Tag Archives | recycling

The Real Food Challenge: “Greening” Campus Food Programs

By on August 24, 2012 in Sustainability in Higher Education

by Sarah McNair

The food industry is a major player in the current state of the environment.  An increasing population and higher demand for meat and dairy have led to a significant rise in agricultural pollution, soil loss, demand for water, and intensive use of fossil fuels.  Agriculture itself has also changed dramatically from small-scale farms to large operations that send food thousands of miles to its final destination.  Mass meat production, food transportation, and high use of pesticides have a significant carbon footprint that contributes to climate change and chronic disease.… Read the rest

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APUS Expands Recycling Program to Include Battery Recycling with The Big Green Box Program

By on June 1, 2012 in APUS Sustainability Efforts, Recycling

by Beth Gray

There are very few gadgets and items that most of us use every day that do not require batteries to operate.  Our gadgets, however, quickly drain the batteries we put in them and we must continuously replace the old batteries with new ones.  For parents of young children the constant battle to keep up with batteries so that favorite toys stay operational can be exhausting.  Considering the volume of batteries that we consume each year (3 billion a year in the United States according to one estimate), it is imperative that we dispose of our old batteries appropriately. 

Batteries contain many toxic materials including cadmium, lead, and mercury (among others).  Batteries that are discarded with regular trash can end up in landfills where the toxic materials can contaminate groundwater and create otherwise hazardous conditions for those who may come into contact with them.  Many municipalities now have programs for recycling batteries once they have served their purpose for the consumer.  Each type of battery is recycled in a slightly different way but the general process is largely the same: the toxic materials are “neutralized” and the batteries are ground into a powder which can be incorporated into scrap metal and reused. 

In January, American Public University System (APUS) introduced battery recycling to its staff using The Big Green Box program.  The Big Green Box is a national program and can be a convenient and cost effective way for individual consumers, businesses, and municipalities to ensure that their used batteries are recycled appropriately.  There is a nominal fee associated with purchasing a Big Green Box but the fee includes the costs associated with the actual recycling process and the box comes with a pre-paid shipping label.  The Box itself is a United Nations rated corrugated container making the process even more environmentally friendly. 

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APUS Updates Recycling Program

By on October 18, 2010 in APUS Sustainability Efforts, Sustainability General, Sustainability in Higher Education

by Beth Gray

American Public University System (APUS) has had a recycling program on its Charles Town, West Virginia campus since September 2008.  The university has recently “upgraded” the program, however, to increase paper recycling on that campus.  While this is noteworthy in itself, what is more impressive is the way in which the university undertook the initiative.  Staff on the Charles Town campus began to express observations that there was a downfall in the paper recycling program; specifically, it was difficult to recycle large volumes of paper or large paper products like boxes and cardboard.  Additionally, staff expressed confusion about what could be recycled in which containers around campus.  The university employed the expertise of several groups to ensure not only that the campus was recycling as much as possible, but also that staff were well informed of how to help make that happen.  Facilities staff undertook the initiative to provide additional paper recycling bins in each of the campuses buildings, placing them in common areas to help make paper recycling more convenient for staff.  The Sustainability Committee worked with members of the Instructional Design team to create eye-catching posters which were posted above every recycling bin on campus to remind staff which items can be placed in each bin.  Reaching across campus to organize and execute the effort created an opportunity to increase knowledge of and participation in sustainability efforts on campus.  Communications with staff have helped inform them of the updated recycling program in order to help make the process more “user friendly” and the university expects to see an increase in participation in the recycling program as a result.… Read the rest

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Recycling at APUS- Thinking locally, impacting globally.

By on October 5, 2010 in Uncategorized

MR Prerequisite 1: Storage and Collection of Recyclables – Required

MR Credit 4: Recycled Content – 1–2 Points

MR Credit 2: Construction Waste Management – 1–2 Points

By: Wesley Holmes

In 2008, Americans generated about 250 million tons of trash and recycled and composted 83 million tons of this material, equivalent to a 33.2% recycling rate. The remaining 135 million tons of waste was discarded in landfills. Recycling is the most commonly utilized effort to address the issues surrounding waste management.… Read the rest

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APUS and Charles Town Partner for a Community Cleanup

By on June 21, 2010 in APUS Sustainability Efforts, Sustainability General

by Ashley Adams

On June 13, 25 people made up of Charles Town, WV residents, including Mayor Peggy Smith, and American Public University Systems (APUS) employees came together to participate in a town-wide cleanup. The group divided up and walked the 42 square blocks resulting in 16 bags of gathered trash. The City of Charles Town and APUS partnered to make this a success and hope to continue Community Cleanup events in the future.  It is the goal of this partnership that these kinds of events will lead into recycling and other citywide green programs.… Read the rest

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