Central Sustainability launches electronics drive as part of Campus Race for Zero Waste


Collection takes place from March 13 to March 24


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Junior Eric Urbaniak places a bag of trash into a trash can on Thursday, April 7, 2021, in front of the Bovee University Center. Once all of the items in the dumpster were weighed, items that belonged in the trash made up only 34.8% of the total weight.

Central Sustainability, a Central Michigan University student-run office, participates in a Campus Race to Zero Waste, a national competition throughout February and March.

According to a fourth-year student Eric Urbaniak, who is a sustainability coordinator at Central Sustainability, in the Campus Race to Zero Waste, Central Sustainability hopes to educate CMU students to reduce the campus’ waste to zero.

“Even beyond the competition, students, staff, faculty and community members can be mindful of what they’re disposing of,” Urbaniak said. “Next time they have a plastic water bottle and they’re about to throw it away, I hope the educational efforts and outreach makes them consider that this could be recycled.” 

What is a Campus Race to Zero Waste?

Campus Race to Zero Waste is an annual competition between more than 200 colleges in the United States and Canada, Urbaniak said. The participants are competing in reducing waste on campus through composting, recycling and donating, he said. It is run by the Recycle Mania Inc. and the National Wildlife Federation.

Third-year student Meghan VanDamme is a sustainability coordinator at Central Sustainability. She said CMU has been participating in the Campus Race to Zero Waste for the past 15 years. First the Facilities Management department was the one to lead the competition; now it is the Central Sustainability. 

Jonathan Webb is the associate vice president of Facilities Management. His department provides Central Sustainability with containers and gathers information and resources necessary to be able to segregate waste. 

“It’s our students and the Central Sustainability platform that really make it different by promoting and educating and really running those programs,” Webb said. 

According to the Campus Race to Zero Waste website, the competition has several categories that colleges can participate in this year such as Diversion, Per Capita Recycling, Zero Waste, Food Organics.

This year CMU is participating in the Diversion category, Food Organics, Game Day Challenge, Electronics Drive and Case Study, Urbaniak said. CMU participates in these five categories every year. He said any college can take part in any category as long as they have necessary infrastructure.

Last year CMU was one of the winners in the food organics category for the first time, which means CMU had the best organics efforts, Urbaniak said. 

“Students are the changemakers," Urbaniak said. "Even though Central Sustainability is facilitating these efforts, we cannot win these awards or achieve these goals without student participation. Every student can make a difference.”

This year CMU participated in a Game Day Challenge on Feb. 7. 

“(It) is a basketball game where we measure all the weights that were disposed of and we divert as much into compost and recycle as possible,” Urbaniak said.

VanDamme said Central Sustainability composted and recycled about 70% of the trash at the game. 

This February and March, CMU also is participating in the Diversion category, for which Central Sustainability measures overall waste for anything leaving campus such as food, recycling and electronics, Urbaniak said. 

VanDamme said Central Sustainability does educational waste audits for the Campus Race for Zero Waste as well. The team brings a dumpster out to the front of the Bovee University Center and goes through it to sort out what could have been composted or recycled she said. 

“This is a good way for students to stop and see and then maybe reflect back upon how their recycling habits could be improved,” VanDamme said. 

Usually, about 60 percent of what is found inside of the dumpsters can be recycled or composted, she said. 

The last category that CMU is taking part in is an Electronics Drive, VanDamme said. 

Electronics Drive category 

The electronics drive will be from March 13 to March 24, according to the Central Sustainability’s Instagram. Recycle Mania Inc. and the National Wildlife Federation will announce the winners in April, Urbaniak said.

For the drive, students can drop off electronics -- anything with a cord or battery, such as kitchen appliances, monitors, TVs, regular wires and others -- both Urbaniak and VanDamme said. 

The containers to drop off the donations can be found in every residential hall or at the Central Sustainability office, Urbaniak said.

Central Sustainability‘s office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Monday through Friday at Room 275 in the Dow Science building. VanDamme said the container for the drop off will be located outside of the office’s door in Dow Hall, which will allow students to drop off their items at any time Dow is open. 

“Spring break is a great time to get reorganized and go through your things,” VanDamme said. “(Electronics Drive) is a great opportunity to dispose your electronics in a safe way.” 

What is Central Sustainability? 

According to Urbaniak, Central Sustainability is a platform of student-workers who are solving issues related to waste, water, energy, transportation and resiliency within CMU’s community. 

"(Central Sustainability) is for students to empower other students and empower community members to make more sustainable choices," Urbaniak said.

He said CMU students founded Central Sustainability in 2020. Since then, the office worked on how CMU addresses sustainability, building partnerships and educating students.

Urbaniak said if students are looking for resources, they can reach out to Central Sustainability by visiting Dow 275 or through emailing at sustainability@cmich.edu. Students can sign up for a Sustainability walking tour or volunteer opportunities. Central Sustainability also has educational resources on their social media, VanDamme said. 

“Be conscious about your waste … is something we want to encourage throughout every semester,” VanDamme said. “There’s always room for improvement. Be mindful about not only disposing your own waste, but the waste you’re creating in the first place.

“There is nothing better you can do than reduce your own waste and leave behind a better impact.”

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