The new composting facility at UConn processes up to 15 truckloads of manure per week. And campus recycling programs are extensive--students know what to do with everything from outmoded cellphones to smelly sneakers. Above, students sort through a pile of donations headed for Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe Program, which turns worn-thin footwear into running tracks and playground surfaces.

Photo courtesy of Peter Morenus/University of Connecticut