UCSC aims for Zero-Waste move-out in June 2012
In June 2011, UC Santa Cruz and Ecology Action coordinated both campus and city resources
with the goal of creating a Zero-Waste campus move-out event—recycling and re-purposing was the theme. Students donated and recycled everything from bottles and cardboard to clothes and even electronics.
With all eyes focused on the university's 2020 goal of eliminating waste sent to landfills, plans are already taking shape to make Move-out 2012 an even more successful Zero-Waste event.
As reported by the Santa Cruz Sentinel on 6/7/2011UC Santa Cruz senior Melissa Li has often been surprised by what she sees discarded during the annual spring rush to clean out dorm rooms and move off campus for the summer. "Students will leave all sorts of things, it's kind of shocking," Li, 21, said. "I've seen a Play Station 3 and an Xbox left out. People have left TVs behind."
But more than just electronics get tossed aside. Often, toiletries, clothes and food are haphazardly thrown in a garbage bin when they could be donated to organizations that serve the community.
The UC system has a stated goal for its campuses of eliminating waste sent to landfills by 2020. UC Santa Cruz, through efforts that have evolved over several years, currently diverts 60 percent of waste from landfills through a variety of programs.
In June 2012, UCSC will again coordinatate cross-campus zero waste stations where students can recycle garbage and donate clothes, household items, furniture, food and electronics to local nonprofits.
In addition, the campus plans to partner again with Goodwill, H.O.P.E. Services, Second Harvest Food Bank and Homeless Services - these organizations will make good use of the many usable items left behind by our students.
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