Though Kennesaw State’s sustainability movements are still fresh, changes in how waste is managed around campus are ongoing and require the efforts of the entire campus community.
Before 2016, recycling programs weren’t a feature that KSU could boast about. Primarily because the accessibility to them wasn’t prevalent across campuses. In 2017, the university reported that a year prior, “a recycling inventory by Kennesaw State construction management students revealed that the Marietta Campus had only three outdoor recycling bins on the 203-acre campus.”
Since then, KSU established a recycling movement to promote sustainability and was chosen to receive 30 no-cost recycling bins for the Marietta campus through the 2016 Coca-Cola/Keep America Beautiful Public Space Recycling Bin Grant Program. Placement of bins did not begin until 2017 when they were paired with trash bins as well to promote distinction and awareness.
The grant was only effective for one school year, according to Maria del Mar Ceballos, KSU’s director of sustainability. When asked if there are any future projects for KSU’s move for sustainability, del Mar Ceballos said that they “are trying to grow it” and are focusing on a progressive way of composting.
“We have compost in administrative offices on both campuses,” del Mar Ceballos said. “As well as the Starbucks… and the dining hall… that gets taken to the field station.”
She also hinted that they are in the works of hiring a field study student to work on this upcoming project. The field station is located at 1875 Hickory Grove Rd NW in Acworth and is dedicated to KSU research projects utilizing its greenhouse, hydroponics lab and expanse of 23 acres of land.
With this, KSU’s Office of Campus Planning and Sustainability has been tracking the total weight of recyclables collected. In 2017, according to a progress report and data that was posted on KSU’s sustainability website, over 700 pounds of recyclables were accumulated, with aluminum cans and PET #1 Plastics being the top two categories. Since then, no other data has been updated or uploaded.
Seeing this as an opportunity for creativity and support, in addition to the new bins, KSU encourages the recycling of cardboard boxes at the start of each semester, as well as creating a university textile recycling program in conjunction with Owl Swap. The program, established in 2019, is dedicated to sustainably discarding outdated textiles such as banners and apparel.
When asked for advice for students who want to learn how to start establishing sustainable habits, KSU Sustainability Fellow and English professor Elizabeth Giddens shared some helpful tips.
“I think that students should learn what personal habits and actions make the most difference in creating a sustainable world through resources such as Drawdown.org and then begin to make changes in those areas incrementally,” Giddens said.
Giddens’ suggestions for ways that students can reduce their carbon footprints include “something as simple as resolving not to waste food by eating leftovers and buying perishable food carefully has a positive impact. And everyone can limit idling in their cars as they wait in parking lots; every minute a car idles equals one mile of travel.”
There are many ways for students to collectively participate in small changes in the name of the environment and sustainability, as KSU transitions to a greener school.
“Transforming our society into a sustainable one is a complex, ongoing process. But if we do what we can individually and participate in society as we can collectively, we can improve the outlook for our futures,” Giddens said.
For more information about KSU’s sustainability policies, visit sustainability.kennesaw.edu.