91Ö±²¥

Recycling & Waste

Waste Prevention

For a map of recycling locations on UNO's campus, visit our UNO Sustainability Map.

To ask questions about or volunteer to help with on-campus recycling, email recycling@uno.edu.

Important Note

If you collect your own recycling, do not use a plastic bag or liner—and DO NOT put any plastic bags in UNO's recycling dumpsters. Anything recycled alongside even a single plastic bag will be treated as landfill trash.

The entire recycling dumpster would go to the landfill.

Please help us maintain the purity of our recycling stream! Keep plastic bags out of our recycling dumpsters!

Reduce

One of the simplest actions an individual can take to reduce their carbon footprint is to change the way they shop and reduce the volume of purchases they make.

Where to Shop

It takes up to four times more energy to purchase something online than it does to purchase something in a nearby store! If you need to make a purchase, browse at a local brick-and-mortar store instead of online.

What to Buy

Select fewer items that contain plastic. Most plastic items tend to be treated as single-use—permanent alternatives are preferable.

There are plenty of ways to cut down on waste. Try the replacement purchases recommended below.

You may not be able to make every change listed—but any change helps!

Buy This!	Not This
Cloth, re-usable grocery bags and produce bags	Plastic bags
Reusable water bottles that can be refilled at one of UNO’s filtered water stations	Single-use, plastic water bottles
Metal straws	Single-use, plastic straws
Reusable, wooden utensils	Single-use, plastic utensils
Shampoo bars and soap bars	Plastic-bottled shampoos and body washes
Mason jars, Pyrex, or Tupperware	Single-use, plastic bags
Reusable beeswax food wrap	Plastic wrap
Stainless steel razor blades	Plastic, single-use razors
Plastic-free, natural deodorant	Single-use, plastic containers
Refillable floss	Single-use, plastic flossers or containers of floss
Bamboo toothbrushes	Single-use, plastic toothbrushes
Kitchen towels, rags, and old t-shirts	Single-use paper towels
Reusable ear swab	Single-use cotton swabs
Reusable menstrual hygiene products (cups, underwear, etc.)	Single-use menstrual hygiene products (pads, tampons, etc.)
Reusable, washable cotton rounds	Single-use cotton balls
Materials for making your own cleaning solvents	Cleaning solvents in single-use, plastic containers
Cloth diapers	Single-use, plastic-lined diapers
Used clothes from second-hand stores, clothes swaps with friends	New clothes

 

Reuse

Once you change your purchasing habits, the next step is to use and re-use what you've already purchased!

Review the below tips for reuse of existing items.

• Donate used items (clothes, blankets, towels, pens, etc.) to local schools, shelters, or other organizations
• Reuse candle containers as trinket holders or planters.
• Sell old electronics, furniture, etc. to friends or through online marketplaces
• Bring old books to your local library
  BONUS: and get a library card, so you can have unlimited access to books instead of buying them to read once
• Bring your old sneakers to a Nike store to participate in their
• Reuse gift bags for upcoming birthdays and holidays

 

Recycle

There are times when we cannot avoid purchasing an item but also cannot continue using it. In these cases, turn to recycling where relevant instead of contributing to unnecessary waste!

The following items can be recycled right here at 91Ö±²¥:

If you’re interested in recycling more than what is accepted at 91Ö±²¥, check out what is accepted at the nearby .
 

Important Note

If you collect your own recycling, do not use a plastic bag or liner—and DO NOT put any plastic bags in UNO's recycling dumpsters. Anything recycled alongside even a single plastic bag will be treated as landfill trash.

The entire recycling dumpster would go to the landfill.

Please help us maintain the purity of our recycling stream! Keep plastic bags out of our recycling dumpsters!

Glass

Unfortunately, glass can never be added to comingled recycling and therefore cannot be recycled at 91Ö±²¥.

To recycle glass, drop the items off with .

Cars, Boats, & Vehicles

Need to get rid of a car? is a nonprofit car donation program that benefits the kids of Make-A-Wish in Louisiana. They make it incredibly easy for you to donate your car for a great cause. Your car donations make it possible for children dealing with critical illness to have a wish experience fully paid for! A wish experience provides a break from routine medical treatment and an uplifting moment that they can remember for the rest of their lives.

If you have an unwanted car, don’t hold onto it. By donating your car, boat, or other vehicle, you’ll enjoy free towing and a tax deduction, but best of all, you’ll know that your donation helps kids in Louisiana.

 

Litter Prevention

Through a small grant from Keep Louisiana Beautiful, 10 additional trash cans were purchased for the Keep 91Ö±²¥ Beautiful university affiliate and placed in strategic areas throughout campus.

On September 17, 2022, several organizations participated in litter pick-up on campus for . A similar volunteer event will be held on September 16, 2023.