It’s a brand new year and Skyline College has brand new energy efficient solar compactor trash cans that can help save energy, time and money.

The Big Belly Solar Compactor is a compacting trash bin that is completely powered by solar energy.

“It can hold five times the amount of garbage as normal,” says Kanjana Srisupatpongsa, project coordinator of the facilities management department.

This increased capacity reduces greenhouse gas emissions by eighty percent; it also reduces collection trips and fuel use. The trash compactor has a sensor so that once the trash is thrown away in the can, it can compact the trash, packing it down on its own using the solar energy, and when it is full and ready for pickup the sensor will signal a green light.

“The person who has to take it out will already know if the garbage is full by the sensor,” says Srisupatpongsa.

There are only two solar compactors on campus. Both were placed outside the cafeteria quad where the campus gets the most student traffic.

“Outside the student center seems like the best place, because that’s where there is the most students,” says Alana Medina, a student at Skyline. “I think it’s great that Skyline is stepping it up.”

The district approved the trial run after a study that was done in Philadelphia. After using the compactors for a year, the city of Philadelphia reduced their city’s costs by $900,000 per year.

In a 10-year span, it is expected that Philadelphia will save up to $3 million. The SMCCCD decided to place two sets at each college, including Cañada and CSM.

“They’re used for trial now because they are very expensive,” says Srisupatpongsa. The compactors cost $4700 per set.

A few students around campus did not notice the new solar compactors or how pricey they were until they were told. A wide variety of students at Skyline College felt that the garbage cans are a great idea for the campus.

One student who wishes to remain anonymous said, “I think it’s worth it in the long run; we may not see a big change now, but we will later.”

But a few students thought differently and felt that the garbage cans were not worth it.

“That money can go to financial aid or something more important,” says Subash Subedi, an engineer student.

Should this trial do well, Skyline students should expect more solar energy garbage cans around campus.