Sustainability Implementation Program

Dumpster Dive not just playing in Garbage
On April 6, a team of six members of the Trinity Green Team, led by Dean Lind and assisted by the custodial staff, dove into a weeks worth of garbage collected from the Cathedral, Commons and storefronts. Our goal was to understand the waste stream of our facility so we can design and improve our waste reduction program. This was the first assignment for the Trinity Team of the Sustainability Implementation Program that we are committed to for eight months at Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (E4S). This non-profit organization helps area businesses and organizations implement sustainability principles and improve the quality of life in our region.

We tore through over 600 pounds of collected garbage, sorting out what could be recycled including compostable food wastes and packaging, cardboard, mixed paper, plastic, cans, and glass. We also weighed all the collected identified recyclables from the week: 142 pounds. After two hours of work, punctuated by many "yucks" and lots of laughter, the results are now being evaluated to determine how we can best improve our waste reduction, how to improve our sorting practices, and how best to formulate our education efforts.

—Richard A. Horton, chair, Trinity Green Team