CSU Green Civic Engagement
Posted October 2008
Colorado State University’s Live Green team was presented with a once-in-a-lifetime civic engagement opportunity this summer. The Democratic National Convention Committee, DNCC, asked CSU’s Live Green Team to help them “green” the convention in Denver, August 25-28, 2008.
As a recognized leader around the country for the university’s success in recycling efforts, the DNCC reached out to CSU’s Live Green Team to handle all of the recycling sorting of waste generated at the historic event in Denver.
Civic engagement is a core tenant to CSU’s educational, land-grant mission. The Live Green Team viewed this opportunity as the ideal civic engagement activity for students, faculty, staff, alumni and CSU community members. It also was in alignment with the university’s efforts to promote CSU’s leadership in green and sustainable initiatives.
Additionally, this opportunity provided CSU volunteers the ability to teach a vast public the benefit of recycling.
The Live Green Team led the charge to recruit nearly 500 volunteers to fill close to 600 volunteer recycling sorting shifts needed at the DNC locations.
Helping to reach an ambitious goal
The DNCC had an ambitious goal to divert 85 percent. This meant that only 15 percent of the waste generated at the events would go to a landfill, and 85 percent would be recycled, reused, or composted.
The Live Green Team Sorting Crew were hands-on sorters in the Quality Control Sorting Centers behind-the-scenes at the Pepsi Center and Convention Center. Crew members removed landfill waste from the compost and recycling streams. The CSU volunteers got their hands dirty behind-the-scenes all for the cause to help green the largest event in Denver’s history and perhaps the largest green-initiative event in U.S. history.
Sorting it out, one bag at a time
The sorters had to go through each and every bag and sort everything that came through. Seven Star estimated that 15 to 20 bags came through the sorting area every 15 minutes with up to three times that volume during the prime time speeches. This became a monumental task; however, all of the volunteers were committed to doing it right to help the DNCC reach its goal of 85 percent diversion.
It was up to the CSU Live Green crew to ensure the recycling was pure. According to Seven Star and the DNCC, they are confident, based on current recycling data, that the DNC Green Team reached or nearly reached the 85 percent diversion goal. Seven Star has told CSU’s Live Green Team that out of 217,625 pounds of waste generated at the convention, less than 45,000 pounds went to a landfill.
The DNCC sent CSU President Larry Penley a personal letter commending the work of the CSU sorters and said that the DNCC could not have accomplished its greening effort without the dedication and hard work of the CSU volunteers. Seven-Star expressed the same sentiment.
Taking it all in stride
Amazingly, the volunteers took everything in stride and did their part to recycle and compost everything possible in the time allowed to go through the large volumes of waste. Everyone kept an extraordinarily positive attitude, while working to the point of exhaustion.
The Live Green Team has been commended by the CSU president for leading this civic engagement effort and representing the university at a major national event for a worthy cause.
Most of the comments Live Green heard were positive about doing more at home and at work to keep things out of the landfill, reducing waste, composting at home and buying recycled materials.
A great learning experience
Everyone involved has said it was one of the greatest learning experiences they had had, and they felt extremely proud to represent Colorado State University and the Live Green Team. Not only did the Live Green volunteers help make history, they all took away the value of volunteering for a higher, greener, cause.
More aout the Live Green Team
The Live Green Team, sponsored by Housing and Dining Services, consists of student and staff volunteers who want to make a difference and are taking environmental action. Its mission is to reduce waste through efficient programs and educational campaigns that reinforce environmentally sustainable habits. The main sponsors will include: Live Green Community, Green Power Subscribers, Live Green Pledge. If you want to be part of Live Green, please visit www.livegreen.colostate.edu.