Zero Waste Basics
What does zero waste mean?
Zero Waste means 90% of material is diverted
from the landfill or incinerators. It encourages
the redesign of product life cycles so that all
products are conserved and reused.
Landfills are the ___ largest
source of human-related
methane emissions in the US.
The 3rd!
UCI has 3 waste streams. Name all three.
Compost
Landfill / Trash
Recycle
Why is zero waste important? Name two or more.
Possible answers:
To protect our environment
To reduce greenhouse gases
To promote clean innovation
To create green jobs
Methane is ____ more
effective than ____ at trapping
heat in the atmosphere.
30 times; CO2
Name items that you can put in the compost bin. Name two or more.
ALL food items, Fruit/vegetable
scraps, Biodegradable
cups, plates,
utensils, etc., Food-soiled
paper plates &
napkins (other valid examples)
How can you contribute? Name one or more.
Refuse what you do not need
Reuse what you can
Recycle & Compost the rest
How many tons of tons of food waste does UCI compost a year?
850 tons!
What should be placed in the landfill/trash bin? Give three examples
Wrappers, Plastic utensils & bags, all styrofoam
(Other valid answers)
What is composting?
Composting is nature’s way of
recycling — it is a process
which diverts organic food
scraps and green waste
from landfills to be
repurposed into a valuable
fertilizer or energy.
Housing hosts ___ donation bins. ___% of all donated goods find another home other than the landfill.
21; 91
Paper, glass, plastic, metal.
Things we shouldn't put in: any examples for the other two bins.
What are the three different trash cans on campus called? Name two or more
Hint: On the slides, they all ended with the word "set".
Concrete bin set.
Slim jim set.
Big belly set.
How many tons of food items go to FRESH pantry every year?
2000
What kind of digester does UCI use to compost all food waste?
Anaerobic digester. UCI composts tons of food waste per year. Equivalent to 472 metric tons of carbon emissions or taking 100 gas-powered cars off the road!