In 2016, the University of Michigan set an ambitious goal to achieve zero waste at home football games and divert 90% of game day waste from the landfill. The Zero Waste Stadium Program launched in the 2017 season as a collaboration among Athletics, the Office of Campus Sustainability, U-M Waste Management Services, campus sustainability partners, volunteers, and stadium concessions. Now … Read More
Back in February, I had the opportunity to chat with Alison Richardson and Anya Dale from the Office of Campus Sustainability about a large-scale waste audit they were organizing. Check out Part 1 of this blog post series to read what we talked about in terms of the set up and purpose for the audit. Since that time, Resource Recycling … Read More
From Bustling Dorms to Overflowing Donation Bins Every spring, as the academic year wraps up, the University of Michigan undergoes a remarkable transformation. Dorms that were once filled with the buzz of student life now hum with a different kind of activity—move-out chaos. Amidst the flurry of packing and farewells during my freshman year, a simple question from an upperclassman … Read More
On a crisp Tuesday morning in February, I was able to join Anya Dale and Alison Richardson up on north campus to witness part of the large-scale waste audit they have been organizing. A waste audit is a way to determine how much waste is being produced, what types of waste are being generated, and which bins—landfill, recycling, or compost—people … Read More
This time of year, U-M students across campus are busy with final papers, exams, and team projects that are due before the end of the school year. They are wrapping up their academic endeavors for the semester, and are focused on representing what they have learned through their courses to the best of their abilities. One thing that tends to … Read More
Recently, I went to the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology to complete their “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” self-guided tour. The Kelsey is a short walk down State Street, just past the Union, and is a great place to explore on a dreary winter day. Taking the tour was relatively easy, as admission to the museum is free and the tour pamphlets are … Read More
Key takeaways: U-M Health’s commitment to environmentally friendly operations and a series of agreements with vendors are leading to a major sustainability improvement: the replacement of single-use plastic water bottles. On Feb. 12, water sold at U-M Health will be in new containers. No longer will plastic bottles be used, but in their place will be aluminum bottles and boxed … Read More
I tend to think of myself as someone who’s in-the-know when it comes to sustainability efforts going on across U-M, but one project I had, up until recently, not known much about is the effort to pilot returnables shelves on landfill bins. I had seen the shelves popping up in a few different locations across Central Campus and wanted to … Read More
I spend a lot of my time talking to people about composting. It is a vital part of the University of Michigan’s strategy to reduce waste sent to landfill and ensure nutrients get cycled back to rebuild our soils. It supports healthy ecosystems and food growth. However, I think all this talk about composting can overshadow the actions we can … Read More
New school year, new tips! We’ve refreshed the information below for the 2024-2025 school year. Welcome Wolverines! Over the next month or two, thousands of new students, both undergraduate and graduate, will be preparing to start their first semester at the University of Michigan. Picking classes, completing required orientation materials, figuring out financial aid and housing, moving, meeting new classmates … Read More
