striving for zero waste
Institutionalizing Composting on a University Campus: UC Berkeley’s Compost Alliance University of California, Berkeley
Evelyn Hammid, Program Coordinator Sarah Atkinson, Staff Assistant California Higher Education Sustainability Conference UC Santa Barbara, June 24, 2013
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Compost Alliance University of California, Berkeley
• A student-run group founded in Fall 2010 • Has implemented composting in 17 campus buildings in restrooms and kitchenettes • Seeks to institutionalize composting through in-house collection and campus-wide support A standard kitchenette bin setup, as seen at Energy Biosciences Building
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Funding • Received a grant from The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) for 2011-2012 to begin pilot composting programs, purchased bins and matched department funding for ongoing costs University of California, Berkeley
• 2012-2013 TGIF grant focused on institutionalizing campuswide composting • Plans to be funded by Campus Recycling and Refuse Services’ (CRRS) after grant is depleted
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Zero Waste by 2020
striving for zero waste
Waste Divergence: The Numbers University of California, Berkeley
• UC Berkeley is currently at a diversion rate of 46%, behind our goal of 75% by 2012 • Between January and March 2013, UC Berkeley composted over 180 tons of organic waste (including Dining Commons and on-campus restaurants) • Over 3.62 tons of organic waste are composted by Compost Alliance's campus buildings each month
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Compost Collection: Logistics
University of California, Berkeley
• Most campus compost is collected by Recology, an outside vendor, and sent to an industrial composting facility in Modesto, over 83 miles away • CRRS collects yard waste and transports it to a composting facility in Richmond, a mere 10 miles away • 6 buildings compost using CRRS yard waste bins in part because Recology trucks cannot access their enclosures •
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A landfill compactor converted to a compost compactor at Crossroads dining commons
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"Critical Mass" and In-House Composting
University of California, Berkeley
• In-house compost collection by CRRS is a major goal: this will save the campus money and reduce our carbon footprint • In-house collection will be made possible by reaching a "critical mass" of buildings producing enough compost to fill a CRRS truck • We are currently expanding composting to buildings located near CRRS green waste dumpsters to facilitate in-house pickup •
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CRRS staff
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Buildings with Composting
University of California, Berkeley
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2000 Carleton: Physical Plant – Campus Services (PPCS) headquarters Architecture and Engineering: Office of the Vice Chancellor of Facilities Services Barrows Hall: Headquarters of College of Letters and Sciences California Hall: Administration building, office of the Chancellor Durant Hall: Recently remodeled and LEED Silver certified Energy Biosciences Building: New construction Goldman School of Public Policy: A professional school Haas School of Business: A professional school, has a café with food waste Hearst Gym and Hearst Annex: Hosts ASUC student groups International House: An independent student residence, hosts many events and is working to become a Zero Waste event center Li Ka Shing: New construction Mulford Hall: College of Natural Resources Richmond Field Station: Has independent custodial services Sproul Hall: Administration building Stanley Hall: Strong interest from building manager Sutardja Dai: Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society’s (CITRIS) building, hosts Qualcomm Cafe University Hall: Environmental Health and Safety building Wurster Hall: College of Environmental Design
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Wurster Hall
University of California, Berkeley
• Has composting in lobbies and studios which are serviced by Alejandro Blanco, hired by the college as a building custodian • Restrooms planned to be serviced by custodians who currently do not compost; we will implement restroom composting this summer • Eli Perszyk, the building manager, is experimenting with bin design using a TGIF grant
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Haas School of Business University of California, Berkeley
• • • • •
A professional school with significant funding Café Fifo composts Hosts many events, providing an opportunity for waste reduction Green Team coalition affiliates promote sustainability at Haas We will be expanding composting this summer
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striving for zero waste
Lawrence Hall of Science University of California, Berkeley
• A science museum with many visitors, especially children • Has a café that is beginning to compost • Strong interest in composting from staff • We will be implementing composting this summer
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Zero Waste by 2020
striving for zero waste
Warren Hall University of California, Berkeley
• Currently has no composting and limited recycling • An employee in the Controller’s office became passionate about waste reduction, contacted us and coordinated with her supervisor to make composting happen • We will be implementing composting and recycling with our standard bins and signage this summer
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Zero Waste by 2020
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Cory Hall University of California, Berkeley
• Across from Sutardja Dai, receives food waste from Qualcomm Café • One department in Cory Hall began composting on their own, the custodian was supportive and serviced their bins using Sutardja Dai’s compost dumpster • We will be implementing composting this summer
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Zero Waste by 2020
striving for zero waste
Future Goals University of California, Berkeley
• Continue to implement composting in additional campus buildings • Provide support for existing compost programs in campus buildings, aim to help them sustain their programs independent of Compost Alliance • Gain campus-wide support to expand composting •
Zero Waste by 2020! Image by TickTockMan92, DeviantArt
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Zero Waste by 2020
striving for zero waste
Questions? University of California, Berkeley
Contact Compost Alliance at: compostalliance@gmail.com Thank you!
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