Dumpster Dive results revealed

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As part of the Green Innovations Symposium, April 20-21, bags of trash were analyzed from four separate dumpsters on campus.

The data in the pie chart only shows the recyclable portions of metal and plastic. For example, nonrecyclable plastic is included in the trash portion of the pie chart.

In summary, about 22 percent of what was found in the bags could be recycled.

See photos of some of the more revealing finds.

Case says ‘well done’ but ‘let’s improve’
The results of this “trash snapshot,” says Laurie Case, UW-Green Bay’s sustainability coordinator, show that while we are doing a good job overall in keeping recyclables out of the landfill, we still have an opportunity to do even better. “From this snapshot, we saw that overall, 25 percent of what we’re throwing out can actually be recycled. One easy thing to eliminate is the 3% of liquids — this typically comes from drink and water bottles that are being thrown away as trash because there is some liquid left in them. Finishing the drink, or disposing of the left over liquid down a drain and then recycling the bottle will increase our plastic and glass recycling as well as eliminate paying to dispose of water, juice and soda.”