Tag: waste reduction

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Better bouquets: Sustainable purchasing and end-of-life management for floral arrangements

UI Public Affairs: L. Brian Stauffer. © Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, purchases of flowers increase. Whether for a holiday gift, special occasion, or other celebration, most of us will buy bouquets or flower arrangements at some point. But have you considered sustainable options or the best way to manage bouquets after they fade?

Note that links to products, programs, or vendors below are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as endorsements by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Why it matters

When you think about the economic impacts of agriculture, you’re likely to consider crops used to feed humans or other animals. But floriculture is also “big business.” The USDA defines floriculture as “that branch of horticulture dealing with the production of field-grown or greenhouse-grown plants for their flowers or showy leaves.” According to the US Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS), in 2023 (the year with the most recently published data), floriculture sales in IL totaled $134,063,000. For the same year, the Society of American Florists, reports total spending nationwide on floral products (flowers, seeds, and potted plants) was $72.8 billion.

While the USDA NASS estimates there are approximately 263 commercial floriculture operations, throughout IL alone, most of the flowers purchased in the US are imported from other countries. Utah State University Extension notes that “As many as 80% of all cut flowers sold in the U.S. are imported, with the majority coming from Columbia, Ecuador, Holland, and African countries such as Kenya that have the climate for the year-round cut flower cultivation (Cain, 2022; Knoch, 2022; Li et al., 2016; Tegethoff, 2023).” (See Utah State University Extension site for full citations.)

Source: https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/charts-of-note/chart-detail?chartId=106472

Clearly, buying and selling flowers has a huge impact on carbon emissions just from the perspective of product distribution. Imported blooms are flown thousands of miles and once they reach US soil, they might still end up being trucked for many more miles before reaching a retail location. Beyond the fuel used for transportation, refrigeration is often required along the way to keep blooms fresh.

Like any other agricultural operation, floriculture involves the use of a lot of resources (e.g. land, water, labor, etc.) and the application of a variety of chemicals that may have negative impacts on human and environmental health. A recent review of pesticides in flower production identified 201 different compounds used, 93 of which are banned by the European Union (Pereira et al., 2021).

So, although we tend to focus on aesthetics when picking the flowers we buy, attending to any available information on the source and production practices matters greatly if we care about environmental sustainability. It’s also worth considering the impacts of any packaging involved, which might be destined for the landfill if it can’t be reused, recycled, or composted. Because of the resource use embodied in them, it pays to consider keeping ornamental flowers and plants vibrant and in use for as long as possible, and when they are genuinely wilted and no longer lovely, we should try to keep them out of landfills if possible through composting. When plant material and wasted food (collectively called “organics”) break down in landfills without oxygen present (i.e., in anaerobic conditions), methane, a greenhouse gas is produced. The US EPA reports that municipal solid waste landfills are the third largest source of human-related methane emissions in the US, accounting for approximately 14% of methane emissions in 2022.

Better options

So how can you reduce the negative impacts of the flowers you buy?

Buy locally grown flowers whenever possible. If purchasing at a florist, grocery store, or large retail outlet, look for posted information on the source of the product or ask staff for more information. Depending on your location, time of year, and the intended use for your flowers, you may be able to get what you need from a farmer’s market or directly from a farm. This gives you the opportunity to meet the grower and ask questions about their operation. Buying local also supports the local economy and populations of pollinators, depending on the amount of shelter used in production (i.e. open fields, greenhouses, etc.). And of course, you’ll greatly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions involved in distribution. According to the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG), local flowers also tend to be of a wider variety, will last longer because they’ve traveled a shorter distance to you, and may smell better, because they are less likely to have been bred for uniformity, a practice that may compromise natural fragrance. If you don’t already have a farmer’s market or other favorite source for local flowers, the following resources will help you find them:

  • ASCFG Find Local Flowers and Growers Map: https://localflowers.org/find-flowers/. Enter your location and choose a radius in miles for your search.
  • IL Specialty Growers Association Live Local Shop Local Map: https://www.specialtygrowers.org/shoplocal. There are a few different ways to search. Either select “Floriculture” from the “Products” drop-down menu OR “Cut Flowers” from the “Product Attribute” drop-down menu OR type “flowers” or “cut flowers” into the search bar.

If you can’t find locally grown, look for sustainably grown options. This might mean using an online service that sources sustainably grown flowers or looking for certified products in shops. Links related to certification programs below will allow you to dive into the details of the program standards if you wish.

  • ReVased: https://www.revased.com/. This company began in 2019 with a focus on “upcycling” flowers from events (more on that below), selling a portion and donating a portion of these reclaimed arrangements. When the COVID-19 pandemic caused events to temporarily be put on hold, they shifted gears and now primarily offer online orders of sustainably grown flowers and plants. From their website: ‘We are proud to source our flowers from high-quality, sustainable-minded farms in both the U.S. and South America. The flower farms we work with have achieved Rainforest Alliance Certification, Fairtrade Certification, or take other steps for environmental, economic, and social sustainability. This includes protecting forests and natural wildlife habitats; promoting farmers’ human rights and safe, decent working conditions; conserving water and soil; and helping to lessen the burden of the climate crisis. We are lucky to work with amazing farm partners who meet these rigorous standards of excellence! We also ship “farm-direct.” This eco-friendly shipping method reduces carbon emissions by bypassing many stops in the traditional floral supply chain and reducing the total number of stems being cut, as every cut stem is meant for a customer! Additionally, we offset emissions from our shipments to neutralize our shipping footprint and make our shipments carbon neutral.’
  • Rainforest Alliance Certification: https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/insights/rainforest-alliance-certified-ferns-flowers/. The Rainforest Alliance certifies products that comply with their agricultural standard which “protects ecosystems and wildlife habitats, conserves water and soil, promotes decent and safe working conditions, and ensures that farms are good neighbors to rural communities and wildlands.” According to the Alliance’s website, Costco stores in IL sell their certified flowers, plants, coffee, and tea.
  • Fair Trade Certification: https://www.fairtradecertified.org/what-we-do/what-we-certify/floral/. Fair Trade certified products comply with standards to safeguard working environments and conditions, living wages and benefits, and to eliminate poverty and forced labor. Check the packaging on products or signage at your florist or other retailer for an emblem from Fair Trade USA or Fair Trade International. According to the Fair Trade USA website, you can find certified flowers at Sam’s Club and Whole Foods.
  • Veriflora Sustainably Grown: https://www.scsglobalservices.com/services/veriflora-certified-sustainably-grown. “This third-party certification assures buyers and consumers that cut flowers and potted plants have been produced in an environmentally and socially responsible way, with practices that achieve the highest level of product quality.” This is part of the SCS Global Services suite of third-party certifications, so look for an emblem with the SCS green hummingbird logo and the words “Sustainably Grown Certified.” Veriflora products are available through various florists and supermarkets, so check with your local shops.
  • Organic:  While it is possible to find flowers with USDA Organic certification, this tends to be used for edible flowers or those used for tea. Many growers will follow organic principles without going through the formal certification process, which is why buying local is great if feasible, because it allows you ask questions and learn more about the production process.
  • The Bouqs Co.: https://bouqs.com/about-us/our-difference. This online retailer sources directly from farms that use sustainable practices.

Once you’ve got your flowers in hand, check out these tips from McGill University: How to Keep Cut Flowers Looking Fresh, With Science.

Reuse and other diversion options

If you’ve bought flowers for an event, when your festivities are done, there’s no reason to send those blooms to the landfill. Explore donation of arrangements that still look lovely, and composting when those flowers have truly faded.

  • ReVased: https://www.revased.com/pages/non-profit-floral-directory. As noted above, this company started out by rescuing flowers from events to rehome them. Since the pandemic their focus is more on online sales, but they have started directory of non-profit organization that can accept donated flowers. Currently, all the IL entries are in the greater Chicago area/northern IL. You can also reach out to them at hi@revased.com for assistance in finding organizations to accept floral donation, but bear in mind their capacity for this is currently limited.
  • Repeat Roses: https://repeatroses.com/. This company works nationwide and will be hands-on, collecting flowers after an event and delivering them to organizations to which they’re being donated. Where commercial composting facilities exist, they can also pick up donated flowers once they’re truly withered and deliver them to the composting facility. According to their website, “Some locations will offer only limited composting sites within reasonable driving distances. For those locations, we will explore alternatives to ensure we divert flowers from landfills.” In order to have this level of service, you’ll need to plan far in advance. “Four to six months is ideal to secure your date to ensure you are on our pickup schedule. The earlier you decide to reserve your date on the calendar, the more time we have to coordinate with your florist and venue. Often, it is easier for your florist to know of your plans to donate your flowers in advance so they can design your arrangements with this information in mind as it relates to vase/container rentals and arrangement structure. Additional fees may apply to events booked with limited notice.”
  • Reach out directly to local organizations that may accept donated flowers. If you are planning an event that includes flowers, reach out in advance to local women’s shelters, nursing homes, hospitals, senior services, or cancer support non-profits to see if they could reuse your blooms and work with them, friends, or family on transportation of donations.
  • Compost. Check the Illinois Food Scrap and Composting Coalition (IFSCC) website list of commercial compost haulers and processors or for tips on composting at home if you’ve got the space and the interest and you’re dealing with a bouquet or two rather than lots of flowers from an event.
  • Preserve your blooms. If your flowers have sentimental value, consider preserving them. Check out HGTV’s guidance on various methods for drying, pressing, or using resin to create keepsakes.
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Public comments sought on food date labeling

Two women look at labels on beverages in front of a cooler.
Photo by Stephen Ausmus. Image Number D1830-30, USDA Agricultural Research Service.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA)  Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are seeking public input on food date labeling. This Request for Information seeks information on industry practices and preferences for date labeling, research results on consumer perceptions of date labeling, and any impact date labeling may have on food waste.

From the Federal Register:

“On June 12, 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration released the final National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics (the National Strategy). The National Strategy lays out a path for the U.S. to meet its national goal of reducing food loss and waste by 50 percent by 2030.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that in 2019, 66 million tons of wasted food was generated in the food retail, food service, and residential sectors, and most of this waste (about 60 percent) was sent to landfills. An additional 40 million tons of wasted food was generated in the food and beverage manufacturing and processing sectors. Wasted food is the single largest category of material placed in municipal landfills. Wasted wholesome and safe food represents nourishment that could have helped feed families in need. Additionally, water, energy, arable land, and labor used to produce wasted food could have been used for other purposes. Effectively reducing food waste will require cooperation among federal, state, tribal, territory, and local governments, food manufacturers, agriculture producers, faith-based institutions, environmental organizations, communities, and others, all along the entire supply chain.

In response to the draft National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics, FSIS and FDA received comments encouraging an update of the Federal date labeling requirements, including standardizing date labeling. Commenters noted that food manufacturers use a variety of phrases such as “Sell By,” “Use By,” and “Best By” on product labels to describe dates on a voluntary basis. According to commenters, the use of different phrases to describe dates may cause consumer confusion and lead to the premature disposal of wholesome and safe food, because it is past the date printed on the package.

As explained in the final National Strategy, both FSIS and FDA recommend that food industry members voluntarily apply the “Best if Used By” food date label, which notes the date after which quality may decline but the product may still be consumed. The “Best if Used By” label aims to lessen consumer confusion and reduce wasted food. In addition, the “Best if Used By” label was the most frequently perceived by consumers as communicating quality, among the food date labels assessed by researchers at Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF), which supports standardizing this label. Although FSIS and FDA encourage the use of the phrase “Best if Used By”, current federal regulations do not prohibit industry from using other date labeling phrases, such as “Sell By” or “Use By,” if they are truthful and not misleading. It should be noted that industry groups have taken steps to address consumer confusion. However, the number, diversity, and complexity of food products in the marketplace along with significant variability in the environmental, storage, and distribution conditions of food create challenges for standardization of food safety or quality date labels.

FSIS and FDA are requesting additional information on industry practices and barriers for standardizing food date labeling, research results on consumer perceptions of food date labeling, and any impact date labeling may have on food loss and waste. The information may be used to inform future policy decisions, guidance, or consumer education campaigns on food date labels intended to help reduce the premature discard of wholesome and safe food. Commenters should provide any data, studies, or other evidence that supports their response.”

See 89 FR 96205 for full details, including questions for commenters. Comments must be submitted by February 3, 2025.

Submit comments by one of the following methods:

  • Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website allows commenters to type short comments directly into the comment field on the web page or to attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions at that site for submitting comments.
  • Mail: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
  • Hand- or Courier-Delivered Submittals: Deliver to 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Jamie L. Whitten Building, Room 350-E, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

Learn more and read the National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics.

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Holiday gifts to foster climate action

Photo by Fred Zwicky / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Whichever winter holiday(s) you observe, you’re likely considering showing your appreciation for loved ones through gifts as part of your celebration. It’s worth noting that consumerism has real consequences for climate change, as outlined by Renée Cho on the Columbia Climate School’s blog, State of the Planet. Last holiday season, we outlined holiday gifts with sustainability in mind, including some ideas that didn’t involve consumption, such as giving experiences and donations to charity. This year, we’ll highlight gift options that, despite involving consumption, may help the recipients reduce emissions of greenhouse gases or otherwise foster climate action. Please note that links and companies mentioned in this post are for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as endorsements by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois.

Food waste reduction

US EPA infographic on the climate impacts of food waste. It states up to 40% of food is wasted in the US and lists emissions impacts throughout the lifecycle of food.
US EPA infographic on the climate impacts of food waste.

The US EPA estimates that up to 40% of food is wasted nationally, and greenhouse gas emissions occur throughout the food production, distribution, and disposal process. Thus, wasting food contributes to climate change, and each year the emissions caused by wasted food are greater than the emissions from all domestic flights in the US plus all international flights run by US airlines. Here are just a few gift ideas that might help the recipient waste less food:

  • Check out The Original Green Pan’s guide to 10 Sustainable Cookbooks to Help You Reduce Food Waste for ideas for using up items that may often be disposed of as scraps. The foodie in your life might appreciate one of these volumes.
  • Make sure your recipient has the URL for Save the Food’s Interactive Storage Guide (https://savethefood.com/storage) with tips for proper storage of various foods, and consider adding a set of clear glass storage containers. Being able to see the food stored in your refrigerator provides a visual prompt to use it up, hopefully avoiding the cliché of an unrecognizable moldy mess in an opaque container at the back of the fridge.
  • A marker and some label tape can help your recipient keep track of when they stored various items, so they’re more likely to eat older items first before spoilage. You could even print off the US EPA’s “Eat First” sign and suggest they keep a bin in their fridge for produce and containers that need to be used up first.

Composting

US EPA infographic showing the benefits of composting and how it impacts climate change.
US EPA infographic explaining how composting decreases GHG emissions, sequesters carbon, and improves soil health and resilience.

For unavoidable food scraps, such as eggshells, bones, peels, etc., it’s still better for the climate if you can compost instead of sending those to a landfill. Here are a few suggestions for helping your loved one compost their food scraps:

  • Check out the Illinois Food Scrap and Composting Coalition (IFSCC) list of residential food scrap haulers and food scrap drop-off locations. If your recipient lives in a part of the state where commercial food scrap composting is available, consider a gift card or paying for a trial month or two for a pickup service or providing information on drop-off bins and an offer to help them transport their scraps to the drop-off location. Giving the gift of trying out composting services might help your loved one form a positive habit.
  • If they don’t live in an area where composting services are available, or if they’re more of a DIY-type, check out IFSCC’s resources on composting at home through a backyard bin, worm bin (vermicomposting), or bokashi (using micro-oganisms in an airtight container). The Strategist’s list of The Very Best Compost Bins provides suggestions for countertop food scrap collection (before transporting to an outdoor bin), as well as gear for worm composting or bokashi. This Green Lunchroom Challenge post on home composting includes links to YouTube videos with tips for simple home composting, even if your recipient is an apartment dweller.

Energy efficiency

Gifts that help your recipient save energy can reduce their use of fossil fuels and avoid greenhouse gas emissions. Here are just a few ideas:

Raising awareness and hope

While most people have heard about climate change, not everyone may feel knowledgeable about it or feel they have enough of a handle on how they can make a difference. These items can help your recipient learn more and feel empowered:

  • Daybreak board game. A potential option for a family gift, this is a “cooperative boardgame about stopping climate change. It presents a hopeful vision of the near future, where you get to build the mind-blowing technologies and resilient societies we need to save the planet.” The game is for 1-4 players, ages 10+, and takes 60-90 minutes to play.”
  • Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World by Katherine Hayhoe is a book that helps readers learn how to talk about climate change with anyone, even those who may hold very different worldviews from them. Dr. Hayhoe suggests that talking about climate change and making human connections, without focusing on changing minds, is an effective way to inspire action.

Additional resources

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Composting pumpkins and other ways to green your Halloween

Photo by Colton Sturgeon on Unsplash

Did you know that IL leads the nation in the production of pumpkins? You may not realize it, but pumpkins are mostly water! A great deal of labor, land, water, and other resources are invested in growing, harvesting, distributing, and processing pumpkins in our state, so if you care about conserving resources, it’s scary to think about how many pumpkins end up in landfills once Halloween has passed.

After the neighborhood kids have finished collecting their treats, some folks leave their pumpkins out for squirrels and other wildlife to feed on. Others may have a backyard compost pile for returning jack-o-lanterns to the soil. If you’re not lucky enough to have the space or time to create your own compost, many cities and towns throughout IL host collection events in early November for composting decorative pumpkins. Such an event is called a “Pumpkin Smash.” Some collections may involve fun activities in which people can literally “smash” their pumpkins by throwing them into a designated dumpster or compost heap. SCARCE and the cities of Wheaton and Elmhurst hosted the state’s first pumpkin collections in 2014, diverting over 9.31 tons of pumpkins from landfills and helping to improve composting laws in Illinois. By 2023, Pumpkin Smashes were being held at over 95 sites in IL and beyond, and in that year over 241 tons of pumpkins were composted!

If you’re interested in coordinating a Pumpkin Smash in your community, SCARCE has just released an updated how-to guide for pumpkin collections, available for free on their website. The revised guide includes tips for on-site composting at community gardens and small farms. This option is great for areas of the state without access to a commercial compost processing site that will accept food scraps.

The main Pumpkin Smash page on the SCARCE site provides other resources including diversion statistics from last year, downloadable promotional materials to help spread the word about your local event, a link to register your Pumpkin Smash site, and a map to help you find Smashes in your area. Visit https://www.scarce.org/pumpkins/ and keep scrolling to find these resources. Note that there are two “official” dates for Pumpkin Smashes this year–Saturday, November 2, and Saturday, November 9.

Other festive ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle

Please note that links and/or mentions of organizations or businesses are provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as endorsements by the Technical Assistance Program, ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois.

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Video resources for Pollution Prevention (P2) Week

In a previous post, we noted that September 16-20, 2024 is Pollution Prevention (P2) Week, and highlighted some relevant projects of the ISTC Technical Assistance Program (TAP). To conclude the week, we’ve compiled some video resources that may be of interest, whether you’re unfamiliar with “pollution prevention” or a seasoned practitioner.

“Pollution prevention,” also known as “source reduction,” is any action that reduces, eliminates, or prevents pollution at its source before recycling, treatment, or disposal. While the term may at first evoke images of smokestacks spewing dirty clouds into the sky or pipes discharging visibly dirty liquids into waterways, P2 is not just for industrial facilities. We all use natural resources, and we all encounter materials at work, regardless of the sector we work within, or in our schools or homes that may cause harm to human or environmental health. So we all have opportunities to use raw materials, water, energy, and other resources more efficiently, or to substitute less harmful substances for hazardous ones. The old proverb, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” rings true in terms of protecting human and environmental health, as well as strengthening our economic well-being.

To learn more about P2, check out these videos:

  • What is Pollution Prevention? (1 minute, 5 seconds) from the U.S. EPA. This is a very basic overview.
  • Pollution Prevention Playlist (8 videos) from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). This includes an explanation of the circular economy; tips for individuals such as donating goods, using reclaimed building materials, composting, and xeriscaping; and housekeeping tips for auto shops.
  • Pollution Prevention #P2 for Businesses (1 minute, 28 seconds). Also from ADEQ.
  • Pollution Prevention (P2) Mini-Webinar Series (5 brief videos per year). Each year the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) produces a short video for each day of P2 Week. For 2024, videos include “Waste Hierarchies” presenting different strategies for managing waste, “Coffee Machines,” focused on an easy way to save energy, “Conductivity Probes,” focused on saving water in industrial settings, “Anesthetic Gases” on a surprising source of greenhouse gas emissions in healthcare settings, and “About MnTAP” introducing the organization and its services. Be sure to check out archives from past years, going back to 2021.

If you’d like to learn more about perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS):

To learn more about choosing safer products in a variety of settings including your home, check out the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Videos collection, also available in Spanish.

Instructors interested in integrating P2 into curricula should explore videos from last year’s “P2 Works” student storytelling challenge. High school and college students used the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) P2 Search Tool to identify facilities reporting source reduction practices. The students created videos telling a compelling story about how these case studies benefitted relevant businesses, communities, and the environment. Visit this website for descriptions and links to the winning videos.

A webinar recorded earlier this week by the Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC) entitled “Pollution Prevention in EJ Communities” (1 hr., 8 min., 28 sec.) summarizes the results of a recent two-year project funded by the U.S. EPA, including adjustments made throughout the project for better reach, engagement, and service to participating businesses.

Finally, the ISTC Sustainability Seminar Series frequently features P2 topics. Visit the series webpage to learn more and explore archived recordings going back to 2007.

 

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Pollution Prevention Week 2024: Together we are one planet

Pollution Prevention (P2) Week occurs every September and this year’s theme “Together We are One Planet” reminds us that individual actions can effect overall positive change in our environment. Are you ready to be a change-maker and move forward with plans for reducing environmental impacts at your organization?

With pollution prevention grants provided by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, the Technical Assistance Program (TAP) at the Prairie Research Institute’s Illinois Sustainable Technology Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign can assist you! These grants focus on assisting manufacturers within Illinois to identify areas at the product, process, and system level to minimize waste, improve energy, and increase resource efficiency. By creating a strategy for sustainable improvement, your organization can remain competitive and profitable, while protecting the environment.

Our outreach is statewide, and each grant may focus on specific sectors, areas, or training. We hope you will take a few minutes to review these opportunities and allow us to assist you.

Assistance is fully confidential, without cost, or obligation to implement recommendations. Our technical assistance specialists will work with you every step of the way, identifying opportunities for improvement, related cost savings, and guiding you through implementation, if desired.

You can schedule your free site visit today by filling out our online request form, or connect with our technical assistance team by contacting Irene Zlevor, izlevor@illinois.edu, 217-300-8617.

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ISTC Technical Assistance Program assists U. of I. campus with waste characterization study

ISTC and F&S staff sorting waste samples.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.) Facilities & Services (F&S) Waste Management department recently released the results of a campus building waste characterization and opportunity assessment conducted with assistance from the ISTC Technical Assistance Program (TAP). This project was the latest example of collaboration between the two units on reducing waste and improving sustainable materials management on campus since the development of the original Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP).

Beginning in 2014, shortly after the inception of its Zero Waste Illinois program, TAP conducted its first university campus waste audit in the form of a two-phase project for U. of I., examining the types and amounts of waste generated in eight campus buildings, as well as the availability and location of waste and recycling collection bins. That study also included a survey of building occupants to gauge knowledge of current programs, gaps in service, and overall satisfaction with the campus recycling program. With this data, TAP made recommendations for waste reduction and diversion at the campus and individual building levels. The TAP zero waste team went on to conduct similar waste characterization studies for other institutes of higher learning, industrial clients, local governments, small businesses, and school districts in Illinois and beyond, as well as contributing to statewide systemic change through efforts like the Farm to Food Bank feasibility study and pilot projects. In 2019, TAP assessed indoor solid waste and recycling collection infrastructure for U. of I., leading to the initial deployment of branded three-bin collection stations for waste and recyclables in high-traffic campus locations. F&S continues to deploy those newer three-bin stations as funding permits, as part of ongoing progress toward iCAP zero waste goals.

In the fall of 2021, TAP, F&S, and other campus stakeholders began discussion of a new round of campus building waste audits. Plans were paused until after the hiring of Daphne Hulse, the first full-time U. of I. Zero Waste Coordinator, in fall 2022, to ensure the availability of dedicated staff to address waste audit results and recommendations. A spring 2023 grant from the U. of I. Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) supplemented available F&S funds to secure TAP services for waste audits of eight high-usage facilities in October 2023.  

Due to the size and volume of waste and recycling generated on campus, sorting all material was not feasible. Thus, TAP and F&S used an “activity zone” approach, developed by the TAP zero waste team after their work on the previous U. of I. campus audits. This involved selecting a representative set of buildings classified according to their main functions and services. Waste audit data from those representative buildings was used to formulate recommendations for waste reduction and improving the quantity and quality of collected recyclables. Those recommendations for improvement can then be applied to other buildings that fall within the same activity zone categorization. For this waste audit, activity zones and their respective buildings included:  

  • Academic: Business Instructional Facility (BIF) & Campus Instructional Facility (CIF)
  • Academic + Laboratory: Roger Adams Laboratory (RAL) & Noyes Laboratory
  • Multi-Activity: Illini Union & Activities & Recreation Center (ARC)
  • Student Living: Lincoln Avenue Residence Halls & Allen Residence Hall

TAP conducted walkthroughs of study buildings to assess current conditions and infrastructure, discuss waste and recycling challenges and successes with facility managers and other key personnel, and determine the best method for sample collection during the waste audits. The audits involved the collection of samples from trash (landfill-bound) and recycling streams from each of the selected buildings, which were then hand-sorted by TAP staff and volunteers into pre-determined categories defined in conjunction with F&S waste management staff. Following the waste audits, TAP held four focus group sessions (one per activity zone) to obtain input from campus community members (including students, faculty, and staff). Stakeholder engagement helped to gauge expectations, barriers, and sources of confusion, as well as garner suggestions for ways to reduce waste and improve collection of recyclables for the buildings included in the study. An online form was made available for submission of written feedback from those unable to attend focus group sessions and to allow session participants to submit any additional comments and suggestions. 

In addition to presenting methodologies and findings, the audit report outlines current waste and recycling management practices across campus and within the examined activity zones. This includes detailed descriptions of bin liner color-coding standards and the rationale behind them, procedures at the campus Waste Transfer Station (WTS), process flow diagrams, and a list of processors and destinations for the major categories of collected recyclables. The goal was to create a document that could support F&S’s efforts to educate and engage the campus community in improved waste management and the creation of a zero-waste culture. 

There are long-standing misconceptions about campus waste management practices according to Joy Scrogum, an Assistant Research Scientist with ISTC’s TAP and a member of the campus Zero Waste iCAP team. “When I was an Illinois undergraduate, I would hear people say it didn’t matter if you accidentally put recyclables in campus trash bins because everything would be sorted at the campus Waste Transfer Station. That was frankly decades ago, and I still hear people make that incorrect assertion. Although the U. of I. is an innovative research institution, our Waste Transfer Station is low-tech, with a small crew that hand sorts only a fraction of the materials collected. There’s no cutting-edge equipment using lasers or air currents to extract recyclables, just humans pulling items from certain colored bags that are emptied onto a conveyor belt. It would be physically impossible to hand sort all the waste generated on campus, and most people aren’t even aware of the fact that different colored bin liners are meant to signify different actions at the transfer station. The contents of black bags, for example, aren’t emptied for a hand sort, because that color is supposed to signify waste collected from restrooms or laboratories.” 

Graphic from the audit report illustrating the campus bin liner color-coding standard.

The study uncovered a lack of awareness, confusion, and/or inconsistent compliance regarding the bin liner color-coding standard, suggesting that improved communication and efforts to ease supply chain barriers could result in increased capture of recyclable materials. Observations during building walkthroughs and feedback compiled from stakeholder engagement indicated that greater consistency in collection bin style and signage, along with improvements in communication of proper waste management and recycling procedures to students, faculty, and staff could result in improved collection and reduced contamination of recyclable materials. 

Key findings from the analysis include: 

  • 34 percent of campus waste reviewed was avoidable 
  • 23 percent of all landfill materials were some form of paper towels
  • Recyclable materials made up 13 percent of the total waste stream
  • 17 percent of waste was compostable
  • 18 percent of recyclables were contaminated and therefore unsalvageable
  • Liquids contributed to contaminating 5 percent of all the recycling items sorted

Disposable single-use items, such as these beverage cups, are examples of potentially avoidable waste.

TAP made 39 recommendations for waste reduction and improved management grouped into seven themes (education & outreach, infrastructure, policy, programming, purchasing, research, and retail). Many of the suggestions encourage colleges and departments to look upstream at the source of waste generation to proactively reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.

F&S Zero Waste Coordinator Daphne Hulse said, “ISTC’s important and updated insight gives us the ability to turn their work into meaningful results that have an impact across campus. To accomplish our goals, we need to keep looking at how we can all continue to make progress by taking all available actions to properly reduce, reuse, and recycle where we study, work, recreate, and live.” 

A more detailed summary of study findings, along with the full report and executive summary for download, are available on the F&S website at https://fs.illinois.edu/campus-building-waste-characterization-opportunity-assessment/.

Daphne Hulse will also discuss the audit results, the details of campus waste and recycling management, and ongoing zero waste initiatives in an ISTC Sustainability Seminar presentation entitled, “Landfills Are Organized Littering: How the University of Illinois Is Moving Toward Zero Waste.” This hybrid presentation (with in-person and online attendance options), is scheduled for September 11 from 2-3 PM. Learn more and register at https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/6229/33493027. ISTC Sustainability Seminars are recorded with archives available online within a few weeks of the seminar’s completion. 

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ISTC is proud to be a 2024 Food Waste Prevention Week Partner

Proud to be a Food Waste Prevention Week Partner, April 1-7, 2024

Mark your calendars for Food Waste Prevention Week, scheduled to take place April 1-7 this year. 

In 2019 alone, EPA estimates that about 66 million tons of wasted food were generated in the food retail, food service, and residential sectors, and most of this waste (about 60%) was sent to landfills.  Food Waste Prevention Week is a collaborative effort to raise awareness about food waste and its negative impacts on our society and environment, while also sharing resources to help individuals, families, and organizations reduce their own food waste. Because its Technical Assistance Program (TAP) has experience working on food waste reduction and management projects, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center is proud to be a partner organization for Food Waste Prevention Week for the second year in a row!

Be sure to check ISTC’s social media platforms during April 1-7, as we highlight some of the past and present work TAP is doing related to food waste, as well as facts and resources to help you on your food waste reduction journey. If you’re not already following us on social media, you can connect with us on:

Throughout the week, several partners across the U.S. will host webinars to inspire action to reduce food waste. For example:

  • Closing the Loop. On Monday, April 1, at noon Central, join an informative discussion on what food waste generators can do to sustainably process their waste via on- and off-site composting, biodigesters, anaerobic digesters, etc. Register here.
  • Harnessing the Power of Food Preferences for Overproduction Reduction. Unveil how individual eating preferences can be a game-changer in minimizing food waste in food services. Learn how culinary IDs are the key to precise production while offering diners a better, personalized experience at scale. This webinar will be on April 1 from 1-1:50 PM Central time. Register here.
  • USDA Programs, Investments, and Innovations to Prevent and Reduce Food Loss and Waste. On April 2, from 11 AM to noon Central, join Dr. Jean Buzby (USDA Food Loss and Waste Liaison) and a panel of leaders from across USDA (NIFA, OUAIP, FNS, and ARS) to learn about some of the ways the agency engages in food loss and waste prevention and reduction across the U.S. food supply chain. Register here.
  • Gleaning: Reduce Loss & Waste at the Farm. On April 3 from 3-3:50 PM Central, join the Society of St. Andrew’s experts on gleaning and learn about its impact. They will discuss the benefits of gleaning crops for farmers, local hunger relief agencies, and volunteers alike, the impact of SoSA’s work over 40+ years, and ways to get involved in your locale. Register here.
  • Food Production and Sustainability. This thought-provoking panel discussion of industry experts will explore the industrial perspective of the fight against food waste and share strategies for implementing sustainability without compromising operational effectiveness. Join the discussion April 4th from 10-10:50 AM CDT. Register here.
  • From Food Scraps to Soil Food: Starting a Drop-Off Program in Your Community.​ Learn how East Hampton Compost is growing awareness of food waste, diverting scraps from the waste stream and enriching local soils. A collaboration between ReWild Long Island and the Town of East Hampton, with local high school students staffing drop-off locations and working on outreach. Dive into the dirt to gain valuable insights into the challenges and rewards of piloting an all-volunteer initiative, as well as actionable strategies for starting one in your community. This webinar will be on April 4 from 2-2:50 PM. Register here.

See the Food Waste Prevention Week “Webinars” page for additional webinars scheduled for Food Waste Prevention Week, and learn more about other ways you can get involved at https://www.foodwastepreventionweek.com/get-involved.

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Holiday gifts with sustainability in mind

Alma mater and block-I shaped cookies on a plate among other cookies
Illinois-themed Alma Mater and Block I holiday cookies. Credit: UI Public Affairs, Fred Zwicky.

Whichever winter holiday(s) you observe, odds are ‘tis the season for gift giving. Even if you don’t observe any of the major winter holidays, you’ll surely think about gifts at some point in the near future to celebrate a special occasion. If you’d like to align your gifts with sustainable values, the following ideas and resources might be helpful. Please note that links and companies mentioned in this post are for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as endorsements by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois.

Give an Experience

Many of us are fortunate enough to have plenty of “stuff” already, and if that’s the case for your intended recipient, consider an alternative to giving them more material goods. Experiences can often be more meaningful and personalized than physical gifts and presenting them can be an opportunity to start a conversation about consumption and its impacts on resource use, though one should not equate gifting experiences with avoiding consumption. Experiences still involve the use of material goods and consumption of resources; e.g., cooking someone their favorite dinner still requires the use of cookware, energy, and ingredients that themselves require natural resources to grow, raise, or manufacture. However, some gifted experiences may use items or resources that you or your recipient already own or would consume regardless of the special occasion. Continuing the previous example, you’re not likely to buy new pots or appliances to cook dinner, and since your recipient would need to eat anyway, there would always be impacts associated with the ingredients for the meal. Of course, other experiences may involve situations outside normal day-to-day circumstances that necessitate the use of resources (e.g., fuel for travel) we would not otherwise consume. Taking a spouse on a dream vacation or treating your best friend to a concert performance by their favorite band are examples. In such instances, it’s important to remember that giving an experience is less about avoiding resource use than shifting human attitudes and focus. The goal when gifting an experience is not to completely avoid consumption–we all consume resources as part of being alive. Rather, giving an experience shifts the focus away from material items as ends in themselves toward human interactions and the associated memories that will endure longer than most physical gifts possibly could. Memories are durable gifts! As a person who cares about sustainability, you can still try to incorporate responsible consumption into the equation if possible—perhaps by using local, sustainably harvested ingredients for the special dinner you’re preparing, buying carbon off-sets for the travel to that dream destination, or taking public transportation to the concert. The key is sharing or fostering experiences fulfills the human need for authentic connection rather than human desires for material goods, and reinforces the idea that relationships matter more than stuff. Valuing relationships between living things (in this case between people) is essential to thinking about ecosystems and the mindset that humans are a part of, rather than apart from, the rest of the natural world. Valuing relationships/connections can build a foundation for more sustainable behavior.

Give to Charity

Another option is to make a donation in honor of your loved one to a charitable organization that resonates with their interests and values. If you aren’t already aware of a specific group dear to their heart, you can search Charity Navigator at https://www.charitynavigator.org/ to find organizations by cause. The results display ratings, if Charity Navigator has adequate information to calculate one, based on “the cost-effectiveness and overall health of a charity’s programs, including measures of stability, efficiency, and sustainability.” You can filter the results by ratings, different aspects of performance (called “Beacons” on the site), state, organization size, and other factors. For example, I entered the term “sustainability” into the site’s search bar with the state filter “IL.” Charity Navigator also produces curated lists of charities, including “Where to Give Now,” “Popular Charities,” and “Best Charities.” As examples, check out the List of Best Women’s Charities, the “Where to Give Now” list for the Hawaii Wildfires, the List of Most Popular Charities. You can of course always enter keywords into Google or another search engine, but you might appreciate having Charity Navigator do some of the virtual “leg work” for you and having their expert analysis.

Note that your donation need not be monetary—you could donate your time or skills through volunteering. You might use your social media experience to help with promotion and online engagement for the literacy program for which your wife works, for example. You might even combine supporting a good cause important to your loved one with gifting an experience. For example, you might arrange to volunteer with an animal-loving friend at the local Humane Society shelter or pick up litter with your dad at his favorite nature preserve.

Give Gifts that Foster Reuse and Waste Reduction

Maybe you want to give your favorite waste reduction wonk items to help them get closer to the ideal of zero generation, but all you can think of are reusable coffee cups and cloth grocery bags which you know they already own. Here are some ideas and lists from which to draw inspiration.

Give Gifts that Reduce Dependence on Fossil Fuels

Friends don’t let friends rack up avoidable greenhouse gas emissions. Consult the following guides for some quick tips.

Give Gifts Free of PFAS

According to PFAS Central, a project of the Green Science Policy Institute, “PFAS, sometimes referred to as PFCs or highly fluorinated chemicals, are used in many consumer products and industrial applications because of their oil-, stain-, and water-repellent properties. Examples of chemicals in this class include PFOA, PFOS, and more than 3000 related compounds. The most studied of these substances is a chemical called PFOA, which is linked to kidney and testicular cancer, elevated cholesterol, decreased fertility, and thyroid problems and decreased immune response to vaccines in children. The most studied of these substances is a chemical called PFOA, which is linked to kidney and testicular cancer, elevated cholesterol, decreased fertility, and thyroid problems and decreased immune response to vaccines in children.” PFAS persist in the environment and pollute even the most remote places. Check out ISTC’s information and work on PFAS. This recent video from Bloomberg tells the fascinating story of how one woman uncovered how PFAS pollution became prevalent in her area.

So, these substances are clearly bad news for human and environmental health, but they’re in lots of consumer products—how can you help friends and family avoid exposure? Check out https://pfascentral.org/pfas-free-products/ for a list of PFAS-free outdoor gear, apparel, shoes, personal care products, baby gear, furniture, food ware, carpets and rugs, textiles, and home maintenance products.

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What is Pollution Prevention?

US EPA Waste Management Hierarchy including pollution prevention
A version of the U.S. EPA Waste Management Hierarchy showing pollution prevention. See https://www.epa.gov/smm/sustainable-materials-management-non-hazardous-materials-and-waste-management-hierarchy for the more typical version.

September is a time to think about pollution prevention, aka P2, because the third week of September every year is celebrated as Pollution Prevention (P2) Week in the U.S. In 2023, P2 Week will be September 18-22. As you mark your calendar, you may ask yourself—what exactly is pollution prevention, and how can I contribute to the effort?

First, let’s take a moment to consider what pollution itself is. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines pollution as “any substances in water, soil, or air that degrade the natural quality of the environment, offend the senses of sight, taste, or smell, or cause a health hazard. The usefulness of the natural resource is usually impaired by the presence of pollutants and contaminants.” So, pollution is the contamination of the environment by potentially harmful substances. If you think of a polluted environment as analogous to a human body with harmful chemicals in it or disease, then it’s easy to think of pollution prevention as analogous to disease prevention. You’ve probably heard the old quote from Benjamin Franklin, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Although Franklin was talking about the prevention of house fires, in modern times, the phrase has come to be used in the sense of health care. It means that taking preventative measures (e.g., exercising, watching what you eat, getting enough sleep, etc.) is a much more sensible strategy to take, wherever possible, than waiting until disease sets in and then working to treat it. It’s far better to avoid a problem than to have to try to solve the problem afterward.

Thus, pollution prevention is the sensible strategy of preventing the release of harmful substances into the environment, aka source reduction, to avoid the negative impacts of pollution and the cost, time, energy, and other resources that would otherwise need to be expended on environmental clean-up after the fact. Or, as the U.S. EPA states, pollution prevention is “actively identifying equipment, processes, and activities which generate excessive wastes or use toxic chemicals and then making substitutions, alterations, or product improvements.” P2, or source reduction, “is fundamentally different and, where feasible, more desirable than recycling, treatment or disposal. It is often more cost effective to prevent pollution from being created at its source than to pay for control, treatment and disposal of waste products.  When less pollution is created, there are fewer impacts to human health and the environment.”

P2 practices for manufacturing and industrial sectors might entail using less toxic cleaners, less hazardous ingredients or process inputs, conserving energy and water, and reducing waste through the reuse of materials such as drums or pallets. Manufacturers and supporting industries in Illinois can also contact the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC ) Technical Assistance Program (TAP) to learn more about U.S. EPA-funded P2 assistance available free of charge to members of the aerospace, automotive, chemical, food and beverage, and metal manufacturing and fabrication sectors. See https://uofi.box.com/s/ypoep56408o4kk5pl0qpt2ojpwyo82qh and https://uofi.box.com/s/1crril27e0td9nd3j3njgh49mzoom0q5 for details.

The principles of P2 can be applied to any sector or effort and in homes and schools. It’s all about more efficient use of valuable resources, such as energy and water, using less-toxic materials and products, and avoiding the generation of waste so you don’t have to deal with as many disposal considerations. So, if you practice waste reduction by eliminating disposable products and single-use plastics, if you purchase and use energy-efficient appliances and weatherize your home for the winter, if you look for and fix leaky pipes or faucets, or if you use safer cleaners, you’re practicing P2!

Use the following resources to learn more about P2 and how you can contribute to “preventative medicine” for environmental health and our collective human health which depends upon a healthy environment.