The University of Minnesota Twin Cities has the HIGHEST Waste Diversion Rate in the Big Ten!
UMN Twin Cities recovers more than 55% of waste from entering trash landfills.
Waste diversion is the process of diverting and redirecting waste from landfills. Waste Recovery Services provides collection and disposal services for the Twin Cities Campus. Their mission is to recover material resources from the solid waste stream and prevent the disposal of hazardous materials.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines waste diversion as “The prevention and reduction of generated waste through source reduction, recycling, reuse, and composting. Waste diversion generates a host of environmental, financial and social benefits, including conserving energy, reducing disposal costs, and reducing the burden on landfills and other waste disposal methods.”
Our waste diversion rate represents how much of the total waste produced on campus is reused, recycled, or composted rather than incinerated or landfilled. It also includes some preliminary data on source reduction. Programs that fall under Waste Recovery Services include the Recycling Program, the Organics Program, Debris Management, The ReUse Center, the Hazardous Materials Program, and other programs and services dedicated to responsible waste management on campus. One contributor to the increase over the previous year was due to including more of our waste in the calculations this year.
The Big Ten Conference is a group of the nation's top 14 public universities that has come together to form standards for intercollegiate athletics. “The conference established itself as the preeminent collection of institutions in the nation, where the pursuit of academic excellence prevailed as the definitive goal.”
The Big Ten universities are the Universities of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, MINNESOTA, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, along with Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, and Rutgers.
Among these Big Ten institutions, the University of Minnesota has the highest waste diversion rate!
Thanks to all who help achieve this great sustainable accomplishment! Check out the Waste Dashboard
The Office of Sustainability and Parking and Transportation Services launched our new hybrid electric buses with fall festivities! You will see three of the hybrid electric buses around campus currently, with five more coming this winter. We are always working to lower emissions as part of our Climate Action Plan. 🔋🔌 These buses are about three to four times more efficient overall than the standard campus buses. They use EV mode in more congested areas on campus and they recharge with regenerative braking between Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses and in less congested areas. Take a ride to see for yourself! 🚌 Read more
Two Spring Break study abroad programs are now open for students interested in sustainability and global health. Spend March 6–15, 2026 exploring Green Chemistry in Guatemala or The Intersection of Health and the Environment in Ecuador. Both programs connect to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and include an on-campus course. Apply by December 1, 2025, with a $1,000 fee reduction for the first 10 confirmed students per program. Learn more
We’re hiring a Student Sustainability Communications Assistant! Open to undergrads passionate about sustainability, social media, writing, and graphic design. Help advance campus sustainability and engagement through communications! 👉 Apply: Search Job ID: 370820 in the Student Job section.
The Office of Sustainability is rethinking how we engage our campus—and we need your perspective. Spend 2 minutes on this quick survey to help us create impactful events and programs that reflect what you care about. Take the survey.
Join us on Wednesday, November 5 for the official launch of our new hybrid electric campus buses! Stop by on Church St. outside Morrill Hall from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. for games, prizes, and cider. Take a guided tour of one of the new buses and learn about University of Minnesota sustainability initiatives, the Climate Action Plan, and campus bus routes. See you there! 🍁🎉🔋🔌🚌 Add to calendar
For the first time, the University of Minnesota's Huntington Bank Stadium achieved zero waste–recovering an incredible 90% of waste (46,000 pounds) generated during the Farm Aid 40 concert. Learn about Gopher Athletics sustainability efforts
Join us for conversations on campus sustainability and climate action! This fall, we’ll explore two timely topics:
- Electrifying our Fleet – Wed, Oct 15 · 10–11am
Hear from UMN experts about recent progress and future plans for electrifying campus vehicles. - Net Zero Buildings – Tue, Nov 11 · 9–10am
Learn from UMN leaders and Darcy Solutions about designing and building net zero facilities, including the new Collections Facility powered by solar and a geothermal Darcy Well.
Free and open to the public on Zoom. More info
Is your lab interested in participating in the next cohort of the Green Labs Certification Program? Want to learn more about the program? Curious about how to operate your lab more sustainably? Join the informal, one hour info session on Zoom! Reach out to Carley Rice, Sustainability Coordinator, with any questions.
Zoom Info Session: Wednesday 9/17/25, 12:00-1:00pm
Students, staff, and faculty: Share how you are experiencing the UMN campus in the face of climate change. We are looking for focus group participants to interview to understand what hardships you may be facing due to environmental changes.
Email [email protected] with questions.
New online training is available for staff, faculty, instructors, and student employees! Whether you're new to sustainability or already an everyday sustainability hero on campus, you can learn how to contribute to the University's systemwide sustainability goals for the future in under 30 minutes. Be part of the U's community working to build a sustainable future together!