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Wiping Out Waste: Georgia Southern’s Fight for Sustainability
Between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018, Georgia Southern University produced 4112 metric tons of waste, according to a Freedom of Information Act filed to Georgia Southern’s Records Office. That is equivalent to the weight of about 206 tractor trailers.
The Center for Sustainability at Georgia Southern is complete with a group of Green Ambassadors who work together to improve the campus and help the earth by reducing waste, saving water and reducing the overall carbon footprint of the school.
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Among these improvements is the addition of 41 recycling bins throughout campus. These bins are made from 97 percent recycled material across campus. Each bin is made in a factory powered completely by renewable energy sources, said Environmental and Sustainability Manager for Georgia Southern University, Tiffoni BuckleMcCartney in an email.
Lissa Leege, Ph.D, is a professor of biology and the first and only director of the Center for Sustainability since its creation eleven years ago. Throughout this time, there has been an increase in recycling bins on campus.
“Anything that goes in a trashcan goes all the way to Macon to a landfill
one way in a truck to a landfill where it will stay forever,” said Leege. “It will never break down, it will never be turned into something else. We are wasting resources by sending something that is valuable in a truck throwing it into a landfill where it can never be used again then that truck has to come back so we’re wasting fossil fuels, we are wasting space, we are wasting resources the actual resource of the recyclable items.”
In the same year, about 738 metric tons of materials were recycled from GS, which is about the weight of 37 tractor trailers. This totals to about 17 percent of waste produced by GS being recycled, according to the GS Records Office. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only about 30 percent of all waste produced in the world is recycled.
Green Ambassadors is a university organization that aims to promote sustainability. President of the Green Ambassadors, Victor McRae, believes that the school can improve by reducing the amount of waste while also increasing the amount of recycled materials.
“Students should be leading this,” McRae said. “Instead of waiting for the school to do something, we need to be meeting them halfway.” McRae enjoyed discussing the issue of recycling because it can be looked at from so many different angles. He believes that a big portion of the problem lies in food waste.
“We need to start by getting rid of the big plates in the dining halls,” McRae said. “People won’t like it at first, but it is a known fact that smaller plates reduce portion size. Plus, from a business approach, it would reduce labor and save money if less food was wasted. You have to talk about saving money to get big companies on board.”
While the Green Ambassadors have not implemented these specific ideas, they have been in contact with the Dining Commons about the issues of food waste and determining what could help reduce the amount of food being thrown out.
The issue of food waste is not unique to the university setting. Food waste is the biggest issue for America as a whole, making up 22 percent of all landfill material, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
As far as getting more students engaged in recycling and waste management, McRae thinks that the answer lies in making the actual act of recycling more fun.
“I like the water bottle refill stations because it tells you how
many plastic bottles have been saved,” McRae said. “Having a counter on the recycling bins could be fun, plus students love competition.”
He also thinks encouraging campus organizations to compete to collect the most recyclables would help the cause and be fun for students involved.
This year, GS is on track to exceed the amount of recycling gathered last year. However representatives at the Center for Sustainability recognize that there are some things the university can aim to improve.
Contamination is the main cause for rejection of materials from the university, said Buckle-McCartney. While the receptacles for recycling are clearly labeled, many items are not put in the correct bin or they are left with food or other contamination present. When this happens, the item likely cannot be recycled due to improper disposal.
While recycling is an important step for sustainability efforts, it should not be the only method of helping the planet.
As the Center for Sustainability works toward decreasing last year’s amount of waste produced, new programs and enhancements have come into play. The GS recycling program has continued to grow as staff have been trained on recycling on campus, and the school has invested in new equipment to collect and haul away the recycled materials. Additionally, GS no longer uses food trays, disposable containers, or food with individual packaging in the dining halls. This act alone reduces food waste by up to 30 percent per person said Buckle-McCartney.
The Center for Sustainability has put emphasis not just on improving campus, but also making an impact in the Statesboro community as a whole.
“In one year our Landscaping department kept 1.4 million pounds of wood waste out of the landfill, and it was reused on campus,” said BuckleMcCartney.
GS also uses a third party vendor to turn oil waste into biodiesel and other useful materials in order to keep harmful toxins out of landfills. Students and organizations on campus have also teamed up multiple times to donate food, clothes, household goods and bikes directly to charities within the city.
The Center for Sustainability is continuing to work to find ways to improve campus and get other students involved.
Students can reduce waste by carrying a reusable water bottle or cup and taking their own reusable bags to the grocery store. Stores like Food World even have the option of buying things in bulk by taking your own containers to stock up. These actions help reduce the amount of plastic being used every day.
Every year the Center for Sustainability invites students and faculty to submit proposals for projects that would improve environmental sustainability on campus. For 2019, 15 requests were approved totalling at $226,997, according to the Center for Sustainability. These projects seek to improve the environment on campus in different ways. Some projects chosen aim to reduce energy usage, monitor and protect wildlife on campus, and reduce waste.
Every year GS sees new programs campus wide to help increase the amount of waste that is recycled. These programs are important as they not only aim to make recycling easier, but also to educate students on the importance of living a sustainable life. Now, it is the job of the students to take steps to help the planet. Small actions lead to big results.
By Savannah Savage-Johnson
Recycling vs. Landfilled Recycling vs. Landfill Materials
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2014/2015 2015/2016 2016/2017 2017/2018 Fiscal Year landfilled recycled
