Written by Kelly Gonzalez
Libraries, by definition, are sustainable spaces by promoting the use, return, and reuse of materials, but McGoogan Heath Sciences Library is taking it a step further.
The library provides white board markers and highlighters for students to use, and while they aren’t quite reusable, they can be recycled! On any regular day, roughly 205 white board markers are available for use around the library in study rooms and on mobile white boards. AskUs staff make regular rounds throughout the library to replenish supplies and tidy the space. During this process, old, dry markers are identified, collected, and diverted from the regular trash.
So far, the library has saved almost 8 lbs of old markers and highlighters from being thrown away! These expired items will be sent to the Office of Sustainability to be recycled through the TerraCycle program. The library also provides microfiber erasers and cloths for white boards that are washed and reused, further preventing waste from entering the local landfill. These efforts are keeping the library, campus, and the community just a little cleaner during Campus Sustainability Month and all year long.