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Department of Biology

Green Team

Let's reduce our Department's carbon footprint!

Penn State is implementing new programs to help us all reduce, reuse and recycle, but it really comes down to the choices each of us makes everyday.

  • Are you willing to reconsider the way you do certain things to cut down how much "stuff" you use? Ideas on how to reduce
  • Are you willing to reuse what you can rather than buying new? Ideas on how to reuse
  • When you have something to discard that can be recycled, are you willing to walk it to the hallway to put it in the proper recycling bin rather than tossing in the trash (landfill)?

 

Recycling options in the Mobius Program: 

  • Paperboard, such as cereal boxes and frozen food boxes, can go in mixed office paper recycling.
  • TIP: When recycling plastics, always check the number! No number, no recycle.
  • #4 plastic: "film" (LDPE: low density polyethylene) can be put in with the plastic bottle recycling. #4 plastic is any stretchy plastic, such as Saran Wrap, Ziplock bags, grocery bags, and the plastic that magazines sometimes come in.
  • #5 plastic (PP: polypropylene) and #6 plastic (PS: polystyrene) can all go into the "Misc. Plastic" bin as long as they are mostly clean of food waste. The majority of plastic tubs for food (e.g. yogurt and other dairy containers) are #5 plastic. Styrofoam and clear plastic "clam shells" used for take-out food and bakery items are generally #6. 
  • Pipette tips and boxes: You can recycle non-hazardous pipette tips and boxes by collecting them in the proper bags (available from janitorial staff) and depositing full bags near the hallway recycling station or next to (but not in front of) any dumpster on campus. 
  • Batteries: There are battery collection containers on every other floor of Mueller and N. Frear (sitting on the standard recycling bins).
  • Composting: Any food or plant-derived items can go into composting. Tissues, paper towels, greasy pizza boxes, etc. can all be composted. 

 

Click HERE to learn more about Green Teams at the University.