Bobcat Blend: An Economic Analysis of a Student-Run University Campus Composting Program

A university cafeteria composting pilot program was created in which students dining individually source-separated their own organic waste at one of the food courts, while mentor students guided them through the process and educated them on the value of organic waste.  The food court’s organic waste is mixed with other feedstocks at the university composting site and then utilized in the campus gardens.  Waste audits and an economical analysis demonstrated the value of the operation to the university in terms of savings in waste-hauling expenditures.  Compost quality was evaluated to determine the value of the compost to the university grounds, gardens and greenhouses. Steps used to implement the university compost program, the process involved in conducting the waste audit and the results of the compost quality tests will be reviewed.