Kennesaw State University’s sustainability efforts are growing with the help of a grant from Keep America Beautiful.
The Coca-Cola/Keep America Beautiful Public Space Recycling Infrastructure Grant provided 30 new recycling bins for the University’s Marietta Campus, expanding the overall recycling efforts to both campuses. The University purchased an additional 24 recycling bins along with the grant-funded bins to bring the Marietta Campus total to 54 bins.
“Our students are passionate about recycling,” said John Anderson, assistant vice president of facilities services at Kennesaw State. “This grant is important in improving our recycling infrastructure at the Marietta Campus and highlights the University’s commitment to boost campus recycling rates and expand our overall sustainability efforts across both campuses.”
In 2016, a recycling inventory by Kennesaw State construction management students revealed that the Marietta Campus had only three outdoor recycling bins on the 203-acre campus.
The new outdoor bins, placed in high-traffic areas earlier this spring, have already helped promote recycling among students. Since installation of the bins, Marietta Campus students have recycled nearly 1,500 pounds of cans and bottles.
“Keep America Beautiful is excited to support Kennesaw State University’s recycling program,” said Alec Cooley, director, recycling programs, Keep America Beautiful. “With the university’s focus on expanding recycling opportunities and raising awareness about the importance of recycling with students, it was perfectly suited to be a recipient of recycling bins through the Coca-Cola / Keep America Beautiful Public Space Recycling Infrastructure Grant program.”
Each week, members of the University’s facilities staff collect the recyclables before the cans are compacted and sent to a recycling facility, further reducing the amount of trash sent to landfills.
Kennesaw State’s latest recycling initiative is just one of the University’s efforts aimed at growing the overall sustainability efforts. In addition to the new bins, Kennesaw State recycles cardboard during move-in for on-campus housing, collecting 4,500 pounds each fall. The dining halls also collected more than 220 tons of food waste this year, which is then turned into compost and returned to KSU’s Hickory Grove Farm.