HSU was recognized with an Innovative Waste Reduction Award at the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference as part of the thirteenth annual Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Best Practice Awards Competition.
Award winners were judged based on criteria defined by selection committees. In each award category where submissions were received from both UC and CSU campuses, one winner from each system was chosen. Categories included sustainable design, HVAC design and retrofitting, lighting design, water efficiency, innovative waste reduction, student sustainability leadership, sustainable food systems, sustainable transportation, sustainability innovations, and sustainability in academics with focuses on both science-based curricula and arts-based curricula.
Since instituting its food waste diversion program, HSU keeps over 150 tons of food waste out of the landfill each year with more than 8,000 pounds staying on campus to be composted by the Waste Reduction and Resource Awareness Program.
The rest of the waste is accepted by the Humboldt Waste Management Authority and goes to a commercial composting facility.
Learn more about HSU’s food waste diversion efforts here.