The month of July saw UNSW Sustainability and Business & Campus Services (BACS) work collaboratively to encourage staff, students, retailers and visitors to eliminate single-use plastics. The campaign included retailers providing alternatives to single-use plastic coffee cups, lids, bags and straws and even discounts for reusable cups. Meanwhile university staff were engaged at multiple levels to raise awareness about the impact of single-use plastics and environmentally-friendly ways to implement real change; to refuse, reuse, recycle.
The initiaitve gained significant traction when BACS worked with campus retailers to join the Plastic Free July movement and encouraging them to be more sustainable, for a month (if not more). The retailers were given various options to choose from to reduce their plastic waste, such as removing plastic straws from display, promoting the use of reusable cups and bowls, or going plastic bag free. The response from our campus retailers was overwhelming positive with more than 90% signing up to be a part of the campaign.
BACS also launched an awareness campaign, called the #KeepYourCup campaign which encouraged the use of reusable coffee cups over disposable ones, by offering discounts to customers. While the initiative has been in the works for nearly ten months, this year BACS worked tirelessly with assistance from Sustainability and received a tremendous response from the retail cohort on campus. Today, 2 out of 3 of our coffee serving retailers are offering discounts to customers who bring a reusable cup under the #KeepYourCup campaign.
“The reusable coffee cup has become really popular as I see a number of people queueing up for coffee with their own reuseable cups, and a lot of them also pick up the free BioCups we are providing,” the Library Lawn Coffee Cart barista, Trevor, said. “I would say, 1 out of every 3 customer is a resuable cup user and everyone loves the 20c discount we are offering”.
Senior Manager, Environmental Sustainability, William Syddall highlighted that the initiatives won’t stop here.
“It’s been inspiring to see the UNSW community get behind the Plastic Free July campaign and #KeepYourCup but this is just the beginning.”
“Awareness of the impact of single-use plastics on the planet is on the rise and people are taking action by bringing their own bag, cup and water bottle and saying ‘no’ to drinking straws. Being more sustainable is better for you, your wallet and the planet”.
The popularity of the Reusable Coffee Cup can also be seen in the sales tally of Penny Lane, a popular café on campus. Their records show that the number of coffees sold at their establishment in reusable coffee cups was at an all-time high in the month of July. When compared to the month of April, sales of coffees in reusable cups, saw a 33% rise in July at Penny Lane.
Another encouraging sign was the substantial increase in the use of the Return & Earn reverse vending machine in the month of July, with 52,000 containers recycled every week - an increase of 20% compared to June.
Single-use plastic on campus was further reduced by BACS, when the Committee Rooms at the Chancellery switched from disposable cups and crockery to those that are reusable. UNSW Hospitality, that now manages the Chancellery reception and Committee, report this has been welcomed by staff who use the facilities.
While the vision to become a completely plastic free campus isn’t one that can be achieved overnight, each of these initiatives is a step in the right direction and an effort that has been applauded by the Vice Chancellor Professor Ian Jacobs.
“Plastic free July has been a tremendous opportunity for us all to think twice about our use of plastic, and hopefully, form some lasting habits. I’m very happy with my new UNSW reusable cup and I’ll make the effort to use it when I can,” UNSW Vice Chancellor & President, Professor Ian Jacobs said.
It might be a wrap for Plastic Free July, but efforts towards being a more sustainable campus will continue with your help; reduce using plastic bags, straws and single-use plastics, bring a reusable cup and receive discounts at selected retailers, and recycle, recycle, recycle!