Six seniors studying mechanical engineering designed their capstone project to make a lasting environmental change at UToledo.
The students — Michael Awad, Elise Essenmacher, Nico Francis-Emonds, Bethany McCutchan, Lia Sanford and Maria Smith — worked with several University groups to implement their system of composting food waste from both on-campus dining halls.
Senior mechanical engineers, from left, Bethany McCutchan, Elise Essenmacher, Michael Awad, Nico Francis-Emonds, Lia Sanford and Maria Smith worked with several University groups to implement their system of composting food waste from both on-campus dining halls.
“We estimate that 4,050 gallons of pre-consumer food waste from the dining halls alone is sent to landfills every year,” Sanford said. “After evaluating some options, our group determined that the most practical approach was to collect compostable waste on campus and have it transported to an off-site composting facility. With the help of the Student Green Fund, we purchased two solar-powered BigBelly collection bins which allow us to track fullness and pickups while helping prevent contamination.
“Being part of a student-led initiative to make our campus more sustainable has been an incredibly rewarding experience” she added. “It has taught me to push beyond the status quo and to advocate for the causes I truly believe in.”
The students worked with Rocket Dining staff, who were trained to sort and dispose of compostable waste weekly, and Thomas Jackson, a local farmer who will collect the waste to support produce grown in the Toledo area. In the final stages of the project, they will present their data at the College of Engineering’s Senior Design Expo on Friday, Dec. 5, at Nitschke Hall.
“As a student in mechanical engineering and sustainability, this project has been an incredible way to apply the technical and project management skills I’ve gained in my classes to create a positive environmental impact in Toledo,” Essenmacher said.
“Making a strong environmental impact on campus while also supporting a local urban farming business has been an incredibly valuable and rewarding experience, and the perfect conclusion to my time at UToledo,” Francis-Emonds added.
The composting initiatives will be permanent additions to Rocket Dining.
