The recycling program we see today had its beginning during the fall semester of 1992. Prior to that year, many student groups had tried unsuccessfully to start and run a recycling program.  This was mainly due to a total student-only endeavor, and when the key students moved on, the program would fade away. With the advent of AB 939 and the continuous increase of costs at the landfill, the College realized that reduction in waste to the landfill also equated to a reduction in budgetary costs. The College called for bids for both waste hauling and recycling.  Eel River Disposal was the successful bidder.  The incumbent waste hauler took the College to court, stating that they had a contract with the County giving them exclusive hauling rights. The case was settled in favor of the College; our contract with Eel River was upheld. During the next several years, the College reduced waste to the landfill by 60%. This has not been an easy task. A committee was formed comprised of representatives from Eel River Disposal, administrators, faculty, staff, outside vendors and the associated student body, and the now successful program was created. The most difficult part of the process was the retrieval of the recyclables and the educational process.  At this point, Ruth Clements, the Custodial Supervisor coordinated the custodial staff to become an integral part of the recycling program. This initial collection program would divert white paper, office paper, cardboard, white glass and aluminum from the waste stream. Custodial staff collects recyclables and encourage staff to recycle on a regular basis. Their efforts have been a boon for the program to become the successful program it is today.

The committee recognized a need to change values to better reflect ecological based ethics. The committee had five goals for this program.  They were:

• Reduce solid waste to the landfill by 50% according to AB 939 (a surpassed goal)
• Reduce waste hauling cost (first year reduction of $20,000.00; we are still paying less than we did in spring of 1992)
• Compensation for recyclables (we receive compensation for white paper, aluminum, etc.)
• Benefit the students (98% of rebates go to student scholarships.  Several $100.00 scholarships are given to students and a perpetual scholarship was started in the name of the recycling program)
• Make this a constant program by commitment (the committee comprises a wide variety of responsible staff, students and the community, we feel it will not only continue, but grow, in the future)

Prior to this collaborative effort the campus generated approximately 70 yards of garbage per week. In only eight months we realized a 19% reduction that dropped weekly collection to 57 yards per week. Our enthusiastic approach promoting, educating students, staff and faculty paid off as demonstrated by the following:

• May 1992 - Recycling Committee formed planned recycling activities for white paper, office paper, aluminum, glass and cardboard collection. Summer Dormitory clothing, furniture and books donated to local charitable organizations.

• December 1992 - Telephone book recycling at CR community and for the general public. A recycling telephone book bin was placed across from the security building. Over 1,400 pounds phone books collected became shoe boxes after being processed in Taiwan. Recycled scratch pads/notepads are available in warehouse.
• April 1993 - Newspaper and green bar collection bin placed by Security building. At the same time Machinist Chuck Snowden and students from the Machine Tool Technology classes used recycled #4 plastic in a machine they created to make small injection molds.
• April 1993 - Recognized for Recycling 1992 by the Humboldt Integrated Waste Management Board. CR was presented the Humboldt County Waste Reduction Award for the “Most Effective Activities” for white paper, office paper, aluminum, glass and cardboard.

• May 1993 - Book discards collected from Library, Bookstore, staff and faculty discards are collected to help stock a new Library in New York, distributed to schools in Mexico, local literacy projects and adult education. E.O.P.S distributes donated books and clothing to students in need.

• September 1993 - Composting program began behind the College of the Redwoods Community Stadium.  Branches, grass clippings, sawdust and scraps from the campus cafeteria are collected, shredded and mixed into the compost pile.

• October 1993 - Office Pak collection program a stew of combined office paper with junk mail, envelopes, notebooks and the spiral binding.

• April 1994 - Scholarship Fund created for students by the CR Recycling Committee. Profits made from recycling materials through Eel River Disposal came to more than $1,000. Two $100 scholarships were given to deserving students at College of the Redwoods.

• May 1994 - Magazine and catalog collection bin installed across from the Security building. Campus wide reuse effort offered to needy students.

• May 1994 - Refuse down 50% less than the original amount before the inception of the Waste Reduction Program at CR.

• March 1995 - Green, clear and brown glass bins available to students and staff. “User friendly” sectioned bin located next to the campus Security office. Larger bins placed for newspapers, catalogs/magazines. Recycling Committee distributed desk top recycling bins and recruited office captains to monitor recycling within a department.

• April 1995 - New “Recycle Day” a first time monthly “bring your recyclables from home,” for CR staff, students and the public.  Eel River Disposal has volunteered to compensate the program at the same rate as the yearly program provided by other recycling companies in the area.

• May 1995 - CR honored for the second time with a “Waste Reduction Program Award”, by the Humboldt County Recycling Program.

• June 1995 - All College Recycling Day hosted by the Recycling Committee on the last Thursday of each month.

• September 1996 - Laser printer toner cartridges are recycled

• October 1996 - Completion of a sophisticated $70,000.00 compost center.  The project will increase composting on the CR campus to include grass, chips, sawdust and sludge from the College-operated sewer treatment plant.  This facility was designed to turn micro-organisms into mulch after 21 days to re-use material generated on campus. Joe Porras, Director of Maintenance, was able to secure a grant from the State of California Chancellor’s office to fund this project completely.

• July 1997 - Recycled paper towels and toilet paper purchased products that are cost effective and environmentally friendly. The manufacturer Fort Howard reported that for every ton of recycled paper towels and toilet paper bought instead of virgin fiber we saved 161 trees, 66,570 gallons of water, 38,000 Kilowatts of electricity, 90 cubic feet of landfill and 570 pounds of dirt from the air.

• August 1997 - Computerization of composting process Computer now controls and records internal temperatures.  This is critical in the composting process with sewer sludge.

• November 1997 - Introduction of electric hand dryers throughout the District to reduce the number of paper towels.  All new construction to include them in the specifications.

• January 1998 - New recyclables:  photo waste chemicals, waste oils, antifreeze and lead acid batteries from the Eureka campus, Del Norte and Mendocino.

• April 1998 - “Earth Fair ‘98"CR Recycling booth: sponsored by Eel River Garbage at the Bayshore Mall promoting our program at CR and educating the public.

• June 1999 - Scholarship Awards increased to$160  for 1999-2000 to deserving College of the Redwoods Students.

• August 2001 - CR purchased a new media:  recycled glass for filtering water at the college pool. A filtering system that uses 2,500 pounds of recycled glass to clean the pool. It has a long life expectancy of 10-15 years.

• Daily/Yearly - Daily employee routine recycling activities on-campus efforts are:

-Employees are urged to use two-sided copies whenever possible.

-Use electronic mail

-Avoid handouts at meetings

-Reuse binders, tab, folders, manila file holders, paper clips, rubber bands and other office supplies as many times as possible.

-Take your personal coffee mug for a coffee fill up at the cafeteria

-Reuse interoffice envelopes until all address boxes are filled

-Buy smart