Single-use is now part of the lexicon, but the amount of trash created by cups, water bottles, plastic bags, straws and other items that are not reused is becoming unsustainable.
UT Austin collected 2200 tons of recycling last year and recently received assurances from the local recycler that the material is not being piled or landfilled. Still, we all need to Recycle Right because nine percent of our current trash is actually recyclables while up to a fifth of recycling is actually trash and could result in fines for the university.
The campus has shown growing support for zero waste this spring semester, from a presentation by Resource Recovery to Staff Council to supportive legislation passed by the Graduate Student Assembly and other matters.
Focusing on a zero waste goal, interns with UT Austin’s Resource Recovery talk about the number of to go cups that head to the landfill from campus each year ... and what we all can do to change this.
