Nature's best recycler - compost - is becoming a growing UMD tradition this semester as the dining halls and the Chesapeake Building become the leaders in piloting the university's first campus-wide compost program. Peer educators are needed to help educate the campus community about UMD Dining Services’ sustainability efforts and how students, staff and faculty can help do their part to reduce the University’s environmental footprint by eating in, minimizing the use of disposable containers, and separating compostable food scraps from recycling and trash.
Volunteer Opportunity
- Who: Five volunteers are needed per shift at the North Campus Diner and the South Campus Dining Room to educate students about reduction in deposable use (i.e. using trays, flatware, glasses, dishes, etc.) and where to place their waste at the end of their meal.
- What: 1-2 volunteers to educate students about taking non-disposable items when entering the dining rooms, 1-2 volunteers to support separation stations, and 1-2 volunteers to guide students to the tray return belts at the end of their meal (instead of walking outside to dispose of waste)
- Where: North Campus Diner and South Campus Dining Room
- When:
- South Campus Dining Room
- Monday-Friday 11-1 pm
- Monday-Friday 5-7 pm
- North Campus Diner
- Monday-Friday 5-7 pm
Contact Allison Lilly at alilly@umd.edu or 301 314 1016 (office) if you are interested in participating.
What is composting?
- Composting is a simple recycling process that turns organic waste into soil-like material.
- Through the addition of water and air, our organic waste can become a natural fertilizer.
- In approximately 6 months, our food scraps and paper waste becomes natural nutrients for lawns and gardens
Why compost?
- All material collected as compost is diverted from the landfill, where organic material produces methane, a greenhouse has, due to the lack of oxygen in the decomposition process
- By diverting organic materials from the landfill, we help reduce threats of climate change by reducing the production of greenhouse gases and preserving natural habitats
- Compost collection is the university's next important step in helping to move forward commitments to sustainability
Goals
- Support the Campus Climate Action Plan
- Reduce waste and increase overall campus recycling rate to 75% by 2013
(According to a waste audit performed in the Chesapeake Building during August 2011,
close to 60% of all waste discarded as trash can be composted.)
Waste Collection Summary
- COMPOSTING: All organic material including kitchen waste, paper towels, and compostable disposable products (cups, plates, cutlery, take-out containers) are to be placed in the compost bin.
- RECYCLING: Our recycling program is now single stream. All of your recyclable material should be placed in your desk-side recycling container. Separation of paper from bottles, cans and plastic is no longer necessary
- TRASH: Items that are typically discarded as trash are plastic cutlery, straws, stirrers, lids, coffee creamer cups, Styrofoam, and foil food wrappers.