Exterior Spaces Group
Problem 2: What is the best way to introduce composting to campus?
Analysis of current situation
Using a central leaf storage pile - not true composting
Figure 5. Ad hoc compost pile behind new Butcher Hall.
Transport a great deal of waste off campus to landfills
Available starting material and sources
Leaves and Wood - from all of campus
Food - from colleges, RMC, CK, and Cohen House
Soiled paper (napkins, paper towels, etc.) - from all buildings
Available locations for composting
Centralized
Decentralized
Off-campus
Available methods and technologies
Windrows (open-air, open-ground composting)
Passive (open-ground piles with aerating pipes within)
Engineered system (sealed, controlled composting)
Vermicomposting (worm composting)
Biodigesters (methane producing composting)
Wooden bins (low-tech composting)
Off-campus composting company
Decision Criteria
Location of composting
Centralized vs. Decentralized vs. Off-campus
Affect on transportation
Maintenance required
Aesthetics
Pedagogy/Visibility
Flexibility (availability to expand)
Ease of operation
Operational cost
Initial investment
Proposed Action
Decentralized Engineered Composting will best meet the composting
needs of Rice while providing ample flexibility to handle the expansion
of Rice's needs in the future. This system requires little maintenance,
can be located near food waste disposal sites, and may be installed over
time to allow time for an ongoing implementation study.
The Earth Tub, produced by Green Mountain
Technologies, is a relatively inexpensive composting unit which is optimal
in capacity for a decentralized system at Rice.
Placement at each of the residential colleges, CK, and Cohen
House (10 total).
Transport leaves and wood to nearest composting system.
Begin collecting leaves, food, and soiled paper in biodegradable
bags that can be directly placed in the composting system.
Create a educational display to use composting as a pedagogical
tool.
Pilot project at Jones College to use food and paper waste
from Jones/Brown college and yardwaste from maintenance zone 1.
Figure 6. 1st proposed pilot project site behind kitchen at Jones College
