Sustainability has always been a core value at George Mason University, with commitments dating back to 1996. Since then, George Mason has taken significant steps towards a more active, greener future.
Information Technology Services (ITS) values the vital relationship between sustainability and everyone’s most relied-upon resource – technology! This year, we are joining forces with George Mason Facilities and University Sustainability to highlight how technology plays a crucial role in sustainability and how you can make a lasting impact.
We sat down with Colleen Regan, Zero Waste Specialist of University Sustainability, and Greg Farley, Director of University Sustainability, to learn more.
University Sustainability 101
The mission of University Sustainability is to use the strengths of our community – innovation, responsiveness, flexibility – to provide leadership in environmental, social, and economic stewardship both locally and globally.
The mission is truly put into action on campus on a daily basis. “We also support sustainability in the student experience, by supporting curricula and courses, providing extra and co-curricular programming in sustainability, and offering volunteer opportunities, internships, and other ways for students to become directly involved in our team’s day-to-day activities,” emphasized Farley.
The University Sustainability team plays a crucial role in assessing and tracking sustainability initiatives. They lead George Mason’s reporting efforts, including the university’s performance in the AASHE STARS framework—where George Mason currently holds the second-highest score in Virginia. Working closely with other operational teams, such as Facilities Management Recycle and Waste, they aim to improve sustainability outcomes and push for continued progress.
Direct support for sustainability-focused projects by students, faculty, and staff is available through the Patriot Green Fund. In addition to funding, the University Sustainability team contributes to academics by guest lecturing in sustainability-related courses and providing support for coursework and research. These efforts help integrate sustainability into both classroom learning and real-world applications across campus. The team also enjoys collaborating with others on a consulting-like basis. “We’re happy to help answer questions, or do research, to help other University teams increase their own sustainability,” shared Farley.
In his five years at George Mason, Farley has led the University toward significant changes in policy, procedures, and practices. Among the many initiatives he and his team have executed, some of the most successful include redesigning the campus waste and recycling systems and expanding the Patriot Packout program. These efforts have improved waste sorting “at the bin,” helped divert over 6.5 tons of reusable items from landfills (including clothing, consumer electronics, dishware, home decor, and more), and positioned the team as regional experts in waste prevention and diversion, and in circular economics.
Zero Waste Mason
“George Mason Facilities has a Zero Waste goal, which means diverting 90% or more of waste away from trash incineration, so Zero Waste Mason is how we engage the campus community about that,” said Regan. This initiative aims at reducing confusion at the bin, expanding access to recycling and composting, and supporting sustainable purchasing and reuse pathways on campus.
Regan went on to share that currently, George Mason’s waste diversion rate is around 21%, meaning that most of the waste is processed as trash. This impacts the health of the campus greatly in social and environmental ways. “We all produce waste and we’re all affected by it. There’s an opportunity to really redesign how we relate to these wasted resources, working towards the greater goal of diverting them away from the disposal process,” shared Regan.
Electronic waste, also known as e-waste, is any discarded electrical device such as a phone, laptop, or charger. E-waste is a major concern due to its environmental, health, and economic impact. Improper disposal releases toxins while recycling recovers valuable metals and better protects our ecosystems.
“The personal-tech industry, from laptops to wearable devices, has a huge environmental impact,” expressed Farley. It is vital that with each purchase, we try to maximize the mileage out of our devices, and once we no longer have use for them, to practice proper e-waste disposal. To learn more about e-waste options for students, faculty, and staff around campus, visit Zero Waste Mason – Electronics.
Getting Involved
Officially launched in 2023, Patriot Packout (PPO) began over a decade ago when Facilities staff noticed useful clothing being discarded as waste. They started saving the items and donating them to the Salvation Army, which led to the creation of a full donation initiative aimed at reducing waste while supporting the George Mason community and beyond.
PPO partners with several on-campus organizations, including the LGBTQ+ Resources Center, First Gen+ Center, Patriot Pantry, and Parking and Transportation, to distribute donated items such as clothing, school supplies, textbooks, and more. Items collected are also redistributed to DC-based nonprofits, like Serving Each Other, and organizations such as Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid.
PPO benefits students, faculty, staff, alumni, and even external community members. “It’s done with the community and for the Mason Community,” Regan added. Individuals can receive anything they need from the donation drop-off locations across campus.
This year’s event will take place from Monday, April 21 to Wednesday, May 14. Donation locations are available on the Fairfax campus, SciTech campus, and at the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation. Individual and group volunteer shifts are also available for the duration of the event. For more information and to get involved, visit the PPO website.
While PPO only lasts a few weeks, it is important to remember to practice waste minimization at home. This looks different for everyone depending on their environment, but Regan expresses that getting involved at the local level is best by exploring what’s available to you, such as organizing items you don’t wear or use and giving them directly to someone in your community.
In the spirit of carrying on PPO practices in our everyday lives, Farley shared the idea of a “swap-n-share” event (which has gained popularity at George Mason) to get “new-to-you” clothing, accessories, equipment, and more! It’s like thrift shopping without real spending, while helping the environment.
Greg’s Top Tips
For Farley, sustainability is not just a profession but a vocation, driven by a moral imperative to take action.
“As a scientist, it was impossible not to notice the rising crises in climate, biodiversity, and human wellbeing…the data supporting all of those conclusions are just overwhelming, and I knew I had to act,” explained Farley. “Recognizing the system we’re in is the key to change.”
Our current linear economy focuses on discarding items into the environment or atmosphere. To help break the “make, take, waste” cycle, Farley provided a few practical steps that we can all incorporate into our daily lives to work toward more sustainable living:
- Unplug power bricks or use a power strip to avoid “vampire load” which wastes energy even when devices aren’t in use.
- Unplug all peripheral devices like monitors and printers when not in use. This reduces unnecessary energy consumption.
- Avoid upgrading to a new device if your current one still meets your needs. Keep old technology to reduce waste and minimize resource extraction until it’s truly necessary to replace them.
- Recycle old technology if you need to upgrade. Securely wipe the data and recycle the materials to prevent your device from ending up in landfills or incinerators.
- Look for sustainable technology when purchasing, such as EnergyStar-certified devices and those made with recyclable materials are great options.
Taking these small steps can make all the difference! Farley reminds us that it’s about thinking critically before acting, stating, “If an item can have another life, what does that look like? What is our responsibility to break the cycle, change the system, and find a better way? What resources exist to help us do that? Those are questions we should all ask ourselves.”
To learn more about university sustainability and get involved, visit green.gmu.edu.
