LiveGreen: Med center named a ‘top collector’

Great work, everybody!

Nebraska Medicine and UNMC have been named a top nationwide collector of writing instruments in the Writing Instrument Recycling Program, a free, national recycling program created by TerraCycle®.

LIVEGREEN

by Melanie Stewart

By collecting an assortment of writing instruments such as pens, mechanical pencils, markers, permanent markers and highlighters of all brands, UNMC and Nebraska Medicine have helped to divert 1,852 qualified units of writing instruments from local landfills this year alone.

Who can forget our “pen angel,” made by Anne Rivas while we packed up our largest shipment to date? (See photo above.)

We have been upcycling defunct writing instruments through Terracycle since 2012 and are honored to be a top collector in the nation. We have taken great strides in sustainability on campus and are so proud that we have been able to divert something not typically recyclable away from the landfill.

For every writing instrument recycled through the recycling program, we earn points that can be redeemed as a cash donation for us to further sustainability efforts on campus. TerraCycle recycles the traditionally non-recyclable waste into new plastic products such as park benches and picnic tables.

“Becoming a top collector in a TerraCycle recycling program shows great dedication to sustainability,” said TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky. “Without the hard work and commitment of the people who make the programs successful, we wouldn’t be able to keep as much waste from ending up in landfills.”

For more information about the on campus program, click here.