As the fall semester picks up and heads into full swing for another school year, many first-year students have begun settling into their new home away from home. With new classes, roommates, and a beautiful campus to explore, the last concern that might cross your mind is whether or not you recycled today. The University of Guelph prides itself on serving as a model of sustainability and encourages its students to contribute to creating a sustainable and eco-friendly campus—but what does that really mean? Here are a few tips to help you better understand how you can stay environmentally conscious while on campus.
Reuse
Re-usable mugs and containers are one of the easiest ways to become green while on campus. Many of the plastic cups you drink from, including the plastic lined paper cups from Starbucks are not recyclable! While Starbucks has vowed to create a 100 per cent recyclable cup by 2015, you can make an impact simply by investing in a reusable mug to take to class and filling it up with water, or at your favourite coffee shops. The University Centre also sells reusable take-out containers that you can eat your meals from and conveniently store away.
Take advantage of technology
With papers and assignments becoming a daily responsibility, it’s important to note that the less paper being used, the greater the environmental benefit. If your professor has given you the option of submitting your assignments online or through email, take this opportunity with open arms. Communicate through e-mail, find readings online, and make notes on your computer—all of these initiatives can greatly reduce your carbon footprint and help Guelph stay green.
Recycle electronics
If you have any broken or unusable electronics laying around, drop them off at the e-waste site located at the base of the MacNaughton/Science Complex loading dock. If you’re unable to drop off your electronic waste due to size, you can contact U of G with the quantity and type of equipment and have your waste picked up for you. Common e-waste items include monitors, printers, computers, keyboards, cables, phones, fax machines, and televisions.
Become involved
If you feel as though you wish to do more towards creating an eco-friendly campus, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Coffee to Compost is a volunteer run program where volunteers pick up green bins full of coffee grounds from the various coffee shops on campus—in the past school year, the university diverted 27 tonnes of coffee grounds! While living in any of the undergrad residence halls, you also have the opportunity to become an eco rep. An eco rep is the official environmental person in their local community to whom other students can seek guidance as a role model. These are just a few of the many ways you can help create a sustainable, eco-friendly campus. As you inherit the university’s beautiful, green campus during your years as an undergrad, the responsibility of maintaining this natural environment for future generations becomes yours as well. By making simple, easy changes to your daily routine, you can help the U of G stay green.