Photo courtesy Towson Goes Green Facebook page
Towson University is minimizing trash in more ways than one. This month, the Office of Sustainability completed a yearlong project to install mini-trashcans in all campus offices. Similar projects at other institutions have increased office recycling by up to 20 percent.
“With the campus’s single-stream recycling and compostable materials in many dining halls, very few things need to go into the trash,” said Campus Sustainability Manager Patricia Watson. “Standard-sized recycling bins paired with the mini trash cans are good visual reminders that we should be recycling far more than we throw out.”
The Office of Sustainability worked with ABM to install more than 2,000 mini-cans across campus following a successful pilot of the program in October 2014. The mini-cans are nine times smaller than typical deskside trashcans and are installed on the side of standard recycling cans. Watson credits the project for helping the university achieve a 27 percent increase in recycling from the third quarter of 2014 to the same time this year.
Paper, plastic, cardboard, glass and many metals can go into campus recycling bins. Many campus dining materials can go into compost bins, and batteries, electronics, printer cartridges and light bulbs can go into dedicated bins across campus. Larger trashcans are available in building lobbies for those who need them.
The project’s conclusion comes at a fitting time—October is Campus Sustainability Month. TU has already celebrated the month with Recycling Rush, a collection competition among fraternities and sororities and Climate Action Day, which encouraged awareness and discussion of how students impact climate change. Additional sustainability events this month include:
- Do it in the Dark: an energy conservation contest taking place in the residence halls from October 18 – 31
- Real Food Week: where a different dining hall will feature farm-to-table meals and interactive games each day from October 19-22. Eco-reps will also be on hand to help educate diners on the benefits of composting.
For more information on the upcoming events, go to the Towson Goes Green Facebook page.
