Zero Waste

Recycling at UB is single-stream.  

At UB, you do not have to sort recyclables by type. Paper, cardboard, plastics, glass and metal can all be placed in the same recycling bin. glass. Simply place accepted recycling in one of the specially marked “All-In-One” bins located across campus.

And it’s not just easier. It will also reduce the amount of materials going to landfills.

That goes for batteries, too. UB began recycling three types of batteries long before a New York State battery recycling policy was implemented in 2011.

RecycleMania is a friendly competition and benchmarking tool for college and university recycling programs to promote waste reduction activities to their campus communities.

Food scraps take on new life at UB, where we have been composting kitchen scraps for nearly two decades.

Hydration stations located across campus at UB allow us to make a choice--refilling reusable water bottles with fresh Great Lakes water instead of buying bottled water. Check out the map below to see where you can fill your bottles!

UB is constantly examining ways to conserve energy. For example, residential dining centers are trayless. By not using trays, UB saves on the amount of energy and water required to wash trays.

The UB Solar Strand is reducing the university’s carbon footprint by using renewable energy from the sun to power the equivalent of hundreds of student apartments on campus.

Here’s something else you might not know: UB is the largest purchaser of wind energy in New York State. And our nationally recognized energy conservation program saves more than $10 million a year.

Campus Living Paraprofessional staff are uniquely positioned to engage students living on campus and create positive change at UB.