By Anonymous
Interaction(s)
The founders of Bigbelly saw that public spaces were wasting fuel and labor while emitting excess CO2 and unable to keep up with overflowing trash cans. These waste stations consist of trash and recycling bins with solar panels on the top and sensors and compactors integrated within the bins. The outside of the Bigbelly stations are wrapped with visual elements on Mason’s zero waste efforts and messages to educate students and staff about recycling and zero-waste. The sensors provide employees with data and alerts such as the exact capacity of the bins, optimal time of usage and the quantity of times these stations are being emptied. Students pull the handle to throw in their trash or recycle, and when the bin inside the stations are filled, it triggers the compacter to press the items down. The compactors hold eight times more waste than the traditional trash or recycling bins. The batteries that power the compacter is through energy from solar panels.
Resource Characteristics
Overflowing waste bins can lead to bacteria, insects, and vermin, and decomposing and liquid waste items pollute toxic substances such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane into the air (Rapid Disposal, 2020). It is also seen that littering from trash cans and improper disposal can cause the trash and liquids to end up in bodies of water. People also avoid using trash cans with lids due to the fear of getting germs or touching filth when opening lids, and open trash cans attract flies and are a source of foul odor (Arora, n.d.). The design and composition of Bigbelly waste stations eliminate any exposed waste and litter that could blow away and end up in stormwater drains, prevent human and animal access to the waste, and the handle on these stations eliminates the chances of touching the waste. These waste stations also save time and energy since fewer garbage bags are being used and less CO2 is produced during trash pickups (Hanumanthu, J., & Srinivas, A., 2015). Bigbelly stations can also eliminate GHG emissions by up to 80% and have a 40% greater impact on reducing GHG emissions than BEV trucks (Bigbelly, 2021). While most traditional trash cans require plastic liners or bags, BigBelly stations do not require any such things and can reduce plastic bags/liner use by 80%. A large number of bees often visit trash sites and recycling centers as bees are attracted to the sugar content found in discarded soft drinks (Abramson et al., 1997). However, BigBelly stations are closed, making no trash or recyclable item visible and preventing any access to the items inside the stations. This will help aid in preventing bees to swarm around trash cans and redirecting them to pollinator gardens. The Bigbelly stations also include a recycling station. Recycling can reduce waste reaching landfills, help conserve natural resources, reduce energy consumption, save habitats and forests, reduce global warming, and reduce air pollution by 78% (Lamma, 2021).
Governance/User Characteristics
Mason students, the Sustainability Office, and Mason faculty worked together with the installation of the Bigbelly stations with the help of the Patriot Green Fund. Schools that offer green revolving funds have seen reductions in pollution levels, resource use, and waste generation, an increase in sustainability data on campus, collaborations between offices of sustainability, facilities, faculty, and students, and opportunities for research on sustainability (Weisbord, 2011). Instead of waiting for off-campus initiatives, college administrators should provide opportunities and incentives to students and staff to partake in sustainability efforts on campus, and universities have a far-reaching impact when opportunities and awareness are provided (Emanuel & Adams, 2011). The installation of the Bigbelly stations also is an active response to Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s March 2021 Executive Order 77, which plans to reduce plastic pollution and solid waste (Rudolf, 2021). These stations have sensors altering when the stations are full, thus making it easier for staff to empty them, and the compressor functions cuts the time spent on clearing out the trash or recycling.
Social/Cultural/Economic/Political Settings or Related Ecosystems
Cultural and social norms play a huge role in waste and recycling. When one sees someone not utilizing proper disposal methods, then they typically tend to do the same. In terms of sustainability practices, it seems that there is minimal or no knowledge gap when it comes to sustainability on campus, but many students have issues with a commitment to sustainability (Emanuel & Adams, 2011). The inability as a society to work together with waste disposal has failed to reduce waste and environmental safety, leading to dirty environments that impact aesthetics and quality of life (Lamma, 2021). Using improper waste and disposal methods can cause there to be hazards. When we look at overflowing trash cans, people pile trash, or litter since the trash can is full. Studies show that 94% of Americans support recycling, but only 35% recycle (Morgan, 2022). When deciding if an item goes in the trash or recycle, many people still tend to throw the item into the trash due to a lack of awareness or education. On average, a college student produces 640 pounds of trash which can be attributed to throwing away reusable or recyclable items in the trash, thus even with the Bigbelly stations, students might not utilize the recycling station.
What Can We Do/Relevance
Bigbelly zero waste stations were installed outside the Starbucks at Northern Neck on the Fairfax campus. The installation of these stations allowed 10-12 trash cans and recycling bins to be removed from the outside areas of the Starbucks. The Project Green Fund team plans to assess how these stations will streamline waste collection and future plans include the addition of a composting station. Bigbelly stations can be wrapped with images and messages, thus visual aids on the waste and recycling stations can be implanted. It is seen that there is an increase in correct recycling when visual prompts are placed near disposal facilities (Hemstreet, 2021). Also, visual aids on correct disposal of waste will encourage people to start adapting correct methods to prevent littering and overflowing from traditional trash cans. There should be increased awareness on these stations, as well as increase in the number of stations on campus. The Johnson Center is a place where there is a lot of student traffic and where food waste, trash, and recycle opportunities are at large. Placing more Bigbelly stations will eliminate traditional trash cans that contribute to littering and detrimental impacts on the environment. Education on recycling also increases participation but limited direct economic incentives or absence of visible centers/station limits participation (Wilcox, 2014) These Bigbelly station can also be used as Wi-Fi hotspots, so when outside people have easy access to the Wi-Fi.
Citations
Abramson, C. I., Aquino, I. S., Azeredo, G. A., Filho, J. R. M., & Price, J. M. (1997). The attraction of Africanized honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) to soft drinks and perfumes. The Journal of General Psychology, 124(2), 166-181. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221309709595515
Arora, S., Dhingra, K., Babbar, A., & Mishra, U. (n.d.). Solar Trash Can: Hygienic and Inexpensive Solution to Open Bigger Trash Cans. DU Journal of Undergraduate Research and Innovation, 4(1), 110-117.
Bigbelly. (2021, August 26). Along for the ride – Bigbelly smart waste for transit systems! Along for the Ride – Bigbelly Smart Waste for Transit Systems! Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://blog.bigbelly.com/along-for-the-ride-bigbelly-smart-waste-for-transit-systems
Emanuel, R., & Adams, J. N. (2011). College students’ perceptions of campus sustainability. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 12(1), 79-92. https://doi.org/ 10.1108/14676371111098320
Hanumanthu, J., & Srinivas, A. (2015). Smart Grama’s with Internet of Things (IoT). Int. J. Res. Eng. Sci. Technol, 1.
Hemstreet, R. (2021). Effectiveness of Visual Prompts on Correct Disposal of Trash and Recyclable Materials. Thesis Projects. 26.
https://scholarship.rollins.edu/mabacs_thesis/26
Lamma, O. A. (2021). The impact of recycling in preserving the environment. International Journal of Applied Research, 7(11), 297-302. https://dx.doi.org/10.22271/allresearch
Morgan, B. (2022, October 12). Why is it so hard to recycle? Forbes. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2021/04/21/why-is-it-so-hard-to-recycle/?sh=5048297e3b77
Rapid Disposal. (2020, February 27). Overflowing garbage cans: A health risk and threat to the environment. Rapid Disposal. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://rapiddisposal.co/overflowing-garbage-cans-a-health-risk-and-threat-to-the-environment/
Rudolf, M. (2021, August 4). Bigbelly solar-powered waste solution added to Fairfax Campus. George Mason University. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://www.gmu.edu/news/2021-08/bigbelly-solar-powered-waste-solution-added-fairfax-campus
Solar Bins Australia. (n.d.). FAQ. Solar Bins Australia. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://www.solarbins.com.au/our-customers/faqs/
Weisbord, D. (2011). Greening the Bottom Line: The Trend toward Green Revolving Funds on Campus. Sustainable Endowments Institute (NJ1), 1-50.
Wilcox, M. A. (2014). A study of college student attitudes and behaviors related to recycling. UNI ScholarWorks. https://scholarworks.uni.edu/etd/2