Garbage In, Garbage Out

In 2011 the College switched to a zero- sort waste provider, with an eye on environmentalism and cost savings.

Since the switch, the proportion of the waste stream that doesn’t go to the dump (diversion rate) has risen from 29 percent to 44 percent. By diverting more waste otherwise headed for the dump, zero-sort promotes environ- mentalism and saves money, since the disposal of landfill waste costs more per ton than zero-sort or composting.

This system makes it easier for people to recycle by putting the messy sorting into the hands of the recycling provider. “It’s helped!” according to sustainability director Rosi Kerr ’97. “We now divert almost half of our ‘waste’ into reuse of some type. The next step is for us to raise the bar at Dartmouth, to set a new goal and to start thinking about disposal when we purchase items, not just when it’s time to throw them away. We’d all like a more durable, less wasteful culture, and we can start here.”