GW is continuing to improve its own waste reduction practices.
For the sixth year in a row, GW is participating in the national RecycleMania Tournament, an eight-week competition designed to help reduce waste and increase recycling on college and university campuses. This year’s tournament began last month and will run through April 2.
To kick off the tournament, GW staff spent several hours on Feb. 4 digging through more than 40 bags of garbage in search of recyclables at GW’s third annual Waste Sort in Kogan Plaza. By the end of the day, more than 16 bags of plastic and glass bottles, paper and cans were recovered for recycling.
“No matter how many posters, flyers or e-mails are distributed, it's hard to get people interested in solutions unless they care about the problem,” says sophomore Madelyn Boots, who participated in the event. “The Waste Sort was a good way for us to show people, rather than just tell them, why we need to pay attention to recycling on campus.”
Samantha McGovern, project coordinator in GW’s Division of Operations, says students, faculty and staff should try and make choices based on what can and cannot be recycled at GW. For example, when bringing food back to your room or office, use a metal fork that can be washed and reused rather than a plastic one or use a refillable water bottle in lieu of a disposable one.
In coming weeks, Big Belly Solar trash receptacles — which periodically compact trash resulting in the need for fewer pick-ups— will be installed across campus. The Big Belly receptacles are solar powered by a 30 watt photovoltaic module and work even on cloudy days because of an internal 12 volt battery charged on sunny days.
The Big Belly receptacles will also prevent trash overflow and will help the GW campus reduce litter. They will also cut down on the number of garbage bags used as lining since the receptacles are emptied less frequently. At some locations the university will reduce the number of bags used by more than 20 a week. GW will reuse replaced trash bins by moving them into areas of campus that previously did not have an exterior trash container.
The GW community is encouraged to deposit only trash in the Big Belly receptacles. Recyclables should still be thrown in the marked green containers throughout campus.
“Maintaining a clean and presentable environment is one of the main goals of my team,” says Grounds and Pest Control Manager Noel Gasparin. “The Big Belly containers will not only ensure that our trash is not unsightly but will allow my staff more time to focus on beautifying our campus.”