Have you noticed the green and black recycling bins around campus? Around 40 more bins have been added to UGA’s campus to further the university’s “Green Labs” initiative to make the school more environmentally friendly. The green bin is used to discard paper, plastic, metal, and glass, while the black bin is used to discard non recyclable items, like food waste, wrappers, and Styrofoam. They are well enclosed, so they keep out rain and unwanted critters.
Why are the bins solar powered? When the bins get full, a digital signal is sent out to a collection crew that the bin is ready to be emptied. This prevents overflow and guarantees that students will have a place to throw away their trash.
The bins have helped the university quite a bit. Because the bins encourage people to recycle, the university doesn’t have to pay high landfill costs. It has increased recycling rates by about 40%.
Read more about it here: UGA adds solar powered waste reduction stations
