Project: Operationalizing Waste Justice at Stanford University

Waste management has historically contributed to environmental injustice, with waste processing facilities disproportionately located in low-income and minority communities, exposing them to harmful emissions. Stanford has a goal to achieve zero waste. To address the inequitable impact of waste processing, integrating a waste justice lens into campus operations and the Climate Action Plan can support Stanford’s commitment to both environmental and social well-being.

Project Goals

The overarching goal of this Living Lab Fellowship project is to develop a framework for addressing waste justice in Stanford campus plans, programs, and communication, which will guide design of campus infrastructure and engagement with key stakeholders (e.g., surrounding communities, external waste operation contracts, other academic institutions).

Project Achievements

The waste justice framework developed over the past year was guided by key questions, such as the potential impacts of Stanford’s contracted waste processing facilities on surrounding communities and how to mitigate any of these effects. Four objectives were achieved: analyzing the demographics near contracted waste facilities in general, assessing potential health and environmental impacts of waste processing facilities, reviewing existing waste justice strategies from other institutions, and providing recommendations for Stanford’s Office of Sustainability. These findings were incorporated into Stanford’s Climate Action Plan, highlighting strategies for addressing waste justice and identifying remaining gaps and challenges.

In The Student’s Own Words…

Project Takeaways

This project was challenging because environmental justice is not my area of expertise, and I lacked formal training in the field. I spent significant time determining useful objectives for the Office of Sustainability and figuring out how to operationalize a complex, hard-to-quantify topic. Through this process, I gained valuable skills in addressing unique challenges, which I plan to apply in my future career as an environmental consultant.

What’s Next?

The project recommendations will be reviewed to incorporate the lens of waste justice into climate action and zero waste planning for Stanford’s sustainability efforts.