About the 3R’s Recurring Column

Waste makes up a major part of the current American lifestyle. On average, a person in the U.S. throws away 4.6 pounds of solid waste per day (Center for Sustainable Systems Factsheets 2008, 1) and for every pound of household waste, 40 to 70 pounds of industrial waste was generated during its production (Rogers 2005, 4). Yet, in nature, there is no waste and no ‘away’ where things can be thrown. The idea of waste is a human construct and in an ideal world, our waste could be useful to other parts of the Earth’s ecological system: no longer “waste” and rather something useful somewhere else in the system.

The impact human “waste” has made on the environment is nearly inconceivable and reaches beyond unsightly and smelly landfills. The gas given off by landfills consists of about 50% carbon dioxide, 50% methane, and less than 1% other organic compounds (Maczulak 2010, 26). Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas that has more than 80x the warming power of CO2 over the first 20 years it is in the atmosphere. United States landfills produce one-third of the methane emitted in the country and are the single largest methane-producing source of the US. To manage these sights, some landfills will burn their methane to convert it to CO2, to reduce the impact on the atmosphere. Others, currently about half the methane produced by US landfills, will be captured to generate power. Yet, even this solution requires methane to be burned which can create additional dioxins put into the atmosphere. The bottom line is once waste makes it to the landfill, there aren’t many options to significantly reduce the environmental impact. This is why the waste management hierarchy is so important.

Figure 1: Waste Management Hierarchy

A waste management hierarchy is a framework for minimizing waste streams. The steps in the waste hierarchy most familiar to nonprofessionals are the reduce, reuse, and recycle methods, sometimes referred to as the 3Rs. “Reduce” is the prevention of waste from being generated in the first place and the most preferable strategy. Reuse minimizes the generation of waste. Recycling is the last effort of waste management in the form of producing new materials from old materials. It is the lowest priority of the three (Fig. 1).

This semester the Office of Sustainability will have a recurring newsletter column breaking down each of these categories (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and shed light on waste management in the United States and beyond. Throughout the semester we will be familiarizing ourselves with key terms, fast facts, and community resources. We can all be better waste managers!

Please email the Office of Sustainability Project Manager Kathryn Kidd if you would like to share information related to this topic.

Recycling: The Siren of Sustainability

Much like the sirens who lure sailors out to sea, recycling has guided the public’s awareness toward environmental issues. One of the greatest benefits of recycling is its ability to open people up to the world of sustainability; acting as the first step in many people’s waste management journeys.

Recycling is a waste management method that has some improvements over landfilling and incineration. Recycling takes what materials it can from the waste stream and reuses it in some way. Reprocessing material and returning it to the supply chain can use less energy and generate less additional waste than producing new material. Even so, recycling ALWAYS requires energy inputs and machinery, losses occur at every stage, and materials can never be recycled 100 percent.

Some benefit of recycling is that it uses less water and energy, releases less pollution, and emits less carbon dioxide as compared to using virgin materials. Additionally, because many people have curbside recycling or visit locations with recycling, it is often the first contact many people have with topics of sustainability and waste management. Recycling provides the platform for other sustainability initiatives to be seen. However, recycling does have some intrinsic shortcomings. Firstly, materials collected in curbside recycling are only recycled if facilities are available and a market can be found for the materials. Recycling is energy-intensive, and it demands lengthy transport with additional energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Up to 80% of America’s electronic waste is exported to developing countries, where environmental and worker protection laws and enforcement are less strict (Robertson, 2021)! While there can be energy savings, recycling still consumes more energy than either reusing a product or not producing it in the first place.

This is to say that while recycling is still very important, there are other steps to take before deciding to recycle your waste. Continue to follow our newsletter this semester to learn more about the Reusing and Reducing methods of waste management.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Campaign Fast Facts (Robertson, 2021)

1. Landfills produce a third of the methane emitted in the US and are the single largest methane source
2.  Junk mail consumes 100 million trees per year and as much energy as 3 million cars. Visit https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-stop-junk-mail to learn “How to stop junk mail”
3.  1988 the Society of Plastics Industries developed the idea of assigning a number to each of 9 grades of plastic and inserting those numbers inside the recycling logo.
4. Industrial waste makes up around 76% of waste volume in the US (Leonard, 2010)
5. 80% of the US electronic waste is exported to developing countries, where environmental and worker protection laws and enforcement are less strict.

Community Resources:

• Ole Miss Recycling Guide: https://sustain.olemiss.edu/recycle/
• Lafayette County Solid Waste & Recycling Information: https://lafayettems.com/solid-waste-recycling/

Sources:

Center for Sustainability Systems Factsheets. Municipal Solid Waste. Ann Arbor: University of    Michigan, 2008. http://css.snre.umich.edu/facts/.

Leonard, Annie. The Story of Stuff. New York: Free Press, 2010

Maczulak, Anne. Waste Treatment: Reducing Global Waste. New York: Facts on File, 2010.

Robertson, Margaret. Sustainability principles and practice. Routledge, 2021.

Rogers, Heather. Gone Tomorrow: The Hidden Life of Garbage. New York: The New Press, 2005.

-Story by OOS Project Manager Kathryn Kidd

For yourself, the community, and the environment

As we all move through our busy lives, our time dominated by work, classes, social commitments, family commitments, not to mention much-needed rest, it can be difficult to see how volunteering fits into our juggling act of a schedule. But what if I told you that volunteering just might be the key to making your schedule feel less like a hectic juggling act and more like an effortless flow? Indeed, volunteering has several benefits that stretch beyond just helping and supporting worthwhile causes in the community.

Signing up for volunteer opportunities that interest you can help you to find new friends, connect to the community, learn new skills, and even advance your career. Volunteering can also protect your mental and physical health. It can reduce stress, combat depression, keep you mentally stimulated, and provide a sense of purpose.

The best part is that all levels of volunteering can see these benefits. Below are four of my favorite reasons I volunteer:

1. Volunteering connects you to your community.

Volunteering can be just as beneficial to you as the cause you choose to help. It can help you make new friends, expand your network, and boost your social skills. It strengthens your ties to the community and broadens your support network, exposing you to people with common interests, neighborhood resources, and fun, fulfilling activities.

2. Volunteering is good for your mental and physical health.

Through meaningful connections to others, volunteering can relieve stress. Volunteering regularly keeps you connected to people with whom you can build a solid support system. Not to mention that there is a uniquely resilient joy that comes from giving back to others. Oftentimes you can get a sense of accomplishment, pride, and identity through volunteer experiences. Taking your mind off of other worries through mentally stimulating tasks with others may just be the perfect zest you need in your life.

3. Volunteering can advance your career.

Volunteering allows you to explore areas of interest and meet people in the field without the pressure of a job. It’s also a free environment to practice teamwork, communication, problem-solving, project planning, task management, and other work-related skills. This practice may just give you the confidence to test these skills in your current or future career.

4. Volunteering brings fun and fulfillment to your life.

It can be a great addition to your career aspirations or provide balance to your life and goals. If you work in an office all day, volunteering once in a while outside at a community garden or football recycling initiative can provide balance and new hobbies outside of work.

Take some time and think about how you spend your time, whether it feels out of control or mundane and monotonous. Check your screen time on your phone or your online calendar. Does the way you spend your time reflect your values and goals? Could volunteering your time enhance your well-being? I encourage you to consider what volunteering your time could mean for yourself, others, and the environment. Whether it is to advance your career or connect to your community, volunteering is so much more than just giving back to your community.

Stay up-to-date on how you can volunteer your time with the UM Office of Sustainability by visiting our Givepulse page or contact us directly to learn about more ways to get involved in the community!

-Story by OOS Project Manager Kathryn Kidd

Stormwater Mitigation and Infiltration Project On The University of Mississippi Campus

As of early August, installation of the Stormwater Mitigation and Infiltration Project has begun. This project will be installed in the detention basin (surface storage basins that provide flow control through attenuation of stormwater runoff) between West Road and Chucky Mullins Drive, with the UM Law School being the closest building to the project. The project was originally proposed to the UM Green Fund by engineering student Benjamin Koltai, and involves a wide variety of partners between the Office of Sustainability, Facilities Planning, Facilities Management, Landscape Services, the UM Green Fund and the School of Engineering.

The project will utilize green infrastructure and ecological principles to better manage both the flow-rate and quality of stormwater runoff from impermeable surfaces in this area of campus. Phase 1 of this project is to install six dry wells that will allow for gradual percolation of excess stormwater into the ground. Phase 2 of this project is to plant a grove of bald cypress in the detention pond area. The cypress trees will offer additional water uptake as well as ecosystem benefits and pollutant filtration.

The Green Fund was established and 2013 and has since awarded more than $58,000 of funding to 22 projects. The UM Green Fund was created to support innovative sustainability projects on the Ole Miss campus, such as Benjamin Koltai’s stormwater project. Other past projects include the establishment of the UM Compost Program, the installation of hydration stations, and energy conservation projects in RC South and the J.D. Williams Library. All faculty, staff, and students are eligible to propose a project. To learn more about the Green Fund and how to propose a project, visit our UM Green Fund Page.

-Story by OOS Project Manager Kathryn Kidd

Transitioning from Styrofoam to Natural Fiber To-Go Containers

The Oxford Community Market (OXCM) is a nonprofit organization focused on food access. They facilitate a weekly Mississippi Certified Farmers Market along with hosting several programs to help make healthy, local food accessible to all people in the community, especially those facing barriers of cost and transportation. Last fall, OXCM established a Food Rescue Project aimed at recovering high-quality leftovers from Greek Housing to provide to community members in need. OXCM partnered with UM students and Greek organizations to provide over 2000 meals over the course of two semesters!

Throughout the first year of the program, they had to scramble together donated to-go boxes, a majority of which were Styrofoam containers, to meet the demands of the program in a quick and cost-effective way. Betsy Chapman, the market director for OXCM for over five seasons, recognized this issue and took on what is an ominous task for any nonprofit: obtaining environmentally friendly packaging when budget constraints are a constant concern. And so, Betsy established a partnership with the Office of Sustainability to overcome this hurdle.

Through this partnership, our office was able to provide the to-go boxes and bowls needed for the Food Rescue Project this season. The to-go containers we provided are all made of natural fiber and BPI certified compostable. In total these containers will save 3,053.6 lbs. (or miles) of carbon dioxide emissions and 5,651.7 days of bulb energy when compared to their Styrofoam counter parts, and they’re compostable! The to-go containers and this data were obtained from the Green Paper Products Company.

The Office of Sustainability deeply values our community partnerships; we are all stronger together. We encourage anyone interested to find ways to get involved with the Oxford Community Garden. Visit their website to learn more or go and say hi at the next OXCM Farmers Market, held. every Tuesday 3:00-6:30 pm @ Ole Armory Pavilion, 1801 University Avenue Oxford, Mississippi.

-Story Written By OOS Project Manager Kathryn Kidd