Join the REP Waste Campaign: Get Recycling Savvy and Play Our Sorting Game

The REP Waste Campaign runs from: October 16-29, 2023.

Sorting like a pro is a journey—join the adventure with us!

Ready to boost your recycling IQ, or are you feeling like a waste whiz already? Take our quiz on those pesky common contaminants and show our waste team what Harvard students know!

*For best visibility on mobile, turn your phone horizontally.

Click to see the answer key here!

For more information on why items are categorized this way: RecycleSmart MA has amazing FAQ’s and Resources.

Waste Regulations

Ever wondered if we’re being eco-outlaws by accident? Cambridge and Massachusetts have regulations about what belongs in the recycling bin, and what is banned from the trash.

No worries, we all make mistakes and we’re on this journey together to stay on the green side of the law!

The City of Cambridge:

“Recycling is mandatory in Cambridge; items on the curbside recycling list are banned from disposal as trash in Massachusetts.”

Massachusetts Waste Ban Items:

• Recyclable Paper – ALL paper, cardboard, and paperboard products (does NOT include tissues, paper towels, plates, or cups)
• Glass bottles and jars
• Metal beverage and food containers
• Plastic bottles, jars, jugs, and tubs
• Textiles – clothing, footwear, linens
• Food waste from institutions that generate more than ½ ton per week
• Leaves and yard waste
• Scrap metal – such as appliances
• Mattresses
• CRTs – cathode ray tubes
• Gypsum wallboard
• Lead Acid batteries
• Whole tires
• Wood waste
• Asphalt pavement, Brick, Concrete

Waste Management Hierarchy

Let’s work together to prevent waste in the first place!

Waste Signage Scavenger Hunt

Calling all waste signage sleuths! Use your keen eye by participating in our Waste Signage Scavenger Hunt. Help us locate old, outdated signs in need of a modern makeover!

 

All are welcome to participate; simply snap a picture and upload it to our quick google form. Undergraduates who submit a form will earn points towards the Green Cup Competition for their House or Dorm!

Explore our Linktree: /HarvardREP for a wealth of valuable resources and dive into our ongoing campaigns.

Discover REP campaigns and campus-wide sustainability resources!Opens new window

featured

Zero Waste

At Harvard, we aim to sustainably manage all waste streams—including plastics, recyclables, and organics, as well as construction, demolition, and hazardous waste—while prioritizing waste prevention and reduction.

Learn More

Sustainability at Harvard

Explore Upcoming Events

April

25

Multi-day Event

Open to the Public

Algamatrix Exhibition – The Future of Homes: Algae, Sensors, and the Next Generation of Domestic Space

Student Grants

What if future homes responded to nature and the material intelligence of living systems? This exhibition explores emerging approaches to domestic space that prioritize sustainability, adaptability, and sensory engagement. Featuring inflatable algae-based modules, the installation explores responsive interiors. Sensor devices suggest how future homes might intuitively engage with their environment.

May

21

Wednesday
8:00 am-5:00 pm GMT+0000

Open to Harvard Community

Apply by May 21: Harvard Climate Entrepreneur’s Circle

Harvard Innovation Lab

Building a climate venture? Harvard-affiliated? The Harvard Climate Entrepreneur’s Circle is a selective, year-long incubator program for high-potential ventures addressing climate change. We offer tailored support, including expert office hours, pro-bono legal assistance, and media support. Prior ventures range across a range of technology and business solutions, including XCharge, Subject2Climate, EarthAcre. Eligible ventures must demonstrate one or more key milestones: active users, written partnerships, funding/donations, or established intellectual property. Apply now by May 21. Questions? Please mail i-labclimate@harvard.edu 

April

30

Wednesday
2:00 pm-3:00 pm GMT+0000

Open to Harvard Community

Springtime & Sustainability at the Arnold Arboretum

Arnold Arboretum

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Learn about Harvard’s “Museum of Trees” and what it takes to keep North America’s first public arboretum open to all. Presented by Danny Schissler, Head of Operations and Project Management at the Harvard University Arnold Arboretum. Join us on Wednesday, April 20, from 2-3 pm at the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Building 2, Room 102 (Harvard ID required), or join via Zoom at hsph.me/arnoldarboretumsustainability.