Members of the Drake Environmental Action League (DEAL) audited Drake’s trash, recycle, and compost waste earlier this month. Facilities Planning and Management assisted with the initiative by transporting trash and recycle dumpsters from Old Main, Opperman/Cartwright, Goodwin-Kirk Residence Hall, and Hubbell Dining to its warehouse so the audit could be performed. These dumpsters were chosen to provide an accurate representation of waste among our campus buildings.

Facilities Planning and Management is grateful for the students in DEAL who worked hard on a Sunday and then shared insights on what is working and what can be improved. As a result of the audit, a pilot recycling program will be implemented at Goodwin-Kirk Residence Hall. Multiple, centralized recycle collection points will be placed on each floor, making it easy and convenient for those in the building to recycle. The program is designed to increase recycling and reduce waste in large campus buildings, such as Goodwin-Kirk.

In the last 10 years, Drake has reduced the amount of waste it sends to the landfill by approximately 400 tons. This reduction has been achieved by recycling more than 150 tons, and composting nearly 100 tons of yard waste and approximately 35 tons of food waste last year alone.

Facilities Planning and Management is fortunate to have students assist in its sustainability efforts.

Mitch Wieczorek, Facilities Planning and Management