Ongoing projects
*NEW* Recycling Guidelines
Along with most of Harvard University, Harvard Law School (HLS) switched to single stream recycling during the summer of 2008. By no longer requiring the separation of paper and cardboard products from glass, plastic, and metal containers, single stream takes a lot of the guess work out of recycling, making it more convenient to minimize landfill waste. New bins with universal "saturn"-shaped openings can be found around much of campus. Dorm students are provided with a personal bin for their room along with information on what should be recycled and what should be disposed of. Contact Facilities Management if you think an area near you is missing a stream recycling bin. Click on the icons below to view our new recycling guidelines:
Waste Audits
HLS Reps conduct waste audits in October and April of each year. Audit results show that since 2005, overall recycling in the dorms has increased, and the percentage of recyclables in the trash has decreased. Much of this is due to the distribution of recycling bins and bags in the dorms, new signs above bins, and recycling education and outreach efforts by HLS dorm Reps.
After the fall 2007 waste audit, Reps displayed the results visually through "Mt. Trashmore" outside the Gropius Complex. This was a day's worth of trash from the dorms, where 32 percent of the bags, representing what could have been recycled, were blue. Reps tabled in the Hark and shared information about common recycling mistakes.
Compact Fluorescent Lightbulb Swap
Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) last six times longer and use about 75 percent less energy than traditional bulbs. This is because traditional incandescent light bulbs give off 90 percent of their energy as heat. Since 2006, Reps have swapped out nearly 600 incandescent bulbs for CFLs in HLS dorms. Contact your Rep to aquire CFLs for your room. 
CFLs do contain a small amount of mercury, although this amount is four times less than that produced by providing electricity for a traditional incandescent bulb over its lifetime. If your CFL burns out, dispose of it in a “Batteries Plus” bucket on the first floor of Holmes or in the Pound mailroom. If a CFL breaks, use a broom to sweep it up and a wet paper towel to move the pieces to a plastic bag. Seal the bag and place it in a "Batteries Plus" bucket.
Green Laundry
HLS dorms have energyefficient washing machines that need less detergent than conventional machines (only two tablespoons) and have many settings which are not obvious to the user. We worked with our washer and dryer provider to design new labels for all machines to encourage residents to choose the cold water options, saving energy used to heat the water. We also use bulletin boards in dorm laundry rooms to post information. Click the icon below to learn more about specific ways to green your laundry from start to finish.
Move Out Collection
At the end of each year, students throw out large quantities of clothes, food, and school and dorm supplies. We have partnered with Harvard Recycling and Habitat for Humanity to collect these reusables, which are sold in August and September at an annual Stuff Sale. The Stuff Sale allows Harvard students to get what they need for the school year at a low price, promotes reuse, and benefits the activities of Harvard Habitat for Humanity and other non-profits. At the end of the spring 2008 semester, donation stations were set up in North Hall, between Hark and Story, and inside the Hark. Look out for these bins again at the end of the spring 2009 semester!
