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) [email protected]/recycle