Background Information
In October of 1994, under the inspiration of Peter Esselman '94, Connecticut
College's first Environmental Organizer, the first Solid Waste Composition
Study was conducted on Larrabee Green. The objective was four-fold; 1) to
conduct research on what percentage of what the college throws away could
have been recycled; 2) to set up a visually startling demonstration for
the students, faculty, staff and administration of the extent to which we
create solid waste; 3) to create a media event that would raise awareness
beyond the walls of Connecticut College and; 4) to create a basis by which
we can measure changes in recycling habits from year to year. The first
SWC Study was an enormous success, drawing newspaper and television coverage,
and stirring up discussion on campus with regards to the need to improve
our recycling. In 1994, the percentage of what we threw away that could
have been recycled was 42.6%. Following on the success of 1994, a Solid
Waste Composition Study was organized in 1995 by the Environmental Organizer,
Students Against Violence to the Environment (SAVE), Earth House, and the
House Environmental Coordinators. The percentage improved to 35% of total
waste being recyclable. Students handed out informational fact sheets on
solid waste and conducted a raffle to raise money for SAVE. Again, media
covered the event and there was excitement over the improvement. The 7.6%
improvement over 1994 happened in conjunction with the installation of the
dorm-wide, desk-side paper recycling system.
1996: The Third Annual Solid Waste Composition
Study
On Thursday, October 24, 1996 from noon until 4:00pm, members of SAVE, Earth
House and the Environmental Coordinators picked through nearly 300 pounds
of the campus' trash to determine what percentage could have been recycled.
The results were the same as the year before: 35%. This discovery was a
disappointment to those who were optimistically hoping for another decrease,
but showed that we maintained our improvement over 1994.
A comparison of residential versus non-residential buildings suggests that the desk-side recycling system in the dorms has helped to improve paper recycling at Connecticut College. 57% of what residential buildings could have recycled consisted of paper. Comparatively, in the offices where the desk-side paper recycling system had not yet been installed, 80% was paper. It is also interesting to note that, in the residential buildings, only 33.4% of what was thrown away could have been recycled while in the offices 41.1% could have been recycled. This difference could be a result of several factors, including the educational efforts that have been focused at the residential buildings for years, the presence of House Environmental Coordinators, and the presence of desk-side recycling.
The Solid Waste Composition Study has shown that, with a third of its waste stream recyclable, Connecticut College still has room to improve. The college has taken steps in this direction by hiring the Environmental Organizer and two Student Recycling Interns, and installing desk-side recycling in the dorms in September of 1995 and in the academic and administrative buildings in December 1996.
Connecticut College is the only school we know of that conducts a Solid Waste Composition Study so we have no basis upon which to compare ourselves to other institutions. If you know of such a study being conducted elsewhere, please contact the Connecticut College Environmental Organizer at (860) 439 - 5417, or at Box 5103 Connecticut College, New London, CT 06320.
Recycling at Connecticut College will continue to improve as time and effort is dedicated to that goal. The annual Solid Waste Composition Study will help to measure the degree to which those goals are realized and will keep people thinking about their disposal habits.
For further information on the program contact:
Environmental Organizer, Box 5103, Connecticut College, New London, CT 06320, Phone - (203)439-5417
Jim Luce - Supervisor of Grounds, Physical
Plant, Connecticut College, New London, CT 06320, Phone - (203)439-2259
