A Shred-It truck in front of the College of Business will accept and recycle the materials from noon to 2 p.m. that day for free.

The university’s Department of Purchasing is providing the service to UofL students and employees as part of Campus Sustainability Week Oct. 18-24.

The idea is to help our students and employees dispose of their old personal papers in a sustainable way, said Sally Molsberger of purchasing. We’ll take computer disks and videotapes too, as long as people sort them separately from the paper.

Last year, UofL’s contract with Shred-It sent 122 tons of university office waste to paper mills, where it was turned into paper towels and toilet tissue. The move saved 1,221 trees, she said.

The free shredding is one of more than a dozen Campus Sustainability Week events aimed at creating a celebration of all things sustainable at UofL and in our community, said Justin Mog, assistant provost for sustainability initiatives.

A tent with information booths, displays and free food will be set up on the Humanities Quad Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in observance of national Campus Sustainability Day, Mog said.

On Oct. 22-24, a free conference, Bluegrass Bioneers, will feature talks, workshops and films in the Strickler Hall area of campus, as well as national speakers such as Jane Goodall via teleconference. UofL’s Center for Environmental Education is co-sponsoring the conference.

Other events include:

  • A campus clean-up Oct. 18 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. starting outside UofL’s Ekstrom Library
  • A transportation alternatives fair Oct. 19 featuring free bike tune-ups and more from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on the Humanities Quad
  • A used cookware sale Oct. 20-21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days on the Humanities Quad

UofL began observing Campus Sustainability Day in 2008, but this is the first time the university has organized an entire week of activities around the national event, Mog said.

The university’s strategic plan sets measurable goals for improving its green practices through 2020, including boosting its score in a Sustainability, Tracking and Assessment Rating (STAR) system created to help colleges and universities become more sustainable.