Increasing Recycling at the University of Kentucky
By: Ashley Bryant Cheney, Program Specialist/Volunteer Coordinator,
Bluegrass Greensource
Bluegrass Greensource is partnering with UK Recycling to increase student recycling participation in residence halls. With UK’s campus-wide recycling infrastructure growing, continued education is key for recycling participation, especially among residential students. Bluegrass Greensource has implemented recycling education in three residence halls on campus through promotional materials and a peer education program. Students in the residence halls have been recruited as “recyclingchampions” to promote and educate their peers about recycling. The recycling champions have passed out flyers, given away promotional materials, and are planning recycling-based residence hall programming.
Initial results are promising; waste audits in residence halls show an increase in recycling rates and a more accurate knowledge of what materials can be recycled. Education in the three residence halls will continue through the end of this semester, and two more waste audits will take place this semester to track the program’s effect on student recycling habits.