OSU waste receptacles
OSU Recycling Efforts
- OSU has made a goal of making campus “zero waste” by 2025 (zero waste defined as diverting at least 90% off waste from landfills to compost or recycling centers).
- The stadium has already achieved a zero waste status as of 2012. (pictured right)
- The facilities operations and developments department at OSU helps to facilitate zero waste events (for a fee) upon request at select locations including the following:
- Blackwell Inn and Conference Center
- Faculty Club
- Kennedy Commons
- Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4H Center
- Ohio Union
- Pizzuti House
- Wexner Center for the Art.
- Current recycling efforts consist of educating the staff and students on what can be recycled and where, as shown in the below infographic.
Potential Issue Areas
- Food waste (waste which could be composted in ideal situations) is a large source of landfill waste.
- According to a 2016 study of US consumers, 58.4% of consumers agree that that throwing away food is bad for the environment.
- From the same study, some ideas that could be changed (or improved) with education on the subject:
- 69.7% agreed that throwing away food before the use by date would reduce chances of food-borne illness.
- 59.3% agreed that some food waste is necessary to ensure good tasting/fresh meals.
- Only 42.1% agreed that throwing away food is a major source of wasted money.
- From the same study, some ideas that could be changed (or improved) with education on the subject:
- In a study carried out by OSU professor Brian Roe and grad student Danyi Qi, it was shown that, when educated, students left behind 77% less food (by mass) than those who weren’t.
OSU Recycling Club
- Meet every other Wednesday, more information pending next meeting (2/29/2017).