Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Colleges Realizing the Value of Green

Parents, children, and almost every American citizen is coming to know the value of thinking "green"--and this first starts with organics. Most people though don't consider college students to be the most avid recyclers or even considerate of the environmental impact of their actions. However, this is not the story in much of the United States today. Here is an article from courant.com about universities in the eastern U.S. trying to make a difference.

Colleges Try Composting to Recycle Wasted Food

Composting projects at several Connecticut universities are helping turn cafeteria leftovers into environmentally friendly soil for farms and campus gardens.


This summer, Yale University will deliver its waste to a Litchfield County composting plant to be transformed into potting soil. Officials at the New Haven university estimate about 2 tons of cafeteria food is discarded each day.

"Food, even when you can no longer eat it, is still a resource," said C.J. May, Yale's recycling coordinator. "Burning it or dumping it in the landfill is a real shame."

Yale estimates as much as 40 percent of its trash is organic. By composting the waste instead of burning or burying it, Yale hopes to cut greenhouse emissions, meet new sewer requirements and perhaps save money.

Read the entire story here.

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