Methods

To understand where the most litter accumulated on campus, GPS points of trash cans, recycling cans, and litter needed to be taken. To do this effectively, a specific database that fit the projects needs was created. This database held information for points, polylines, and polygons. Points were taken for individual recycling cans, individual trash cans, connected recycling and trash cans, and litter. Polylines were taken for the most popular routes on Stocktons campus that students tend to walk to and from class, or simply to walk around outside. Polygons were taken for trash and recycling areas that held more than two cans. All of the residential areas, main campus, campus center, parking lots, routes, and areas near the lake were surveyed to see where the cans were as well as the litter. Because of the size of the survey, this data collection took about two weeks to collect. After collection, the data were transferred to the computer and differentially corrected, once the appropriate time passed. After this, the data were converted into shapefiles and consolidated into the same few shapefiles. Then, their coordinate systems were put into State Plane for New Jersey. After this, a map was created to inform the viewer of where the best campus-clean ups at Stockton would be located by using GIS software.

Recycling, Trash Can, and Litter Survey: Where should Water Watch hold their Campus-Clean-Ups?
By: April Hamblin and Kevin ODonnell Conducted at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Instructor: Mike Cicali of GPS for GIS

Figure 2

Different types of litter: Plastic, Paper, and Other. Plastic = 96 Paper = 56 Other = 30

Data Collection
The data was collected at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey during various times and days. The data was collected in WGS 84 and later projected in New Jersey State Plane so that raster data could be layered with these collected data. The data were collected during different days as well as different times of day, so this could have affected the collection. Also, the data were collected before and after Hurricane Sandy, which could also have influenced the results. Each collection day was different, but all included data collection of trash cans, recycling cans, trash and recycling areas, litter, and routes. Since all of these areas were at Stockton College, there was not much change of scenery. Because of this, and the fact that there were multiple data collectors, there could have been multiple points collected. To prevent this, the surveyors made details of what they collected and where at the starting point and ending point of their collection period. Everything in between these points were assumed collected. This helped erase or limit number of multiple collected features. Because of the weather, different days had different amounts of satellites that were active when data collection was taking place. This may have caused the data to be more accurate during different days of data collection.

Abstract
While walking to class at Stockton, one would notice that have noticed some trash thrown onto the ground instead of into its appropriate container. This includes plastic bottles, cigarettes, paper places, and various other materials. This project focused on the recycling cans and trash cans around Stocktons campus and residential life. These data were taken with a Trimble User GPs segment at various times within a two week period at Stockton. After mapping where these areas as well as the most traveled routes students take, we looked at points where the most litter occurred to see if there was a pattern. This data will be used to help environmental clubs such as Water Watch and EDIBL starting weekly campus clean ups in the areas where most litter occurs to target in campus-clean ups.

Figure 3

Popular routes students walk to and from class.

Housing Areas

Between Housing Areas and Lake Fred

Discussions and Conclusions

Light Path

Results
The results show that Water Watch should hold campus clean-ups around the light path, areas around housing such as the parking lots, and the area between housing and Lake Fred.

Because of the results involving the recycling cans, trash cans, and litter locations relating to the most popular routes taken by Stockton students, it is evident that campus clean-ups should be located on the light path, in housing areas, and in the areas between housing and Lake Fred. It is important to remember that the litter points are not single points of litter but could represent more than one piece of litter in an area. Another survey would have to be conducted to target cigarettes and where most of them are because of this method of data collection. If litter overall is targeted, though, this is a valid map. Also, the raster image behind the data is old and excludes housing 4 and housing 5. One must remember this when viewing the map. GPS is a valuable tool used for data collection for projects such as this one. Now, instead of randomly picking an area to clean, Water Watch will be able to use these data to clean the needed areas. Because times change, and because it is interesting to compare results, it would be ideal if someone in the future would conduct the same experiment. After Water Watch has targeted the light path, housing areas, and Lake Fred, to clean for this semester and next, if someone else completed the same experiment, but only taking GPS points of litter if the trash cans are the same, they could compare the data. This could show if Water Watch should target different areas to clean and also how much of an impact the club has made on the environment at Stockton. Not only will Water Watch benefit, but Stockton could also use these data collected, from this project and futures ones if there are any, to research where additional waste or recycling cans are needed as well as increasing the education of littering to provide a safe, healthy environment for the Stockton Community.

Figure 1
Housing Areas

Different types of can: Recycling, Trash, or Both Types, as well as the polygons of Recycling and Trash can areas. Recycling Cans = 100 Trash Cans = 100 Mixed/Both Types = 34 Can Polygons = 38