Tara Pike, founder and manager of UNLV’s Rebel Recycling, joined the show to share how a student-led project grew into a 30-year sustainability program impacting both campus and the Las Vegas community. She’ll walk us through the program’s evolution and what’s ahead, including a new fundraising effort to expand initiatives like “All in the Hall.”

From dumpster diving to developing a recycling program, this UNLV graduate aims to continue making a difference on campus.

It’s easy to miss the campus recycling center, housed in a small dirt lot on the corner of Flamingo Road and University Center Drive. Somewhat unseen in a tucked-away part of the campus, the program’s impacts are immense. “When I used to give presentations back in the 2000s, I’d say, ‘We used to do 2 tons a week. Now, we do 2 tons a day,’” Pike said. “Eventually, that became 4 tons a day.”

Tara Pike is no stranger to dumpster diving. In the early 1990s, she was among the first students at UNLV to pursue a degree in the newly established environmental studies program, and she devoted years to research that ultimately reshaped the university’s approach to campus recycling operations. Three decades later, Pike leads the university’s recycling program, working to establish UNLV as a model of campus sustainability.  

Many people keep their Christmas trees up until after the New Year, but there's an eco-friendly way to dispose of them. Recycling your real tree can help keep it out of landfills. Tara Pike from UNLV's Facilities Management shared more about this initiative.

The holidays may be winding down, but what happens to your Christmas tree could give it a whole new life. As families across Las Vegas begin taking down their holiday decorations, sustainable options are available to ensure Christmas trees don't end up in landfills.

Through January 15, the Southern Nevada Christmas Tree Recycling Committee is hosting more than 30 free drop-off locations. The trees are turned into mulch used for gardens and parks across the Valley.  

When the smell of pine begins to fade this holiday season, UNLV has an easy solution for Southern Nevadans. Tara Pike, UNLV’s sustainability coordinator, said the university and its partners will be ready to collect Christmas trees as soon as Friday through Jan. 15.