How to make a recycling center

Recycling centers in dorms are an interesting way to grow community while teaching about recycling, add value to buildings, and become locations visitors love to see. From a community perspective, the centers are a place where people can work together and think about the environment.
One successful system can lead to another and when managed properly can continue for long periods of time. My school began with only one dorm recycling center in April of 2016 (the one featured in the photos). Because of the success of the first one, five more dorm recycling programs were added by October 2017 of similar design.

With six easy steps you can quickly design and begin operating your recycling center!

Step 1: Talk to dorm parents or school administration who are interested in sustainability about creating a center. University students can try talking to resident assistants and other students to create a core group.
Step 2: Work with dorm parents, school administrators, and the fire marshal to find a location to have the center. Good locations have lots of space around them, are easy to get to, and follow building code. An example of a bad location would be on a staircase landing.

Track your recycling on campus to see how it is managed. Before creating the center, make sure that the recycling is being taken out and how it is stored on campus.

When choosing a location for your center, take into account how far the large recycling storage is from your building. It is also important to determine how the recycling is kept in the big bin in order to ensure that the recycling from your center matches in how it is collected with the large school wide bin.
Is it in bags or open in a dumpster? Is this single stream or separated? How you organize your dorm setup should match the storage unit/s for ease of compatibility.

This is an example of a large recycling bin which my school uses:

Collection bin for the first floor:

Step 3: Attract people who want to help out. Starting out we only had a few people, all part of the environmental group. Each of us had to take out the recycling for the whole building on their day. Now we have enough people to man each floor everyday separately. Create a schedule and buy bins for both the center and ones to put around the dorm. Depending on the size of the dorm and the number of people, it may not even be necessary to even have collection bins. Having people bring their recycling directly to the center may work too.

Step 4: Determine how to empty the trash from the collection bins into the recycling center. I recommend bringing the collection bin bag to the recycling center and then sorting it into the larger bins.

An alternative is to bring the bin from the center to the collection bins and transferring the bag contents into the center bin. It is easy at this time to look in the trash to find any recyclables which were misplaced.
Sometimes the bags get full of liquid and have to be replaced. Make sure to have garbage bags available in case some are broken. Oftentimes bottles are not empty. This is a good step to empty bottles.

Step 5: Educate! Hold dorm meetings and show what to recycle and where it goes. Create posters to remind people of what is recyclable.

[1]

Here is one of the signs we made to show what can be recycled: 

Step 6 (optional): Personalize and decorate your recycling center!

Here are the bins when empty:



When full!



















Thanks for reading!
Citations:
[1]: https://www.lakelandgov.net/publicworks/solid-waste/commercial/commercial-recycling Accessed May 4th 2017.

How to make a green dorm room

Although it might seem difficult to stay green when living at school, there are some easy ways to stay green. This blog post offers ideas on how to reduce your carbon footprint while living at school.

1. Reusable water bottles: Buying a filter can provide a convenient way to get clean water.

[1]

2. Power strips are an efficient way to organize your cords, protect your devices from surges, and reduce your environmental impact. It is really easy to turn on and off power strips and save lots of energy when not charging your devices.

3. Get some plants! Plants also make rooms look much better. Indoor air pollution can greatly affect your health and plants are great for filtering air.

4. Use eco friendly soap and toothpaste. Look for products free of fluoride, gluten, sodium sulfites, and preservatives. Not only will this make you healthier, but it will also help the planet by reducing the amount of pollution in our water system.

[2]

5. Cook your own meals or eat in the dining hall instead of ordering takeout. Cooking for yourself is a great way to be healthier, save money, and reduce your carbon footprint. It is also a fun activity to do with friends.

6. Buy local, green, or second hand material. An example would be purchasing second-hand textbooks from former students.

Ideas for college housing:

1. Bike to school if you live off campus. This is a great way to get exercise, reduce your carbon emissions, and have fun.

2. Buying second hand furniture. This is also a great way to save money.

3. Use organic fabrics. This means that the material was grown according to organic standards.  More information on sustainable cotton can be found here.

4. Use rugs to insulate instead of heating. There are many companies which sell carpets free of formaldehyde, benzene, and other toxins.

Check out these brands which offer eco-friendly fabric:

Mohawk Everstrand

Nature's Carpet

5. Share appliances. Examples of this could be a shared fridge, printer, or microwave. Even doing communal laundry can save lots of water, electricity, and most importantly time.

Dorm project ideas:

1. Monitor lights and create a habit of turning off the lights when leaving a room. Reducing light use during sleeping hours could also save power.

2. Start a recycling program.

3. Modernize facilities. This can be replacing old toilets with efficient ones during a renovation.

4. Create a model dorm room to show others how to create a similar setup.
Check out this Duke University model room: http://sustainability.duke.edu/campus_initiatives/buildings/GrnDrmRm.html [1]

A similar idea would be to make signs which educated about the environment near appliances.

This one is positioned next to a printer:

Thank you for reading and if you have any ideas for green dorm rooms, please let me know!

Citations:

[1]: Level one homemaker.com. Accessed 4/5/17. http://level1homemaker.blogspot.com/2013/09/false-economy-review-of-great-value.html

[2]: Duke University. Accessed 3/22/17. http://sustainability.duke.edu/campus_initiatives/buildings/GrnDrmRm.html

Environmental Resolutions for 2017

Many people make New Years resolutions about things like exercising, reading books, and making money, but too few people think about making resolutions about what they can do to help the environment. These fun facts can help towards a more sustainable and healthier future!

[1]

1. Reusable bags:

Using reusable bags is a fun and easy way to lower your consumption of plastic. Most grocery stores sell reusable bags which are interestingly patterned, made of recycled plastic, and have environmental facts on them. They are even cost effective because grocery stores sometimes charge for plastic bags. Buy some next time you shop, you’ll definitely use them!

2. Reusable water bottles:

Reusable water bottles are one of the best ways to save time, be healthy, lower environmental footprints, and save money! Using a reusable water bottle that looks good, is more fun to drink from, and is healthier will improve your quality of life. Plastic bottles have a huge environmental impact because of the high amounts of water and energy used in their production and shipping. They also leach chemicals such as BPA which are bad for your health especially when the plastic is heated.

[2]

3. Begin to recycle

Recycling is the easiest and most time effective way to help the environment. Many states now have single stream recycling programs. That means that you don’t have to sort your recycling before putting it into the bin. Paper, cardboard, glass, aluminum, and any plastic with a symbol can be recycled. This makes it easy to identify recyclable items and convenient to participate in recycling.

4. Buy local and organic produce

The distance food has to travel is the main contributor for it’s environmental impact. Locally grown food bought at farmers markets is higher quality, supportive of local businesses, and has a much lower environmental footprint. Foods which are organic are not contaminated in their growth from pesticides or other chemicals. This is better for you because your body does not have to filter the toxins it takes in allowing your organs to do less work. Organic food has to meet strict regulations from the EPA regarding the growing process to ensure the high level of quality. For animal products, try to buy meat that is grass fed, cage free, and hormone free; and if you can, try to also buy organic. The cost is definitely worth it to your health.

[3]

5. Bike once a week

Biking is a great way to get exercise and reduce your environmental impact. A gallon of gas releases 28 lbs of carbon dioxide. Think of how much lower your carbon impact would be when biking once a week. When it is warm try biking to your local gym as a way to get in even more conditioning. You may find it more enjoyable than the drive.

6. Instal LEDs

LED lighting is a great way to cut down on your energy bill and reduce your carbon footprint. The bulbs now last longer than halogen or compact florescent lights. They can even be recycled because they do not contain harmful chemicals like mercury! They are even customizable and come many shades of color which allow users to perfectly design their home lighting. So whenever an old bulb burns out, just replace it with a LED!

7. Have a conversation about the environment

Discussing how to help the environment is a great way to educate yourself, think of ideas, and spread the message of going green. Even thinking about the environment once a month is a great way to stay motivated and try new things. Just having an idea of what you can do leads to more sustainability.

Thanks for reading and have an eco-friendly 2017

Photo credits:

1.  http://www.zmescience.com/ecology/reusable-plastic-bag-recycle-06022013/

2. https://www.lakelandgov.net/publicworks/solid-waste/commercial/commercial-recycling

3. http://www.ebicycles.com/article/what-type-of-bicycle-should-i-buy.html

Biking, a way to make life more enjoyable and eco-friendly

Bikes, one of the greatest inventions popularized in the 19th century reduces the daily carbon footprints of millions of people [1]. Many people are turned off from bike riding because of bad roads, inconvenience, lack of experience, and the comforts of cars, but biking is fun and a way to lower your environmental footprint. Burning a gallon of gas releases 28 lbs of CO2; imagine the effect of driving one less time a week and how that would help the environment. [5].

There are many advantages of biking being a daily part of life: less CO2 emissions, commuter happiness, daily exercise, increased patience, and sense of community. Bikes are often much more affordable than cars. The practicality of investing in a bike when living in the city is enormous. Being able to bike at times is a luxury available for city life. Biking also reduces traffic flow on side residential streets. This improves quality of life through the decrease of air and noise pollution.

Once you have a bike just add lights, locks, reflector jacket, and bike bag, you are set for all year. Find a convenient storage location close to your door and biking will become a natural habit.

Many studies have shown an increase in happiness from shorter commutes and biking is a great way to increase job satisfaction while traveling to work [4]. Biking works almost all of the body's major muscle groups and weekly biking increases physical fitness on top of regular exercise [2].

Based on my personal experience and people I have spoken with, biking seems to increase patience levels. Bikers are used to spending more time commuting and learn to plan ahead. Bikers have to consider things like weather, travel time, bike lane availability, and where to lock up. Even using google maps and estimating a bike ride can give a rough idea of a ride, but is never complete. It is difficult to space out or not pay attention to road conditions when biking because of risk to yourself. Along similar lines to higher patience bikers might also have higher attention spans because of the constant state of alertness when biking.

Teens often want independence and cars are what they think they need to achieve this. But what if during middle school, everyone was taught to bike? Cars are very appealing, but impractical for teenagers because of cost, safety, and the wait time of one year until being able to drive friends [3]. Creating a biking culture early on would give teens independence way before they would qualify for driving a car.

Looking for a way to bike without investing time and effort into purchasing a bike? Companies like City Bike based in New York City have made biking more accessible and convenient by creating a bike sharing system. Creating a bike sharing program in your local community can help start a biking culture and bike lanes and trails. Organizations like Ibike.org have created content to help educate bikers about biking impact. If wanting to learn how to bike, contact your local bike shops for programs they may offer.

Project ideas:

• Collect and donate bikes to organizations who can distribute them to people without access
• Create a bike to school or work day where once a month (weather permitting) people can bike as a group to school or work

Thanks for reading and enjoy your biking.

Sources:

1. "Bicycles." Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History, edited by Thomas Riggs, 2nd ed., vol. 1, Gale, 2015, pp. 129-132. Gale Biography In Context, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GPS&sw=w&u=s0937&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CCX3611000095&it=r&asid=014d15acdc651b2398aeda4b699bea08. Accessed 19 Dec. 2016.

2. “Commuter cycling: effect on physical performance in untrained men and women in Flanders: minimum dose to improve indexes of fitness.” B. de Geus, J. Joncheere, R. Meeusen. 2007. Accessed 12/19/16. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2008.00776.x/epdf?r3_referer=wol&tracking_action=preview_click&show_checkout=1&purchase_referrer=onlinelibrary.wiley.com&purchase_site_license=LICENSE_DENIED_NO_CUSTOMER

3. “CT Teen Driving Restrictions for 16 and 17 Year Olds.” Accessed 12/19/16. http://www.ct.gov/dmv/cwp/view.asp?a=805&q=424252

4. Olsson, Lars E., et al. "Happiness and Satisfaction with Work Commute." Social Indicators Research, vol. 111, no. 1, 2013, p. 255+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GPS&sw=w&u=s0937&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA322630669&it=r&asid=ece41ff6c9461a36f1f8efda778935f0. Accessed 19 Dec. 2016.

5. Pennybacker, Mindy. Do One Green Thing. St. Martin’s Press NY. 2010. Print

Image credit: http://www.geofffox.com/MT/archives/tag/farmington-canal-trail