See why this building won Harvard's first LEED Platinum certification:
Link >>
Where does that Starbucks coffee cup you put in the trash this morning end up? Does that phone book really get recycled? Read here about how some MIT researchers from the Senseable City Lab under the leadership of Carlo Ratti are affixing wireless location tracking devices to discarded articles in NYC and Seattle and virtually following their journey to final disposition.
Read how Harvard Real Estate Services, led by Robin Nachman and Jenny Harvey, custom printed drinking glasses and hot beverage mugs for its occupants. In just 9 months, they saved enough money by reducing procurement of single-serve "disposable" mugs and cups to offset the price of the mugs! Click here to read more
Does your building host a BIKE RACK? Does it have abandoned bikes on it? It is a waste for these bikes not to be used, rusting in the elements and taking up valuable space from active riders. Consider contacting Commuter Choice, which this summer is partnering with Quad Bikes to tag and inventory campus bikes. They will remove inactive bikes, hold them for 30 days, and then refurbish them for re-sale or recycling. Please contact Kris Locke or Carolyn Pisarcyk of CommuterChoice for more information at 617-384-RIDE (7433) or commuterchoice@harvard.edu.
Washington University of St Louis BANS BOTTLED WATER FROM CAMPUS dining halls, vending machines and administrative offices! Read more here
That marvelous time of year when we sell a huge variety of top-quality used goods recovered from the Harvard Move-out has arrived! All those couches have been cleaned and enclosed in protective wrapping; the mini-fridges tested and scrubbed clean; the rugs vacuumed; the pens, pencils and clothes hangers bundled up in 10's; the tents rented, and the Science Center Lawn reserved. All we need is you! Coffee tables, dressers, futons, dishware, storage crates, ironing boards, mirrors, swivel chairs, school supplies, electronic goods, lamps, shoes, and thousands of other items will all be sold at bargain prices to raise money for HHH. See the website with photos from previous Stuff Sales here. You can also ask Habitat specific questions about the sale or goods desired by emailing Captain Lydia Karch at this address. We are very optimistic about this year as the quality is especially good. Back in June, the Summer School Stuff Sale raised $3,880 for Habitat, shattering the previous record of $1,200. Save money, raise funds for Habitat, and reduce your environmental impact by shopping at the Stuff Sales! Volunteers also needed on and just prior to all dates below. Please email us if interested. All sales occur on the SCIENCE CENTER LAWN at 1 Oxford Street, Cambridge from 9 AM to 5 PM on these dates:
Harvard Science Center Lawn
1 Oxford Street, Cambridge MA
(2 blocks north of the Harvard Square red line stop)
We got a letter from our composter this week saying that the corn starch based forks, knives and spoons distributed by Innovative Packaging Solutions are not breaking down into compost as advertised. This was an unpleasant surprise when Brick Ends Farm went to screen out the compost with a new screen size and lots of the ivory colored I-Pack forks and spoons popped out along with the beautiful black topsoil!
We know that this cutlery has been used at Harvard School of Public Health, but we don't know where else it may be used. These items are not certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute (unlike the Eco-Products or Nat-Ur cutlery) and will make it hard to market the finished compost without extensive extra screening. So please be sure to look for the special "Leaf cycling into Tree" logo on all the compostable products you buy, which indicates certification by the BPI (see below). For a directory of BPI certified products, click here. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this. If you could please confirm that the biodegradable serviceware you serve at Zero Waste events is, in fact, BPI certified, we'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
Does your heart pine for RECYCLING SUPER-HERO CARTOONS? Do you yearn for deep inspiration to reduce, reuse and recycle set to the soaring orchestrations of John Williams-esque film scores? If so, check out the KAB-man website
Or perhaps "THE OFFICE" is more your style. If so, check out "THE GREEN OFFICE," a hilarious sustainability-themed spoof produced by the University of Oregon Campus Recycling Office and its student fans: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2djXEySTuk
The city of Seattle recycled a record amount of residential and commercial waste in 2008, with over half going to recycling or composting facilities. Single-family residences led the charge, diverting over 65 percent of their waste from landfill. Multi-family diversion rates were approximately half that, at 28 percent. The findings mean Seattle is well on its way to achieving its 2012 goal of 60 percent of all waste being recycled or composted. The national average for waste diverted to recycling or composting streams is 32 percent. (from "Resource Recycling,"
For information concerning Recycling and Solid Waste Removal, contact Rob Gogan, Supervisor of Recycling and Solid Waste Removal at 617-495-3042, or email rob_gogan at harvard dot edu
