ENVS Students Evaluate King’s Waste

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As part of a group project for our ENVS 491 class, we recently completed a waste audit of King’s garbage with the goal of reducing waste on campus. We collected garbage bags from around campus every day for a week and sorted the bags into what could have been recycled or composted and what actually belonged in the garbage. We found that over 30% of what had been placed in the garbage was actually compost and nearly 20% was recyclable (this included food waste, Level coffee cups, and cafeteria take-out containers).

Why does this matter? When compostable items are sent to the landfill, we miss out on the many benefits that composting provides. Not only does it reduce the amount of waste that goes to the landfill, but it also reduces greenhouse gas emissions, helps to recover soil fertility, and can even reduce our dependence on chemical fertilizers.

As listed on the school website, King’s vision statement is “to serve widely as a Christian university that helps to build a more humane, just, and sustainable world.” Diverting waste from the landfill by recycling and composting programs is an easy and feasible way to help make our university campus a more sustainable place. It is also not a new idea. Many other universities in Edmonton (including the University of Alberta, Concordia, and MacEwan) already have composting systems.

Currently, King’s does not have a composting system; however, one of the goals of our project is to introduce an industrial composting system onto campus. In addition, the only thing currently being recycled on campus is cardboard – and if cardboard becomes wet or dirty, it is considered contaminated and can no longer be recycled.

So, how can you help? As university students, especially those who live in residence, it can be tricky to reduce our waste. Here are some tips to help: bring your reusable cups, cutlery, straws, and other reusable items to reduce the amount of single-use items that get thrown away; take your non-meat food scraps to the compost pile behind the apartment on campus, or gather them in a reusable container and take them home to be put in your green bin.

It is important to NOT put anything but cardboard in the recycle bins on campus. Until recycling on campus is expanded, one alternative is to wash your plastic drink cups out on campus and then take them home to recycle, or else they will be directed to the landfill.