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.

The Rebel Recycling Center on UNLV Campus is celebrating its 30th anniversary and marking the milestone with a $30,000 fundraising campaign to expand the "All in the Hall" program.

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.

Summerlin residents are once again encouraged to recycle their real Christmas trees once the holidays are over. In partnership with Springs Preserve, the UNLV Rebel Recycling Program and dozens of other local conservation organizations, the annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program returns Dec. 26 through Jan. 15.

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.  

The Las Vegas Sun encourages locals to recycle their Christmas trees post-holidays to prevent fire risks and support environmental efforts. With free recycling drop-offs available, the initiative aims to convert trees into valuable mulch while saving landfill space.

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.

Residents can recycle their Christmas trees for free starting Friday at more than 30 drop-off locations throughout the valley. The Southern Nevada Christmas Tree Recycling Committee will accept trees through Jan. 15. The recycled trees will be chipped into mulch for use in school gardens and parks across the community. The program, a partnership of UNLV, community agencies and local businesses, has operated for three decades.

If you're already thinking about getting rid of your Christmas tree, UNLV has you covered. The university and its partners will operate more than 30 drop-off locations for annual tree recycling starting Friday, Dec. 26.