New Report Examines US University Sustainability and Recovery Activities
RRS released a report titled Examination of US University Sustainability and Recovery Activities on April 12, 2021, providing an overview of recycling, organics recovery, and sustainability efforts at U.S. universities and colleges. The study, conducted via online research, examined 312 institutions, representing about 11% of all U.S. colleges and universities, and categorized findings by region and student enrollment size.
Key findings include:
63% of sampled schools have established recycling programs.
33% offer some form of composting, though the materials accepted vary.
The average recycling rate among these schools was 24%, with a total diversion rate (including recycling and composting) of about 45%.
The report emphasizes the role of higher education institutions as centers for innovation and testing grounds for new sustainability initiatives. It aims to provide schools with benchmarking data to improve their sustainability programs.
The study's data reflects pre-COVID-19 activities and does not account for the pandemic's impact.
