Stanford’s recyclables and construction material are sent to GreenWaste, a local, award-winning facility in San Jose. Materials are separated by commodity type using robotics, optical separation, and other technological advancements to achieve higher diversion rates and reduce the amount going to landfill. GreenWaste recovers at least 85% of the material that it processes. Along with being a LEED-certified facility, GreenWaste was also the first facility in California to receive third-party certification of its recycling rates, helping to increase transparency and maintain accountability.
Stanford’s compostable materials are handled in two innovative ways. Food scraps from dining halls are sent to a facility in Santa Clara, Sustainable Alternative Feed Enterprises (SAFE), to be reprocessed into animal feed. The rest of Stanford’s compostable materials (including yard trimmings, paper towels, and compostable packaging) are sent to Republic Services’ Newby Island compost facility in San Jose. There the materials are turned into compost, a rich soil amendment to help grow food and feed the soil, supporting local agricultural and landscaping industries.
Stanford has set a new benchmark for sustainability at live events through its first major concert hosted by Stanford Athletics and Stanford Live. Sustainable Stanford hosted a fireside chat with sustainability leadership from Live Nation and Warner Music Group in tandem with this milestone.
From reducing embodied carbon in construction to piloting organic landscape management, the annual Student Sustainability Symposium highlighted how student-led innovation is driving sustainability at Stanford.
Laura Segura Gonzalez, a second-year design student, is leading jean upcycling workshops to combat fast fashion waste, empowering students to transform old jeans into something new.
