Waste Diversion and Reduction
Waste diversion initiatives at Newfields have led to staggering amounts of material recycled annually. In December 2023, Newfields received a Community Recycling Grant in the amount of $34,793.00 from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). The grant provides support for additional recycling and trash receptacles and educational signage across Newfields' campus, including in The Café, Indianapolis Museum of Art, and The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park. This followed a Summer 2023 waste audit that revealed the need for additional recycling receptacles and consistent signage across the campus. Through this grant project, Newfields expects to see an increase in its diversion rate and a decrease in the contamination rate. Additionally, through educational signage, guests will leave with a better understanding and appreciation for recycling that they can use beyond Newfields.
Our McKinney Climate Fellow Emilie Johnson performed this audit of the IMA and the Café at Newfields to determine our progress on diverting the amount of waste sent to the landfill.
On average:
- The IMA at Newfields recycles 28.6% of its waste
- The Café at Newfields recycles 29.5% of its waste
More about our waste audit:
By assessing the current progress of waste management and establishing a baseline of data for future projects, this report helped us to identify areas of growth and where to prioritize changes across campus to find the most sustainable options for waste management at Newfields and in the city. In addition to a week-long waste audit, Newfields undertook recycling facility tours and sustainable waste research.
The waste audit on the IMA and Café consisted of weighing, sorting, and characterizing each bag of waste generated through waste streams. The waste was collected from all areas, including office trash cans, public-facing waste receptacles, bathrooms, etc.
