Making a Difference: Ways to Promote Sustainability on Campus

Sustainability is a popular topic, especially amongst students and young people. Being green is an important cause that is all about waste management. Whether your campus has a few hundred people or several thousand, there are strategies for managing your waste and creating an environmentally conscious campus. In this article, we will discuss six tips for a greener campus.

1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

One tip for a greener campus is to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Become familiar with the recycling rules in your area and follow them. In addition to reducing waste, recycling is one of the easiest and most important ways to become a greener campus.

You should also make recycling easily accessible on your campus. Ensure there is a clearly marked recycling bin next to every trash can. This makes recycling equally convenient for disposing of items, ensuring everyone can choose to recycle.

There should also be recycling bins near any office spaces where paper is used. Paper is one of the easiest items to recycle. Keep recycling bins near areas where paper is used, and you will quickly have a greener campus.

2. Start Composting, No Matter How Much

If your campus is already successful at recycling, you might be wondering about the next steps you can take for a greener campus. One excellent way to be more eco-friendly is to start composting.

According to an Earth Institute at Columbia University report, one-third of New York City’s garbage is made up of food waste. Composting can reduce your campus’s waste by up to 50%. It is a cost-efficient and effective way to divert waste from landfills. By composting, food scraps are transformed into nutrient-rich topsoil for organic farming.

Composting is excellent in campus spaces with a lot of food waste. These spaces include restaurants, cafeterias, cafes, or anywhere where people often eat lunch. Consider what spaces would be best for installing composting bins.

3. Choose Reusable or Compostable Rather Than Disposable

Once your campus has started recycling and composting, it makes sense to switch your products to reusable or compostable rather than disposable. For example, you could choose compostable plates, silverware, straws, and cups instead of disposable options like plastic or styrofoam.

You could also purchase products from companies that use recycled materials, like water bottles or paper. Supporting companies that use recycled materials in their products is a great way to promote greener products and create a greener campus. Remember to recycle those products again once you’re done with them.

4. Use Electronic Receipts Instead of Paper

Is your campus still using only paper receipts? Consider switching to a system that allows text or email receipts. Many people are switching to electronic receipts because they are more environmentally friendly and can be easier to find later.

Any transactions on your campus could be done with electronic receipts, from bookstores to restaurants to cafes. Switch to electronic receipts for a greener campus.

5. Switch to LED Lighting

Switching to LEDs can reduce the electricity you use for lights by up to 90%. It’s an easy, cost-effective way to create a greener campus while saving money. Switching your lights to LEDs will save energy and lower carbon emissions, reduce your electricity bills, and give you lights that will last longer. It’s an easy way to make a significant environmental impact and reduce your carbon footprint.

Try to find replacement LEDs that are ENERGY STAR certified. ENERGY STAR certification helps give consumers and businesses peace of mind that the products they buy are of the highest quality in terms of color quality, light output, and energy efficiency.

6. Shop Local

As you source products for your campus, try buying locally. For example, try sourcing food directly from local areas in food services like restaurants, cafes, and dining halls. Supporting local farms is a great way to promote a greener campus. This is because supporting locally reduces shipping costs and times and can help promote smaller businesses with lower costs.

How Can Royal Waste Help?

At Royal Waste, sustainability is at the forefront of everything we do. We utilize only the most advanced waste diversion strategies for your business. Whether you’re a university or school, restaurant, hotel, or large commercial office building, Royal Waste understands every industry’s unique needs.

Striving to create environmentally responsible recycling solutions for all our clients, Royal Waste removes waste from your location and helps convert it to new products and commodities wherever possible. We offer curbside recycling pickup, organic recycling/composting, container service, bulk waste removal, and more to meet your business’s needs. Give us a call today, and we’ll take it from there!