| 
How to set up a green team in your
living space.
Resident Advisors can be instrumental in making the waste reduction
and recycling program a success. Here are some educational program ideas.
1. Coordinate with your House Manager and Student Government
Each dorm has a unique recycling program and relies on the "Recycling
Chair" associated in the dormitory to help organize education programs
for incoming students. Coordination between the dorm government, the House
Manager, and the Department of Facilities will ensure a successful recycling
program for your dormitory.
2. Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Serve as a role model by encouraging students to recycle during "in-house" functions
by making a point of recycling at the close of your program. Periodically,
check the materials in the waste closets to see how well your hall is doing
at following the guidelines. Be an information resource. Help everyone become
thoroughly educated about the MIT recycling program. More information is available
in this Web Site or contact be-green@mit.edu .
Download the EPTF
Annual Report for up to date information on environmental initiatives
at MIT. Post signs or information that you'll receive from this Web Site see Recycle
What? poster, or create your own unique, colorful posters Department of
Facilities ( recycling@mit.edu ) can
give you statistics on what each residence hall recycles each month. Encourage
students to recycle their materials on a regular basis and avoid the big "pile
up" that typically occur at the end of a semester.
3. Keeping Them Informed
Department of Facilities has an interactive program that you can schedule to
educate students about the recycling program, raise awareness of student
impacts on the environment and give you a chance to sponsor a "fun" activity.
For more information email recycling@mit.edu
4. Promote Events in a Waste-Free way
Whether you' re promoting a recycle night or any other event, you can serve
as a role model to advertise in a "least waste" way. Avoid slipping
flyers under everyone' s door. Instead, use your bulletin boards in a creative
way to post information. Make personal invitations out of scrap paper, cardboard
boxes or folded old newspapers. Write recycling messages on soup cans and
hang them from the ceiling or turn them into a mobile. Be creative in a waste-reduced
way.
5. Conduct a Tour of Your Residence Hall
Begin at a waste/recycling closet, then move to the common areas and lobby
where other recyclables are collected. Visit the loading dock where larger
storage carts and dumpsters await pick-up by the Department of Facilities
staff. (Some docks are restricted in the evening, so check in advance with
the House Manager for your hall.) While you are on the tour, look inside
the recycling containers and check for unacceptable items, otherwise known
as contamination. Look inside trash cans and check for material that could
have been recycled. Brainstorm and discuss ideas that can reduce contamination
problems and increase participation in recycling.
6. Sponsor a "Recycle Night"
A brief program early in the semester may help avoid the confusion and questions
you' ll likely get later on. The information presented here should be sufficient
to start up a discussion about recycling. Ask residents what the recycling
program was like in their hometown. Discuss whether recycling should be "mandatory" or
not. Talk about the "psychology" of recycling or the "politics" of
managing waste in a community. Contact be-green@mit.edu for
names of speakers or "experts" from the local community.
Back
to Top
Specific Dormitory Recycling
Information
Questions regarding recycling in the dormitories can be directed
to the Housing Office at extension 3-2811.
Housing and Student Life Programs staff are available to help you with
your questions or concerns. To speak with a member of the staff, please
visit one of our office locations or contact us via phone or e-mail.
A full listing is available
here .
Graduate Residences
Coordination with the House Manager and others in your residence is essential
to a successful to creating an environmentally responsible living environment. Information
on each graduate residence hall including contact information is located
here .
Undergraduate Residence Halls
Coordination with the House Manager and others in your residence is essential
to a successful to creating an environmentally responsible living environment. Information
on each undergraduate residence hall including contact information is located
here .
Baker House, Next House, and Simmons Hall have composting programs within their
dining facilities. If you would like to set up a composting program within
your dorm, or access the collection areas within the above dorms contact, recycling@mit.edu .
Back to top
Green Goods Purchasing
To purchase environmentally preferred products contact the Department
of Procurement for information and assistance.
MIT currently has made many strides to incorporating an Institutes
wide environmentally preferable products (EPP) purchasing program, including
a purchasing policy issued by the Executive Vice President that states "To
continue MIT's concerted efforts toward a sustainable future, and to
save dollars in both purchasing and handling goods, purchase recycled
products whenever possible."
In addition, there are several isolated initiatives at MIT. These include
the office products and paper purchasing initiatives endorsed by the Department
of Procurement and supported by several other departments. The Department
of Facilities also purchases all recycled content paper towels
and toilet paper and many other items made from recycled content. These
programs continue to expand and may soon include other items.
Some informational Web Sites and resources are available listed below
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Operational Services
Division (Purchasing Office)
The home page of the Environmentally
Preferable Products (EPP) Procurement Program of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
is located here .
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmentally
Preferable Purchasing (EPP)
Contains a description of EPP guiding principles, links to many EPP resources,
and case studies of successful programs. Several guides available on the program
Web site cover topics such as:
- Greening Your Purchase of Cleaning Products
- Greening Your Purchase of Electronics
- Greening Your Purchase of Carpet
- Greening Your Purchase of Copiers
- Greening Your Purchase of Food Service-ware
- Greening Your Meetings and Conferences
EPA's EPP Database
Contains a comprehensive collection of environmental information on products
and services, including contract language, voluntary standards and guidelines,
and product environmental attributes. The database is searchable by product.
Green Seal ( site )
Contains Green Seal's environmental preferability standards for household cleaning
products, as well as industrial and institutional cleaners. Also, the Web
site includes their March 1998 Choose Green Report, which discusses general-purpose
cleaners and recommends Green Seal-approved products.
Back to top OFF Campus
Much of the MIT community lives off campus and MIT encourages all to
practice the same environmental awareness techniques off campus as they
do on. Below are some links and information to help you find the resources
needed to live environmentally off campus as well.
Recycling, household hazardous waste, monitors and battery
recycling, and much more information for your city or town can be
found on the links listed below.
BOSTON ( site )
Services including; curbside recycling, large apartment buildings, paint & motor
oil, drop-off center, seasonal yard waste, hazardous waste, electronics, and
R.E.A.P.S. Composting information including; what is composting, a composting
guide, home composting bin sale, yard waste collection guide and workshop Miscellaneous
items including; Boston recycling guide, strategic plan, history, and frequently
asked questions.
SOMERVILLE ( site )
Click on residents and then look under city services for information on curbside
recycling, yard waste collection, and drop-off and composting, Household
Hazardous Waste Collection Events, and Hazardous Waste (including TVs/Monitors)
Year-round Drop-off Facility.
CAMBRIDGE ( site )
Information on recycling program, including batteries, fluorescent bulbs, mercury
thermometers and thermostats, plastic styrofoam, clothing, books, electronic
media, compost bins, motor oil, yard waste collection and drop-off composting,
household hazardous waste collection events, hazardous waste (including TVs/Monitors),
and more.
BROOKLINE ( site )
Recycling, solid waste and household hazardous waste information.
Beyond Metro Boston
For specific contacts and information about many Massachusetts cities and towns,
please refer to the Commonwealth
Communities Web Site . Commonwealth Communities is a resource for finding
information on the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. Each community
page, which you can find alphabetically or by county, has links to information
provided by state agencies. You can find public school and community profiles,
summaries of municipal finances, state legislators, regional offices for
a variety of state agencies, and more. Also included are links to official
city/town and public school websites, and other community sites that provide
substantial civic information.
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) ( site )
Massachusetts DEP has developed this web site of recycling, waste prevention,
and related information and guidance for residents.
Massachusetts DEP ( site )
Massachusetts DEP has also developed a Web Site for all questions related to
recycling in the State of Massachusetts. Recognizing that different user
groups have different information requirements, we have organized the site
accordingly. Just click on the user group of most interest to you for a full
menu of regulatory requirements, grants, fact sheets, program descriptions,
and links to suit your needs, or use our hot topics link for quick information
on dynamic topics.
Back to top |
