• We will create a proposed Zero Waste Action Plan (ZWAP), including proposed implementation and action steps, timeline suggestions, an investment and operations budget, and a financial Return on Investment (ROI) Analysis.

• The ZWAP will include about 15-20 project proposals which will be specific to your campus’s infrastructure and based on what your campus needs to achieve zero waste. These proposals are not a one size fits all process, and will be tailored to your campus community, practices, and capacity. They span a wide range of projects like:
  • Free Stores, Move Out Collection and Student Reuse: Includes an audit of current programs, as well as proposals to expand program space, logistics, infrastructure, staffing, physical capacity and community engagement
  • Bin standardization rollout: Includes specific proposed updates to bin and signage standards, an audit of excess bins on campus and bins that can be relocated, proposed cost savings from implementing mini-bin programs, total costs of implementing new bin standards across campus, and cost savings of streamlined efficiencies and bin liner reduction.
  • Compost infrastructure and campus-wide collection: Includes a detailed assessment of total capacity needs of compost collection and management, staffing, logistics and infrastructure needed for campus-wide collection. If not working with a 3rd party facility to compost material - also includes a series of recommendations tailored to  current campus logistics and space for the establishment and right-sizing of, or renovations to, a self-operated compost facility. 
  • Food recovery infrastructure and logistics: Includes an investigation  of total capacity needs of food recovery collection and management, with specific details on staffing, logistics and infrastructure needed to collect food waste and process for donation to various partners. 
  • Reusable to-go infrastructure and campus-wide collection: Includes a detailed audit of current disposables purchased (types, number and utility of each item) across all dining and food-service facilities on campus, as well as an assessment of campus dishwashing infrastructure. The proposal covers all staffing, logistics and specific infrastructure needed for centralized dishwashing, redistribution of clean to-go containers to all food-service facilities, and campus-wide collection of returned containers as well as options for tracking dish inventories.
  • Sustainable procurement policy: Includes a series of specific policy  recommendations based on the existence and efficacy of the campus’ current policy. These recommendations will also include suggested project proposals related to procurement, with details for their implementation
  • Zero waste events infrastructure and policy: Includes a series of actionable recommendations based on current infrastructure, logistics, and event planning capacity. This covers a wide range of options and ideas depending on the campus.
  • Hard-to-recycle material (HRM) collection infrastructure: Includes a detailed assessment of over 40 categories of HRM’s on campus, covering where and how they are collected and processed across the campus. The proposal maps out each material and how collection and aggregation should be improved to support HRM infrastructure.
  • Surplus Property: Includes a detailed assessment of current infrastructure, logistics and capacity of the campus’ surplus programs and operations. Proposed improvements can range anywhere from expanding or renovating current programs and facilities, to establishing a digital asset management system and online sales platform, to constructing new surplus facilities, to supporting student/ community initiatives and programs. 

• Facilitated Meetings with Zero Waste Committees and Campus Leadership: In the final term of this project, PLAN staff will work with Fellows and Campus Supervisors to develop facilitation agendas and strategies to present these proposals to zero waste committees and campus leadership. Conversations will center around receiving feedback on the proposals, and strategies for how to advance proposals to senior leadership on campus.

• Timeline: 12-16 Months (3-4 terms/semesters at 10-14 weeks per term)

• Fellows: (60 hours per semester, up to full time during the summer)

• Supervisor: 10-14 hours per semester

• Budget and Hours Estimates: $15,000 - 21,000**

• Site Visit: This project includes an optional 3-4 day site visit from PLAN staff. At this stage in the project, a site visit is crucial to physically tour each major facility in person, meet with key stakeholders, and assess program capacity and logistics. 

‍** We are flexible to payment schedules and procurement limitations. The details of when invoices are delivered and when payments are due can be worked out via the Services Agreement and based on the needs of each campus. Please let us know if you have any questions!