Sustainable Campus Operations

Waste Diversion

Recycling is a key part of our commitment to cutting Western’s carbon footprint by 50% by 2035. With clearly marked recycling stations across campus, e-waste recycling partnerships, an on-campus industrial composter, and our FreeCycle program for reusing household items, we’re making waste diversion more accessible for everyone.

We also host regular zero-waste events, promote sustainable practices in campus housing, and encourage students, faculty, and staff to reduce single-use plastics through education and incentives. From compost bins in dining areas to move-out donation drives, we’re building a culture of sustainability that extends beyond the classroom.

There’s still work to do, but every action—big or small—brings us closer to our goal of a cleaner, greener Western.

Western utilizes single-stream recycling through Waste Management for our general campus recycling program. Through this, we are able to recycle the following materials:

Materials Accepted:

Aluminum food and beverage containers, Glass food and beverage containers – brown, clear, or green, Ferrous (Iron) cans
PET plastic containers with the symbol #1 – with screw tops only, without caps
HDPE natural plastic containers with the symbol #2 – narrow neck containers only (milk and water bottles)
HDPE pigmented plastic containers with the symbol #2 – narrow neck containers only, without caps (detergent, shampoo bottles, etc.)
Plastics with symbols #3, #4, #5, #6, #7-narrow and screw top containers
Newsprint
Old corrugated cardboard
Magazines
Catalogs
Cereal boxes
Telephone books
Printer paper
Copier paper
Mail
All other office paper without wax liners

While corrugated cardboard is accepted by Waste Management and the Single Stream system, it takes up a huge amount of space in our containers. To address this, corrugated cardboard from the large bins is taken to the county recycling center to be baled and sold through their system. This allows our containers to have the most available space to collect materials from single-stream, and it also promotes the operations of the county recycling facility.

Information & Technology Services (IT) organizes E-Waste recycling for Western Colorado University. You can bring your E-Waste to the front desk of IT, and they will take it, clear it of any data (if needed), and then store it for later retrieval from B-1 Energy out of Salida, CO. This allows Western to track the weight of materials that are collected but also the locations to which the materials are sent for recycling. Please see the list below and bring those materials to the IT office located in Taylor Hall. For additional questions, please submit an IT work order.

Flat Panel TVs or Monitors
CRT TVs or Monitors
Mobile Devices (iPads, Tablets, Phones, Cellphones)
Desktops
Laptops
Networking Equipment (Router, Modem, Server, Switches, Cable Boxes)
Household Electronics (Small Kitchen Appliances, Fans, Vacuums, etc.)
Computer and TV Peripherals (Speakers, remotes, VCRs, keyboards, mice)
Printers

Facilities/Operations collects metal recycling from campus through our work order system. Please submit a work order through your Inside Western or MyWestern.

We organize metal recycling primarily through a partnership with ReclaMetal. With that partnership, we can collect the following materials. Please ensure there is no trash or refuse in the material:

Copper
- #1 Copper (Bare and bright)
- #2 Copper
- #1 Copper (Insulated)
- #2 Copper (Insulated)
- X-mas Lights
Aluminum
- Cans
- Sheet
- Mixed Low Copper Clip
- Extrusions
- Shavings
- Aluminum/Copper Radiators
- Aluminum Radiators
- Cast
Brass
- Auto Radiators
- Red and Yellow Brass
Stainless Steel
- 18/8 Stainless, Clean
- 304 & 316 Alloys
Steel
- Plate and Structural
- #1 Steel 1/4″Thickness
- #2 Steel 1/8” Thickness
- Car Bodies
- Bailing Scrap (Appliances, etc.)
- Catalytic Converters
- Fencing

FreeCycle does its best to provide opportunities for many goods and appliances to be reused. For some appliances that are not reused or incorporated into an upcycling project, a partnership has been established between FreeCycle and Six Points Thrift Store. Goods are sent to Six Points to either be placed in the storefront for resale or, for goods that are already in a state of disrepair or otherwise sorted, put in bags and sent to New Horizons in Cañon City, which has waste streams for textiles to be sold for recycling or resale.

City Market and Safeway both have collection areas for plastic wrap and bags. If you have a shipment of goods/materials, please bring them to one of the locations based on availability. Those locations have asked that we bring material in smaller quantities, not in large amounts that fill their containers. Two of the primary recyclers who collect material from these locations are Trex and TerraCycle.

Types of plastic film these locations are able to accept:

Plastic grocery bags
Produce bags
Bread bags
Ice bags
Wood pellet bags
Dry cleaning bags
Garbage bags (CLEAN)
Newspaper/magazine sleeves
Pallet wrap
Case/Bulk item overwrap
Shipping air pillows (pop first)
Bubble wrap (clean and no tape)
Tyvek mailing envelopes (remove label)
Mailers made exclusively of bubble wrap, like Amazon’s (remove label)
Poly bag yard signs (such as these)
Furniture & electronic wrap
Chicken feed bags (WITHOUT webbing)
Cereal & cracker box liner bags (these are chemically congruent with Trex processing)
Saltine cracker sleeves
Zip lock/Resealable bags (remove hard plastic zip)
Racing bibs (remove electronic chip, no safety pins)

Transportation

More than half of Western students commute to campus sustainably—by biking, walking, taking the public bus, or carpooling. Western takes pride in being a bike-friendly campus. Bike racks are available at every building, and some buildings also offer longboard and skateboard racks. Covered bicycle parking is provided wherever possible, and students can use a free bike rental system at the Leslie J. Savage Library.

Two students wearing pink cowboy hats ride a tandem townie bike down main street and bring joy to community members during the Homecoming parade.

Western also supports electric vehicle use, with a charging station to the north of the Paul M. Rady School of Computer Science and Engineering. Additionally, Western partners with the local RTA bus system. A campus bus stop is conveniently located at Colorado Street and Ohio Avenue, providing access to destinations around Gunnison and up to Crested Butte. The bus runs multiple times daily, with schedules that vary by season. You can even bring your skis, snowboard, or bike along for the ride!

Learn More & View RTA Schedule

Food & Dining

The Rocket Composter diverts up to 95% of the building’s food waste, making the University Center a leader in campus sustainability. Funded by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, this system has the ability to divert 20 tons worth of food waste from going into the landfill. To further the success of this program, the rocket composter is receiving further support through the construction of a full enclosure around to machine to ensure year-round operation independent of the cold. The food waste diversion program is further supported through waste oil recycling for county biodiesel production.

In the Mountaineer Marketplace, after produce has gone undistributed and is no longer safe for human consumption, they partner with the Gunnison Country Food Pantry to coordinate food waste efforts. Both the Gunnison Country Food Pantry and Mountaineer Marketplace give this produce to local ranchers who is able to use this food waste for their livestock.

Rocket Composter at Western Colorado University.

Purchasing Policies

Established in 2011, Western’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy (EPP) fortifies the University’s commitment to sustainability. The goal of this policy is to reduce the unfavorable environmental and social impacts of our purchasing decisions by buying goods and services from manufacturers and vendors who share our commitment to the environment. Environmentally preferable purchasing is the method whereby environmental and social considerations are given equal weight to the price, availability, and performance criteria that colleges and universities use to make purchasing decisions. Western strives to purchase products that embody the following principles:

High content from post-consumer recycled materials
Low embodied energy (consumed to extract, manufacture, distribute and dispose)
Recyclable, compostable and biodegradable
Non-toxic
Energy efficient
Durable and/or repairable
Produced in a manner that demonstrates environmental, social, and ethical values
Minimal packaging (packaging should also abide by the above principles)
Afterlife reuse/regeneration potential through the company (carpeting, furniture, etc.)

Monitoring Our Progress

Western’s Campus Operations uses two major reporting platforms—Second Nature and the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS)—to measure and communicate its sustainability progress. These tools help evaluate how new projects can improve energy efficiency on campus and demonstrate the broader benefits of sustainable development.

Second Nature’s mission is to accelerate the transition to a sustainable future by supporting higher education leaders in making sustainability, equity, and resilience central to learning and operations. Since developing its Climate Action Plan in 2009, Western has been a signatory of Second Nature’s Climate Leadership Network. The university uses the Second Nature Reporting Platform to track progress toward its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2050. Annual progress updates and greenhouse gas reports are submitted through the platform and are publicly available.

Western also reports its sustainability efforts through the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) using its STARS framework. STARS is a transparent, self-reporting tool that allows colleges and universities to assess their sustainability performance. It evaluates institutions across four broad categories: Academics, Engagement, Operations, and Planning & Administration. Western completed its first STARS report in 2016, earning a Bronze rating, and improved to a Silver rating in 2019.

LEED Buildings

Western Colorado University is committed to sustainable building practices that reduce environmental impact and enhance indoor comfort. Recent construction and renovation projects are designed to meet or exceed LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards—an internationally recognized benchmark for green building. Features include abundant natural light, energy-efficient climate control systems, and CO₂ sensors that improve indoor air quality.

Western’s Campus Operations continues to prioritize energy conservation across campus. Upgrades, such as switching to LED lighting and improving building systems, help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower overall energy consumption. All future building projects are expected to achieve LEED Gold certification or a comparable standard.

LEED GOLD

The University Center, which opened in January 2010, showcases several sustainability features and practices. It features large, south-facing windows that provide abundant natural lighting, 10 recycling centers, xeriscaping (which conserves water), and low-flow faucets. On-site recycling during construction diverted 60 percent of waste from the landfill, and regional materials were used in the building’s construction. The pulper composter in the café generates rich soil for the university’s community garden.

LEED SILVER

The Borick Business Building, which opened in fall 2007, led the way as the model for environmentally sustainable building initiatives at Western Colorado University. The facility, which houses the School of Business, was the first LEED-certified building on campus and the first in the Gunnison Valley. Environmental features include the reuse of the roof —saved during the renovation of other buildings on campus—along with motion lighting and an energy-efficient ventilation system.

LEED GOLD

Originally built in 1957, Kelley Hall reopened its doors in fall 2008 after undergoing a $5.5 million renovation. It houses the Behavioral & Social Sciences department, the Center for Environmental Studies and the Master in Environmental Management program. Kelley Hall is more than just a building — it’s part of the curriculum. Students researched and selected environmentally sustainable materials and design elements. Among those features are insulated windows, motion lighting, compact florescent lighting, low-flow faucets and a highly efficient boiler system. Building materials — from flooring to furniture to insulation — are from recycled or renewable resources, such as cork, bamboo, wood and paper fiber, and reclaimed hardwood. Students also spruced up Kelley Hall’s exterior by planting a xeriscape garden and other landscaping with low-water, native plants. Student efforts also resulted in the campus’ first solar panels for solar electricity and thermal systems. An Environmental Studies class applied for grants and helped design the solar panel system, including an educational center and laboratory to provide renewable energy information to the larger community

LEED GOLD

The renovated Taylor Hall opened in 2010. It features two of the original teaching facilities in Gunnison, the original high school and original college building. Taylor Hall marries both buildings in a very updated design. Features that add to LEED certification include the recycled fabric used on the furniture, windows that open automatically to help circulate air in the building, bioswales that hold water runoff, and reused, formerly exterior brick walls inside the building.

LEED GOLD

Opened in March 2014, the entire facility is 120,000 square feet, with 201-foot trusses, comparable to a Boeing 777’s wingspan. Mountaineer Field House features a 200-meter track, three multipurpose courts, three volleyball courts, three basketball courts, batting and golf cages, a new athletic weight room, a fitness center, fitness classrooms, a 47-foot climbing wall, a foam pit with trampoline, a hot tub and new locker rooms at the adjacent pool, a new High Altitude Performance (HAP) lab, and coaches offices overlooking the track.

LEED SILVER

The Pinnacles Apartments were built in 2012 and received LEED-Silver certification. Pinnacles is the newest residence hall on campus, with more than 200 bedrooms, each fully furnished with a full-size bed, a desk, a small bureau and a closet. Upperclassman students can move into two-, three- or four-bedroom apartments. Each comes will a generously sized kitchen and common room, full-sized stove/oven and refrigerator, a large set of cabinets and closet spaces. Two- and three-bedroom units each have one bathroom, while the five-person and four-bedroom units have two bathrooms. Pinnacles has computer labs with printers, kitchens, game rooms and a multipurpose room. It also features a unique, student-led greenhouse, with a hydroponics system that cleans all excess water for reuse.

Opened in 2021, the Paul M. Rady building is home to the Western-CU Boulder Partnership Program and sets a new standard for sustainability. The 75,000 square foot building harnesses green energy through both passive solar and geothermal energy for heating and cooling. The passive solar design takes advantage of Gunnison’s year-round sunshine, showcasing an abundance of natural light and scenic vistas. Geothermal wells dug 280 feet into the earth provide temperature control, only requiring supplemental heating about six days a year. Approximately 90% of the waste generated in construction, or 747 tons of material was recycled! This cutting-edge building contains advanced instrumentation rooms, teaching and lab spaces, large theatre-style classrooms, and indoor and outdoor collaborative learning spaces.

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