The Bren School of Environmental Science and Management’s IT staff recently upgraded the main instructional computer lab with 37 new machines with 27-inch monitors and optimized cable management.

Staff even 3D-printed items to hold power strips and manage cables underneath the desks. Workstations include laptop monitor cables, so students can plug in their laptops and use the larger screens.

 But, according to Steve Miley, Bren School IT Director, the four-to-five-year upgrade also presented an opportunity to align with UCSB’s sustainability initiatives and the city Santa Barbara's new styrofoam recycling program and divert all the styrofoam waste from the new monitor packaging. 

Bren school staff delivered all the styrofoam waste to one of the local David Love Marborg locations, saving a dumpster and a quarter’s worth of potential landfill. According to the Santa Barbara Independent article about the program, styrofoam takes 500 years to break down in the environment.

“I encourage [everyone] to recycle their styrofoam,” Miley said.

Styrofoam Recycling from Bren's Computer Lab Upgrade