“RECYCLE-WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!”
           Partners in Recycling Education

Recycling on campus is being revamped as NAU/Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research has joined forces with Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), Coconino County, the City of Flagstaff and Willow Bend Environmental Education Center. Together they have created Partners in Recycling Education (PRE) supported by a one-year grant from ADEQ. The Partnership is coordinating regional recycling education and outreach to students, residents and businesses in northern Arizona.

The PRE initiative is directed towards NAU campus communities, Flagstaff Unified School students (K-12), single and multi-family residents and users of Coconino County’s regional recycling centers. The Partnership plans to increase recycling education and awareness through a range of advertising, promotion and community outreach events. Their goal is to increase recycling rates and increase recyclables going to the Materials Recovery Facility.

Keep an eye out for information and publications from the Partners in Recycling Education around campus and in town! Volunteer opportunities are also available!

Recycling practices vary slightly depending on where you are on campus. This is because the new policy has shifted to what is called “co-mingling.” “Co-mingling” refers to mixed recyclable items in one container, for example paper and aluminum. Wastes are to be bagged separately. It is important to “keep it clean” and keep wet wastes and food wastes separate from recyclables.

Residence halls are still required to dispose of recyclables in green bins and trash in brown/blue bins. There are far more green recycle bins than brown/blue trash bins on campus providing ample opportunity to increase collection of recyclables on campus and decrease landfill contamination. Please follow these links for more site-specific recycling information: Residence Halls, Dining Halls and Administrative/Academic Buildings.

In addition to these links, there is a video further describing the recycling program at NAU and its development at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR9b4MQyKZs.

For more information about plastic packaging and it’s long term effects on the environment please read:
Plastic Ocean- Our oceans are turning to plastic...are we?

View the Waste Reduction Initiative Through Education Final Report

“To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived,
that is to have succeeded."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson