I was sitting at work the other day thinking about what I could do for my Share & Voice, when I came across the idea of doing something involved with where I work. I work up at UMD'S Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) in Hermantown as a student receptionist. I thought the perfect idea to write about would be the research our scientists are doing on how to eliminate the amount of space and waste mattresses make when going to the dump. If you think about it, when you throw a mattress away most of what you are throwing away is air. Our scientists are trying to find a way to take the springs and make them into something better or at least break them down so that they are not taking up so much space in the landfills. The NRRI is also working with Goodwill and taking their mattresses that people donate and breaking them down into different reusable componants so that they can be recycled and not just fully thrown away.
I thought everyone would enjoy this Share & Voice because it is interesting to see what UMD is doing to help the environment. Before I started working at the NRRI I did not even know that UMD had an environmental research facility. But after working here I have learned a lot of the things they are trying to do to make sure that our environment gets cleaned up little by little.
NRRI - "Taking the spring out of springs" - This is a link to the NRRI's webpage where they talk about the mattress work they are doing right now. Check it out if you'd like!
I never really took much time to think about what happens to mattresses when they're not longer being used. THe mattresses could definitely serve as a junking project, and be turned into something more useful. It's great to know that there are people out there that are eco-friendly and trying to reduce our waste.
ReplyDeleteI also never took a lot of time to think about how much space a box spring takes up; I guess when I think of a landfill it just seems so huge compared to a little box spring. But I guess a lot of box springs add up fast.
ReplyDeleteI never gave this a thought before either. This is a great idea though, I also think companies are gradually weaning away from using the springs and just using mattresses or temprapedic, etc. I feel like they are also more reusable too.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting post! I never really thought about where mattresses go when you throw them away, because I have never had to throw a mattress away. It is cool that UMD is researching this.
ReplyDeleteI never knew that UMD had an environmental research facility either! It is cool that they are constantly looking for new ways to make our environment better. The longer I am here the more I realize what our school tries to do to stay sustainable. I feel like we are a lot further ahead than most schools.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a fun work place to be in. Seems like you are learning a bunch there. I'm surprise that over 80% of mattresses are recyclable according to that article. I'm glad they are doing this to help reduce pollution.
ReplyDeleteI also never knew UMD had a research facility and I also never really thought about how much space mattresses can take up. It would be cool to find out what UMD and Goodwill are making them into instead or what they are doing to break them down.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great opportunity to ask people who enjoy junking if they could find a new use for the springs! I never really thought about it before that mattresses have so much air left in them! Just a side note, back in the early 1900s and possibly before then mattresses used to be filled with horse hair! Oh the things you learn working at Glensheen Mansion, haha!
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