More recycling bins coming to campus

The Sustainability Office and the Recycling Department are teaming up to add more recycling bins across campus.

Through a grant from the Charlotte Green Initiative, the two campus units plan to add more than 300 “slim” bins, with the primary focus to adding the stations near building entrances.

“Through questionnaires, we’ve found that one of the most important components to recycling is convenience,” said Devin Hatley, sustainability coordinator. “By pairing up bins with trash receptacles, it allows people to make the easy decision to use the correct bin.”

In 2013-14, the campus community recycled about 40 percent of its waste material.

“That still leaves us room for improvement. The more recyclables we can capture in the right bins, the less it costs to dispose of waste from campus, and the more we minimize our environmental footprint,” said Shannon Caveny-Cox, recycling coordinator. “It’s a win financially and for recycling.”

Funding for the bins was provided by the Charlotte Green Initiative, a student-led committee that manages a budget through student fees. Full-time students are charged $2 per semester, which is then used to fund campus sustainability projects.

Learn more about the Charlotte Green Initiative online.