Category Archives: News

Talking Trash in the Dugout – New Year! New System!

There is a new, simpler waste-sorting system in the Dugout this year.

What’s changed? We are still composting food scraps, but can no longer accept soiled plates and other compostable materials together with food scraps due to a change in the disposal system.

The good news is that it’s easier to know what goes in each waste bin: Food Waste (food only),Recycling (same as across campus), and Trash (anything that is soiled or is not food waste or recyclable).

Not sure where to toss your waste? When in doubt, throw it out (in TRASH) to avoid accidentally contaminating the Food Waste and Recycling bins.

Good to Go Commuter Challenge

The Good To Go Commuter Challenge is back!

May 16 – 22

Register and join the Illinois Wesleyan University group

Once registered, log in and record your daily commutes. Eligible modes include: biking, walking, taking the bus, telecommuting, and carpooling. It is easy and quick to find transit schedules, walking & biking routes, and find/create carpooling opportunities. Prizes will be awarded to the individual, the team and the employer with the most participation.

Printer Cartridge Recycling

The Wellness Office is partnering with Printing Services and the Sierra Student Coalition on campus to provide a centralized printer ink/toner cartridge recycling program through TerraCycle.

This program is an international upcycling and recycling company that collects difficult-to-recycle packaging and products and repurposes the material into affordable, innovative products. See more information.

As part of our campus mission toward sustainability, Printing Services (located on Franklin Street past TKE and toward BroMenn) has agreed to sign up for a printer cartridge collection brigade. This means that, if you or anyone you know drops off an accepted printer cartridge, Printing Services will collect, save and ship these to TerraCycle where they will be reused and repurposed. Additionally, IWU gets points for making donations, and these points can then be used toward charitable contributions.

So, check out this list of accepted donations and, if you or anyone you know are about to toss out a dried-up cartridge, bring it down to Printing Services, open all school year, and help out the environment!

ISU vs. IWU Sustainability Challenge

The Illinois Green Business Association is hosting an intercollegiate sustainability challenge.

Tweet photos of green actions using the hashtag #SustainBloNo for a chance to win prizes.

Possible actions (11 actions for the 11th month) include:

1) Donate your clothes

2) Recycle

3) Post a tip or trick on a sustainability education bulletin board

4) Upcycle an item for a purpose different than its original use

5) Give a high five to a stranger or perform a random act of kindness

6) Use recycling bins on campus

7) Use CFL lightbulbs

8) Bike or walk to your destination

9) Brainstorm – think of a sustainable practice not listed. The most creative will receive a prize.

10) Pick up litter (hashtag #litterati) for exposure

11) Find and count reusable bottles vs. disposable water bottles

Textile Recycling At IWU

From Matthew J. Drat ’84
Development and Community Relations Manager,
Home Sweet Home Ministries

Even though May Term is not yet complete, Home Sweet Home Ministries is again pleased to share the results of our textile recycling program on the IWU campus. The program, in its third year, places collection containers at various locations on campus where students, faculty and staff can drop off their textiles (clothing, etc) and then Home Sweet Home’s HSHRenew program repurposes those items. The resource dollars generated by HSHRenew supports individuals struggling with homelessness and poverty via the services at Home Sweet Home Ministries.

For this school year, HSHRenew at Home Sweet Home Ministries collected nearly 5,000 pounds of textiles on the campus of IWU. That is a tremendous impact on the environment and on the men, women and children at Home Sweet Home. For example, the resources generated can help pay for any entire day of meals at our soup kitchen, meals that affect not only the body, but the mind and spirit as well.

As an alumnus of IWU (Class of ’84) I am particularly happy to see how my alma mater is engaging our local community AND changing lives of our neighbors.