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Green Guide to Omaha

  1. UNO
  2. Sustainability
  3. Green Guide to Omaha

Use the resources, links, and suggestions below in order to integrate sustainability - concern for people, the environment, and fiscal responsibility - into everything that you do.

Food & Sustainable Eating

Local Farmers & Produce 

From savoring produce at the peak of freshness to meeting the people who grow your food, there are countless reasons to support local farmers.

Food in the U.S. can be shipped from an average of 1,500 miles away in order to get to your plate. Food from local farmers is transported shorter distances and is generally grown using methods that minimize the impact on the earth.

  • Omaha's Farmer's Market
  • Nebraska Food Cooperative
  • Big Muddy Urban Farm
  • The Big Garden
  • Nebraska Growers

Area Food Pantries 

Food pantries in Omaha offer products and services to those who need them and aim to meet the basic needs of individuals who have difficulty eating or buying necessities to have a good quality of life. 

Omaha has numerous food banks on the map below to provide people in need with essential food and commodities.

 

  • Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue
  • Heartland Food Bank

Farm to Table 

Knowing what we eat matters— not only for the sake of nourishing our bodies but as conscious consumers caring for animals and the planet.

Farm-to-table dining experiences allow us to learn about the food we eat while engaging with chefs and our community. They also encourage us to slow down and savor every bite.

  • Visit Omaha | Farm-to-Table Restaurants
  • Yelp | Farm-to-Table Restaurants

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) 

Joining a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program enables you to form a relationship with the farmer who grows your food. It also allows you direct access to fresh, local produce without having to do the planting, watering, weeding, or harvesting.

It’s a great way to support our local economy, to try new fruits and vegetables, and to gain an understanding of the seasons and what grows in our area. 

  • Benson CSA
  • Wenninghoff's CSA
  • Green Leaf Farms CSA
  • Buy Fresh Buy Local Nebraska

Waste Reduction

Recycling 

Recycling is a daily activity for more than 100 million Americans and a great way to protect our environment and stimulate our economy. Recycling saves resources, prevents pollution, supports public health, and creates jobs. It saves money, avoids landfills, and best of all, it’s easy.

Proper recycling means eliminating 'wishcycling' where we place things in recycling that we think can be recycled but actually need to go into the landfill.

What CAN go in a recycling bin in Omaha?

  • Clean cardboard (not soiled or wet) removed from plastic packaging
  • Paper including newspapers; cereal and food boxes; envelopes
  • Metal cans that are rinsed and dried
  • Cartons including juice boxes, milk cartons, soup boxes, etc.
  • Plastic bottles and jugs that are rinsed and dried with caps included:

recycle-numbers.png

What CAN'T go in a recycling bin in Omaha?

  • Soft, flexible plastics including plastic bags, plastic wrap, chip bags, and food wrappers (Use Hefty Orange Bag bins)
  • Hazardous waste (use Under the Sink)
  • Electronics
  • Food waste and compostable service ware
  • Styrofoam (Use Hefty Orange Bag bins)
  • Toys
  • Clothing
  • Wood
  • Anything smaller than a sticky note

More information and recycling drop off locations can be found at:

  • Wasteline (Omaha Recycling)
  • Recycling Drop Off Locations

Alternative Disposal Programs 

The City of Omaha's recycling program only covers so much. These alternative programs can help you properly dispose of other hard-to-recycle items like food scraps, yard waste, soft plastic packaging, chemicals, electronics, and more.

  • Compost - Hillside Solutions
  • Soft Plastics - Hefty Orange Bag Program
  • Household Chemicals - Under the Sink
  • Cross Electronics Recycling

Reducing Waste to Become Zero-Waste 

Waste is a human concept. In nature, every part of an ecosystem serves a purpose and one organism’s “waste” gives back to another part of the natural cycle of that ecosystem.

Humans have innovated synthetic materials that disrupt this natural cycle which results in the accumulation of "waste" through a linear cycle of production→ consumption→ waste. On our journey to zero-waste, we learn how to reduce our own personal accumulation of waste by reducing our consumption and using alternatives that involve more circular lifecycles of production→ consumption→ reuse.

Synthetic materials are an innovation that has many benefits for society including improved sterilization, lightweight construction materials, and improved shipping of goods and services. Zero-waste is not about perfection, but rather being consciously aware of how we consume and making choices that reduce waste where we can. 

Questions to Consider

Am I following the 7 R's with the products and materials I consume?

  • Rethink: Do I need this item in the first place? What other alternatives may exist? How can I change my lifestyle to no longer need this?
  • Refuse: Turn down the plastic straw or bag offered to you with your purchase
  • Reduce: Use and consume less. Determine what your necessities in life are
  • Repair: Fixing instead or replacing items that are broken. Search for local appliance repair shops or tailors for clothing.
  • Reuse: Is there another use for the item before you throw it away? Are there items I can find or purchase that are used rather than buying new?
  • Recycle: Remember what items go into the recycling bin and recycle properly. In Omaha, these items can be placed in the recycling bin: paper, cardboard, clean cartons, clean aluminum, and steel cans, clean plastic bottles and containers. Look for the numbers in the recycling symbol stamped in the plastic and only put 1,2,3, and 5 numbered plastics. Rule of thumb is always, “When in doubt, throw it out!” to avoid contamination
  • Replace: When you can no longer use an item and it is a necessity, find the most environmentally friendly replacement
  • Zero-Waste Grocery Guide Nebraska
  • Plastic Free Campus guide from PLAN
  • A Guide to Sustainability and Zero Waste for Students

Transportation

Sustainable Transportation 

Due to its size, UNO's campus has a significant impact on traffic and parking in midtown Omaha. Adopting active or lower-emission transportation options can reduce road and parking congestion, reduce pollution, promote healthy lifestyles, and preserve infrastructure. 

The Parking and Transit department at UNO provides information about the alternative and sustainable transportation options available to our campus community. This program includes free bus passes for all Omaha Metro buses including ORBT (MavRIDE), discounted passes to Heartland B-Cycle bike share program, and reduced carpool parking pass.

  • UNO Sustainable Transportation Program
  • Omaha Metro (Bus)
  • Heartland BCycle

Plan Your Trip 

People driving to, from, and between campuses account for almost 20% of the greenhouse gas emissions of UNO's campus. A common misconception is that driving is the fastest way to get from point A to point B. When navigating campus, consider how much time you may sit in traffic, search for a parking spot, and still have to walk a fair distance to your final destination.

Alternative options like biking or walking lets you skip the stop-and-go traffic and you'll never have to worry about finding a parking spot with bike racks available across campus. You may also save money by not purchasing a parking pass. 

Planning your trip to allow for the right amount of time to get to your destination helps you to incorporate sustainable transportation into your daily life. Google Maps is a good tool to use to estimate travel time and to learn about public transportation options for your trip, including bus arrival times. 

Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA) also provides a tool for folks in the local area to find carpool buddies based on where you live, your destination, and when you need to travel.

  • Map of Bike Racks on Campus
  • MAPA Carpool Buddy
  • How to Ride Omaha Bus
  • BCycles: Biking at UNO

Getting Around Campus 

Getting around campus and to Aksarben Village without a vehicle is fast and simple. Here's how to plan your trip.

Departing Milo Bail Student Center 

Destination Walking Biking
H&K Rec Center 6 min 2 min
Library 7 min 3 min
Aksarben 35 min 10 min
ORBT Station < 1 min < 1 min
Transit Station Aksarben 9 min 11 min
Dodge Residence Halls 9 min 3 min
Scott Village 31 min 10 min

 

Departing from Scott Village 

Destination Walking Biking
H&K Rec Center 30 min 10 min
Library 30 min 10 min
Aksarben 10 min 2 min
ORBT Station 30 min 10 min
Transit Station Aksarben 14 min 4 min
Dodge Residence Halls 31 min 11 min
Milo Bail Student Center 30 min 10 min

 

Departing Dodge Campus Residence Halls

Destination Walking Biking
H&K Rec Center 6 min 1 min
Library 4 min 1 min
Aksarben 39 min 12 min
ORBT Station 9 min 3 min
Transit Station Aksarben 40 min 13 min
Scott Village 30 min 10 min
Milo Bail Student Center 8 min 3 min

Using MavRIDE Daily 

MavRIDE offers free rides on the Metro Bus System to current faculty, staff, residents, and students. Your MavCARD is activated with the bus pass. MavRIDE can be used any time on any route.

Multiple bus routes are accessible directly from campus and can be used to get to multiple essential, daily services including grocery stores, medical services, banks, and entertainment. 

Omaha Metro Transit Routes that Stop at UNO

ORBT: Primarily servicing Dodge Street
  • UNO Stop: ORBT Station, N 62nd and Dodge 
  • Services Accessible on Route: pharmacy, restaurants, tailor, and hardware store
Route 15: Primarily servicing Center Street
  • UNO Stop: Aksarben Transit Center, 68th and Mercy Rd
  • Services Accessible on Route: grocery stores, Nebraska Medicine, pharmacy, Oakview Mall, and downtown Omaha
Route 11: Primarily servicing Leavenworth Street
  • UNO Stop: Aksarben Transit Center, 68th and Mercy Rd
  • Services Accessible on Route: Nebraska Medicine, grocery stores, and downtown Omaha
Route 18: Primarily servicing 72nd Street/Ames Avenue
  • UNO Stop: Aksarben Transit Center, 68th and Mercy Rd
  • Services Accessible on Route: grocery stores, pharmacy, midtown Omaha, and downtown Omaha

Wellness

Environmental Wellness 

Wellness means overall well-being. It incorporates the mental, emotional, physical, occupational, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of a person's life. Each aspect of wellness can affect the overall quality of life, so it's important to consider all areas.

Environmental Wellness is recognizing the benefits of interacting with nature and choosing lifestyles that respect the environment.

How do you engage with environmental wellness?

  1. Learning and contributing to the health of the planet and a sustainable lifestyle.
  2. Spending time in nature to improve overall wellbeing.
  3. The ability to make a positive impact on our environment — in our homes, our communities, and our planet.
  4. Mindfully working to ensure fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income in environmental decisions and actions.
  • Health & Wellness at UNO
  • Environmental Wellness: Learning & Contributing

Outdoor Recreation in Omaha 

Omaha has many wonderful trails — if you want to get outside and explore, click the map below to find the trail that works for you.

  • Omaha, NE Trail Map

Energy Saving

Energy Efficiency 

People in Nebraska are using more energy than ever before, and most of that energy is still being produced from fossil fuel power plants. In 2020, 51% of the energy consumed in Nebraska was produced from coal.

By examining how we use energy in our own lives, we can start to drive real change to reduce our overall impact on the environment. Sustainable energy also means ensuring access to energy for all.  

Quick Tips for Energy Savings (all for FREE)

  • Plug all your appliances and electronics into power strips that you unplug overnight
  • Optimize your thermostat for each season
  • Winter: 67-72°
  • Summer: 75-78°
  • Use curtains or blinds to control for heat radiated from sun rays
  • Start meal planning or cooking your meals at once to cut down on how many times you heat up your oven or stovetop
  • Wash laundry in cold water and reduce shower times to save on hot water
  • Energy Reduction Tips from OPPD
  • Energy Savings at UNO

Sustainability

  • Academics
  • Our Commitment
  • Green Guide to Omaha

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