Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 57.92
Liaison Keisha Payson
Submission Date Feb. 25, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Bowdoin College
OP-23: Waste Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.43 / 3.00 Keisha Payson
Sustainability Coordinator
Sustainable Bowdoin
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Materials diverted from the solid waste landfill or incinerator:
510.64 Tons

Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator :
559.02 Tons
+ Date Revised: March 30, 2016

A brief description of programs, policies, infrastructure investments, outreach efforts, and/or other factors that contributed to the diversion rate, including efforts made during the previous three years:

Bowdoin is committed to increasing its waste diversion rate through efforts to change students daily waste habits. The Sustainability Office's EcoRep program and the Residential Life Office's proctors and resident assistants help spread awareness of how students can be more conscious of their waste behaviors day to day. Students are educated on what can be composted or recycled and where those materials belong when they are disposed of. New, easily distinguishable zero-sort recycling dumpsters have been installed at all campus apartment complexes and each of the 8 College Houses have installed composting cones.


A brief description of any food donation programs employed by the institution:

Bowdoin works very closely with the Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program (MCHPP). Through the Food Forward initiative, student volunteers deliver unused food from the Dining Service to MCHPP. Additionally, sports teams are encouraged to send their leftover snacks from games to Food Forward. During move-out, Bowdoin also collects and sends all of the leftover food to MCHPP.


A brief description of any pre-consumer food waste composting program employed by the institution:

Bowdoin recently partnered with a local composter to minimize food-waste in the landfill. Both dining halls send all of the pre-consumer waste to the local compost facility. During the first part of the performance year post-consumer food waste was being picked up by a local pig farm.


A brief description of any post-consumer food waste composting program employed by the institution:

Bowdoin composts all post-consumer food waste from Thorne Hall and is exploring options of composting food waste from the Smith Union dining operations.
During the first part of the performance year post-consumer food waste was being picked up by a local pig farm.


Does the institution include the following materials in its waste diversion efforts?:
Yes or No
Paper, plastics, glass, metals, and other recyclable containers Yes
Food donations Yes
Food for animals Yes
Food composting Yes
Cooking oil Yes
Plant materials composting Yes
Animal bedding composting ---
Batteries Yes
Light bulbs Yes
Toner/ink-jet cartridges Yes
White goods (i.e. appliances) Yes
Laboratory equipment Yes
Furniture Yes
Residence hall move-in/move-out waste Yes
Scrap metal Yes
Pallets Yes
Motor oil Yes
Tires Yes

Other materials that the institution includes in its waste diversion efforts:

Technotrash, soft plastics.


Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
---

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.