Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 56.42
Liaison Kate Witte
Submission Date May 25, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Keene State College
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.73 / 8.00 Cary Gaunt
Director of Campus Sustainability
Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 177.77 Metric tons 200.10 Metric tons
Materials composted 38.86 Metric tons 9.80 Metric tons
Materials donated or re-sold 5.14 Metric tons Metric tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion Metric tons Metric tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 489.75 Metric tons 467.08 Metric tons
Total waste generated 711.53 Metric tons 676.98 Metric tons

A brief description of the residual conversion facility, including affirmation that materials are sorted prior to conversion to recover recyclables and compostable materials:
---

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2015 June 30, 2016
Baseline Year July 1, 2004 June 30, 2005

A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted (e.g. in sustainability plans and policies or in the context of other reporting obligations):
---

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 2,389 2,369
Number of employees resident on-site 11 7
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 3 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 4,400 4,504
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 687 583.30
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 4,418.25 4,409.48

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.16 Metric tons 0.15 Metric tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
0

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
31.17

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
31.17

In the waste figures reported above, has the institution recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold the following materials?:
Yes or No
Paper, plastics, glass, metals, and other recyclable containers Yes
Food Yes
Cooking oil Yes
Plant materials Yes
Animal bedding No
White goods (i.e. appliances) Yes
Laboratory equipment No
Furniture Yes
Residence hall move-in/move-out waste Yes
Scrap metal Yes
Pallets No
Tires Yes
Other (please specify below) Yes

A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:

In the June move-out sale we sell back rugs, bedding, clothing, school supplies, home décor and goods, cleaning supplies, books, home electronics, etc. KSC also has a successful monthly surplus property sale with the goal "to advertise and recycle as many good useable surplus items such as desks, file cabinets, chairs, bookcases, etc. on campus in a fair, orderly and cost effective process." (http://www.keene.edu/office/purchasing/surplus/)


Materials intended for disposal but subsequently recovered and reused on campus, performance year (e.g. materials that are actively diverted from the landfill or incinerator and refurbished/repurposed) :
3.25 Metric tons

Does the institution use single stream recycling (a single container for commingled recyclables) to collect standard recyclables (i.e. paper, plastic, glass, metals) in common areas?:
No

Does the institution use dual stream (two separate containers for recyclables, e.g. one for paper and another for plastic, glass, and metals) to collect standard recyclables (i.e. paper, plastic, glass, metals) in common areas?:
Yes

Does the institution use multi-stream recycling (multiple containers that further separate different types of materials) to collect standard recyclables (i.e. paper, plastic, glass, metals) in common areas?:
No

Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program (percentage, 0-100):
---

A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed, e.g. efforts to minimize contamination and/or monitor the discard rates of the materials recovery facilities and mills to which materials are diverted:

Student staff collects and sorts recycling on site before we send it to the City of Keene transfer station. We use signage around campus to inform students of best recycling practices, and the Eco-Reps (student sustainability organization) do peer-to-peer outreach with students to inform them of proper waste practices.


A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives, e.g. initiatives to shift individual attitudes and practices such as signage and competitions:

We have a "ban the bottle" initiative headed by the Eco-Reps. We also employ a monthly food audit in the Dining Commons to identify menu items that are commonly wasted. Other programs we offer include "dorm storms" to educate students and waste audits at the Student Center. We schedule several Earth Week events to promote Sustainability month, including campus clean ups and an e-waste collection table.


A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:

Eco-Reps and ROCKS started hosting food audits monthly in the dining commons to get numbers on the amount of food thrown away by students as they bring their dishes to the dish room. These numbers go to dining services to identify menu items that are not eaten and other strategies for reducing food waste. The goal in this exercise is to determine if portion sizes need to be adjusted or if menu items should be eliminated altogether. We also use that data in support of proposals for post-consumer composting programs. Also, there are waste (trash) audits held publicly on campus to show students and faculty a lot of campus waste items can be either recycled or composted. These audits are used to identify specific buildings for additional programs such as "dorm storms" to better educate students.


A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
---

A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:

The Eco-Reps and Recycling program host a Reuse Room in one of the buildings on campus. On-campus users can bring household or office items to the Reuse Room and they are also encouraged to take items that they could use either at their homes of office.

There is a second space in the Media Arts building - the ROSE Room (reuse office supply exchange). This room focuses more on office and school supplies for campus. Materials are donated by faculty and staff members.

We have a strong Surplus Program where furniture and larger goods are available for reuse on campus or available to the general public for sale, one weekend per month.


A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse (e.g. of electronics, furnishings, books and other goods):

The ROSE and Reuse Rooms as described above.


A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption (e.g. restricting free printing and/or mandating doubled-sided printing in libraries and computer labs):

Student printing is limited in the library, and the large printing lab requires multiple steps to get something printed. Students pay for more printing after allocated money runs out, and printers are programmed to automatically print double sided.


A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials (e.g. course catalogs, course schedules, and directories) available online by default rather than printing them:

The College has focused on reducing the quantity of printed materials that are used on campus. Many departments have made their materials available online. Offices that have traditionally ordered or printed large quantities of materials have been noting what is actually used and adjusting their purchases and printing to reduce waste.

Keene State courses are managed through a campus learning management system that allows instructors to post digital copies of reading assignments, the syllabus and other key documents, eliminating the need for students to print paper copies.


A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:

The recycling program places donation bins in 39 residential hall locations. Each location collects clothing, shoes, bedding, food, household goods, cleaning supplies, toiletries, school supplies and appliances/electronics. These items are collected by the recycling staff, stored in large 40' trailers, cleaned/organized and then resold to the campus community in June and to the first year students in August. The focus of the August sale is to minimize the amount of items new students purchase to bring to campus by buying gently used items at our resale.

During move-in, the recycling office employs dumpster monitors to help families sort the cardboard from the trash. This has increased our cardboard recycling rate during move-in AND has reduced our contamination! This effort is paired with increased signage in all first year res halls directing students and parents to the correct recycling/trash containers. Similar signs are posted in upperclassmen res halls.


A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
---

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
---

Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Program information provided by Matt Bacon, KSC ROCKS.


Program information provided by Matt Bacon, KSC ROCKS.

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.