George Mason University
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion

The baseline year was adopted based on it being Mason's peak year for waste production and invoices were combed through one by one by Mason staff.

Mason recycles LDPE plastic film on the Fairfax and Science and Technology campuses, as well as the Smithsonian Mason School of Conservation site. Additionally, Mason's yard waste is recycled through grasscycling and brush-to-mulch recycling programs. Shredded paper is donated as animal bedding at the Smithsonian Mason School of Conservation site. Mason's Housing and Residence Life team recycles mattresses that cannot be donated or re-sold.

In July 2022, George Mason Facilities Management's Recycling and Waste Management department began tracking their campus-specific collections data on a weekly basis. Recycling staff members record the weights/quantities of all the recyclable materials they bring from the university's Mason Square Campus, Science and Technology Campus, Point of View International Retreat and Conference Center site, and the Potomac Science Center site to the Fairfax Campus for processing. Recycling staff weigh and record this data in an online form after each collection shift, and before they consolidate materials for partnering vendors' bulk pick-ups. Additionally, the university's commingle recycling stream (aluminum cans and plastics bottles/jugs) and scrap metal recycling stream are sorted for contamination as a quality control mechanism prior to vendors' scheduled pick-ups. Weekly recycling collection data are used to track site-specific recycling volumes, improve location-based reporting, and to support staff members' collection and sorting processes to reduce contamination.

In 2021, Mason began the process of updating zero waste messaging and design standards for all campus waste stations. Over the performance year, Mason implemented pilots and events that included key messaging and bin design upgrades to test out draft design standards, as well as surveyed Mason community members to get their feedback for finalizing messaging changes and bin labels' graphic design. Working from best practices, Mason redesigned our waste bin labeling to include bilingual (English and Spanish) messaging, image examples, as well as worked to create new design standards for future bin purchases. New design standards and guidelines include restrictive bin openings, co-location, and other giudance to affect behavior change at the bin.

George Mason University's University Sustainability office hosted both collaborative volunteer waste audits and recurring compost contamination audit events to support a pilot composting initiative over the reporting year. Green Game represents George Mason University's zero waste basketball game initiative and the university's entry into the National Wildlife Federation's Campus Race to Zero Waste's Game Day Basketball competion. The 2023 Green Game was held on January 25th, 2023, during the George Mason Patriots Women’s Basketball team vs. University of Rhode Island game. Green Game is a collaboartive zero waste engagement initiative, with 2023 partners including University Sustainability, Mason Athletics, EagleBank Arena Operations and Events, Mason Dining (Sodexo), V&G CLEANING SVCS, Facilities Recycling and Waste Management, and 21 volunteers. Since 2014, Mason’s Green Game initiative has diverted 10,899 pounds of waste away from incineration, supported experiential learning opportunities for over 330 volunteers, engaged over 37,475 basketball game attendees in zero waste practices, and achieved a top ten ranking in Campus Race to Zero Waste’s Game Day Basketball competition 11 times. In 2023, the post-game waste contamination audit achieved an 84% diversion rate and supported EagleBank Arena's transition to third-party certified compostable and recyclable foodservice ware at its concessions locations. Additionally, in February 2023, the university contributed an estimated 1,555 single-use plastic items, weighing 58.4 pounds to Celia Ledón’s The Shape of Water art installation. To contribute to this initiative, post-consumer plastics were collected at University Sustainability waste audits and at campus clean-up events organized as part of the Student Government Association's Maintain Mason initiative. The University Sustainability office organized weekly compost contamination audits from September 19th, 2022 - February 15th, 2023 in partnership with Mason Dining and student volunteers. Compost contamination audits were carried out to support the university's first industrial composting pilot at a Mason Dining location on the Fairfax Campus. Volunteer compost contamination audits were used to benchmark the pilot bins' contamination rate against the local commercial composting facility's maximum acceptable contamination rate of 11%, to draw conclusions about waste bin design interventions implemented at the site, and to inform dining staff trainings during the pilot period. Compost contamination audits diverted 2,467 pounds of food waste and compostable foodservice ware. Audit data informed zero waste engagement and training interventions, which supported a 6% average monthly contamination rate by the end of the pilot period.

Mason has been updating processes, including requests for proposals for major contracts (i.e., all embroidery and print services) to include procurement criteria aimed at reducing waste generation through a buy less, buy better strategy. This includes highlighting eco-alternatives that cost more, but buying fewer and handing them out as raffle prizes versus everyone at the door giveaways. Additionally, vendor and approved caterers are required to eliminate or phase out single-use plastics from deliveries, events, and operations including "to not sell, provide or distribute disposable plastic bags, single-use plastic and polystyrene food service containers, plastic straws and cutlery, and single-use plastic water bottles to Mason or on Mason premises." Mason's catering contract link as an example. For more information, see https://sc.gmu.edu/cezw/

George Mason University collects surplus equipment and furniture from departments all over campus. Reusable equipment and furniture are stored at the warehouse to be redistributed to any Mason department, as well as to Mason students who are accompanied by university faculty or staff members and may need surplus items for university-related applications. After a period of time, the items get auctioned and the proceeds go to the state. Mason's Staff Senate established an office supply swap group as part of their Greener Mason Community group initiative during the spring 2023 semester, which currently includes 112 campus community members. Spearheaded by the Staff Senate's Environmental Justice and Sustainability Subcommittee, Greener Mason Community's staff, faculty, and student members can post available office supplies to an MS Teams channel to support reuse and sharing at Mason. Mason's Art Supply Sharing Initiative, established by Mason Exhibitions Program Manager Yassmin Salem in spring semester 2023 with support from a Patriot Green Fund grant, provides a public office and art supply sharing resource on Mason's Fairfax Campus. The Free Art Supply Cabinet helps divert waste while providing access to valuable supplies that aren't always affordable for Mason students.

Mason's on-campus resource offices host several formal donation sites to help meet the basic needs of university community members. The Student Support and Advocacy Center's Patriot Pantry - the university's food bank with a branch at the Fairfax and Mason Square Campuses- provides Mason students with free access to non-perishable food and hygiene supplies. The LGBTQ+ Resources Center's Trans Clothing Closet, established in 2019 as a resource where transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming students can find free clothing and accessories, supports both the free redistribution of clothing items as well as a free sharing library. Similarly, the First Gen+ Center's office collects textbook and testing supplies from university community members to share with Mason students who identify as first-generation, undocumented, have refugee status, or those that have families with limited income. Established in 2021, the Computing and Engineering Diversity Resource and Information Center (CEDRIC) administers a free clothing closet and distributes emergency food supplies to any Mason community members, with a particular focus on underrepresented students engaged in the College of Engineering and Computing. Mason Parking and Transportation provides a campus bike sharing platform and hosts an annual used bike sale to support its services, which provides all Mason community members with a resource for both donating and puchasing used bikes at a reduced cost. Mason's Art Supply Sharing Initiative and Greener Mason Community Group provide free on-campus and virtual platforms, respectively, to support office/art supply sharing. The Mason Innovation Exchange (MIX) hosts a collaborative Makerspace, which provides free hands on workshops, events, and materials for different DIY projects, including sewing workshops to encourage the upcycling and repair of textiles. Lastly, Mason's Patriot Packout initiative, the University's annual sustainable move-out initiative, not only partners with these and other Mason units and the entire Mason community to accept move-out donations, but supports the reuse and free sharing of donated items on-campus. In May 2023, Patriot Packout partnered with student organizers to host two free clothing 'Swap 'n Hop' events as part of donation collection. In June 2023, Patriot Packout hosted its first-ever Free Redistribution Event at Mason Exhibition's Gillespie Gallery where it provided over 110 Mason students, staff, faculty, alums and community members with free access to any move-out donations they needed.

Mason's Green Purchasing Guidelines requires that a minimum 30% post-consumer recycled paper should be used for all applications whenever possible, as well as that all copiers and printers purchased should be compatible with the use of recycled products and double-sided printing. Additionally, the Guidelines requires that all University documents are defaulted to double-sided printing to reduce paper purchasing. The university also utilizes multi-function printers to eliminate thousands of unwanted/mistaken print jobs. To reduce paper consumption, Mason's Operations and Business Services department requires that all campus vendors, who do not use third-party certified compostable paper shopping bags, use Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper shopping bags with high post-consumer recycled paper content within their operations.

Mason implemented several enhancements to online learning resources to support distance education and reduce the need for printed materials. Blackboard Content changes allow faculty and staff to store, manage and share digital content to their various courses. Content changes increased accessibility in reusing, sharing, and managing files and provided virtual hard drives for both individuals and academic departments. Additionally, through Collaborate Ultra and Kaltura MyMedia library enhancements, instructors can now share virtual PowerPoint presentations and lectures with students and students can record PowerPoint presentations to reduce printing. Mason's university bookstore (Barnes and Nobles) offers digital purchase for course materials and eTextbooks, as well as provides access to the YUZU platform to support their use. Through free YUZU apps, students can organize eTextbooks and course materials, sync notes/highlights across multiple devices, and avoid unnecessary printing through publishers' pre-set limits. To increase access, the University Libraries provide both Mason and major internet e-Book collections that are available 24/7 to all Mason students, faculty, and staff. University Libraries e-Book collections support free, digital alternatives to purchasing printed materials at Mason.

Patriot Packout (PPO) is Mason's annual move-out donation initiative. Existing in some form (unofficial and official) since 2003, the PPO initiative was expanded over spring 2023 to address Mason community members’ basic needs as one of its essential goals. After prioritizing Mason community members’ basic needs, support for local community members and resources was an additional goal for the new PPO Planning Committee (launched in February 2023). The PPO Planning Committee's 17 student and staff members designed, planned, and executed PPO 2023. PPO is a formal collaboration between Facilities’ University Sustainability team, Facilities’ Waste and Recycling team, Housing and Residence Life, Housing and Residence Life Housekeeping, Parking and Transportation, Student Government, Mason Exhibitions, University Life, and many others who each contribute to PPO's overall success. Since 2010, PPO has diverted 123,208 pounds (61.604 tons) of move-out items to partners. In 2023, 73% of all donated items went to individual Mason community members, university resources, and community non-profit resources that share items for free, with the remaining items given to non-profit thrift stores.

Mason Facilities Recycling and Waste Management department's Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) film recycling initiative diverts recycling bags and other film packaging from incineration. Additionally, Recycling staff members collect all paper recycling streams with reusable collection bags to reduce the consumption of single-use plastics film within their operations. Mason's Smithsonian Mason School of Conservation (SMSC) Facilities Admin Susie Mueller similarly administers an LDPE film recycling initiative through a take-back partnership with their waste hauler. As a research and instructional site, SMSC partners with research labs at their site to divert shredded paper as animal bedding, reducing the need for new purchasing. Along with LDPE film and SMSC's initiatives, the university's grounds and landscaping teams divert yard waste through grasscycling and brush-to-mulch recycling programs. Additionally, Mason's Housing and Residence Life team recycles mattresses that cannot be recovered through surplus processes.

George Mason University is submitting our most recent completed fiscal year data, Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, because this data best represents the University's current waste management processes and its institutional strategies for advancing campus diversion. Mason uses the National Center for Education Statistics' Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) as its data source for AASHE STARS population metrics. The University's FY23 population data is not yet published through IPEDS, so FY22 population data are substituted in this credit's population metrics. To reflect operational efficiency of current trash collections, where real tonnage is not reported, a rate of 55% operational efficiency was used to report trash incineration tonnage on the Fairfax Campus. A rate of 75% operational efficiency was used to report trash incineration tonnage on the Science and Technology Campus and Smithsonian Mason School of Conservation and Potomac Science Center instructional sites. These two average rates were selected to modify monthly tonnage estimates based on respective locations' waste hauler collection schedules, operational staff feedback, and pre-pandemic collections efficiency audits.