Reuse on Campus

The University of Vermont

Solid Waste & Recycling

Physical Plant Department

Reuse Can Be Simple

Inter-office mailing envelopes

Don’t Forget the Small Stuff

Reusable CUPPS = “Can’t Use Paper, Plastic or Styrofoam” Cups

Two Reuse Programs at UVM

Office Supply Collection And Reuse (OSCAR)

Student Move-Out Week

Setting Up an Office Supply Exchange Program

Location Name for Program Organization &

Upkeep Marketing Feedback &

Measuring Results

Elements for a Successful Program:

Find a convenient location.e.g., OSCAR room at UVM is centrally located in Campus Student Center. Easy walk for most staff.

A name for the program.

e.g., OSCAR is catchy; easy to remember.

Organization and upkeepOSCAR is a “self-serve” operation. Staff can drop off or pick up free items.

Marketing the program

Initial postcard sent to clerical and administrative staff.

Periodic e-mail reminders to business managers list.

Staff newsletter. Word of mouth. Table at Purchasing supplies “expo.” Link off recycling website.

Feedback & Measuring Results

Did you Drop Off or Pick Up Items?

What Items? Approximate Value of

Items? How did you hear about

OSCAR? Will you use OSCAR again?

OSCAR users are asked to fill out a log book.

Results

150 staff members, departments and offices have used OSCAR.

$2,500- $3,000 saved in office supply purchases in two years.

Tangible way to promote reuse “ethic” on campus.

Student Move-Out Week

An effort to collect reusable items that students would have thrown away, and donate them directly to local non-profit organizations.

3 Categories of reusables are collected from inside each hall

ClothingFood & ToiletriesSmall Household Items.

325 bags were collected by UVM Recycling

Staff over the course of a week.

Bagged items were taken to a central location

Non-profit groups picked up items from central location.

12 area non-profits participated.

Working With Local Non-Profits

Contact them way in advance. Be clear about expectations. Written agreement or commitment. Provide them with a good map of

your campus. Have them pick up from one

location, if possible.

Working with Residential Life Staff

Get collection areas set up early. Agree on roles and expectations,

put in writing. Agree on rules for staff scavenging. Frequent collection to minimize mess.

The Bigger Challenge: Bulky Waste

Scavenging of loft wood is most successful.

But, unfortunately, recycling staff must pickup all by end of each day.

Promoting the Program to Students Clear labels and signs:

“tie shoes together” “no perishables”“no opened packages”

Posters, table tents in dining halls, RA newsletters, bulletin boards

Collection boxes in prominent locations.

In One Week…. Items were given directly to 12 non-profit groups in the area. 3 tons of clothing 2 tons of food & toiletries 1 ton of small household items 6.5 tons of loft wood recycled 4 tons of furniture reusedBUT….. 27 tons of couches still got trashed

Challenges

Additional labor needed for the week.

We are expected to clear outdoor sites 24 hrs/day.

Arson Most couches are in very poor

condition; no reuse value.

For more info:University of VermontRecycling & Solid Waste

Erica Spiegel(802) 656-4191recycle@uvm.eduwww.uvm.edu/recycle