come with the goals of increasing recycling rates while decreasing landfill waste. “We would like to increase recycling rates on campus and reduce our solid waste generation,” said Abraham Henn, sustainability manager in the Office of Sustainability. “A consistent bin system will aid in encouraging everyone to recycle, and recycle correctly. These initiatives are important because they help reduce NAU’s environmental footprint.”
The ambitious recycling program is keeping with the goal of NAU President Jose Luis Cruz Rivera to make the university more sustainable. Rivera, who began his tenure as 17th president of NAU on June 14, 2021, outlined his intentions regarding sustainability and climate emergency in his Earth Day address in 2022.
“Together, our engaged community understands that when it comes to advancing climate solutions with regional applications and global reach, NAU must lead the way,” he declared at the time.
The recycling initiative is complicated, with many elements including an educational component for everyone on campus.
Studies have shown that two reasons people may choose not to recycle include inconvenience and the time consumed finding a bin, Henn noted. Increasing the ease of recycling not only improves recycling rates but also addresses the reasons people decide not to recycle. “Up until now, the binning system was very, very inconsistent, with many buildings simply not having recycling as an option,” he said.
Previously, there were missed opportunities, with discarded materials going into the landfill instead of being recycled, he said. “Our new system will be consistent in bin type, graphics and color. With the new binning system and consistency in service, it will be much clearer for users to know where to put which materials. Still, change requires adjustment; patience and collaboration will be necessary as the project progresses.”
The origins of the current project began about 10 years ago, said Henn. “We did a pilot project in 2014 and did four buildings,” he recalled. “I didn’t think we’d get there quickly, but I wanted to be ready in case we could start.”
The project got rolling in earnest about eight months ago when NAU Chief Financial Officer Bjorn Flugstad put in a request for funding, with the projected cost running close to $600,000.
Funding was approved, and while most of the funding is coming from the current administration and the Office of the President, the NAU Green Fund also is playing a critical role in funding, with an allocation of $175,000. The Green Fund is NAU’s main source for sustainability funding. University students, staff and faculty may submit project proposals, which are reviewed and selected for funding by a committee of six students supported by staff and faculty advisors.
Projects are supported by the $15 per-student Green Fee, charged each semester. “It was a beautiful collaboration, a partnership between NAU administration and NAU Green Fund,” he said.
According to an April 6 article in The NAU Review, new waste sensors in dumpsters, funded by Green Fund, will allow the recycling team to track how much recycling and landfill waste is being generated on campus, with the sensors providing daily data that the team has already started tracking.
Office desk-side bins will only be for recycling. Landfill materials will be disposed of in common hallway bins. “We are pulling out waste bins from offices and only providing recycling in offices, so people will need to walk to a nearby trash bin to dispose of landfill materials,” Henn said in the article. “Some may find this to be an annoyance, but it is necessary, considering the workload on our custodial staff.”
The overall goal is to effectively deploy and carry out an educational campaign around waste, recycling and the new system. “I think this is a monumental moment where NAU is investing in sustainability,” Henn added. “The administration is doing its part, while asking students and employees to do their part. We’re looking to inspire and engage.” FBN
By Betsey Bruner, FBN
