Waste is a by-product of humans’ everyday lives. Did you ever think about the implications of throwing away something that is recyclable or compostable on campus? It’s a fact that students have busy, multi-tasking filled lives, and most of them never thought of a zero-waste campus. It is necessary for colleges to bring awareness on how to keep our environment clean and the effects of waste management plans.
We have compiled lists of how to create a zero-waste campus in order to improve the college atmosphere and gain recognition as the best arts and science college in Coimbatore.
So, what is the Zero Waste Campus?
Zero Waste Campus refers to a strategy of sustainable waste management that prioritises the prevention of waste over final waste management. It is a whole-systems approach that tries to change how materials move through society in a big way so that there is no waste.
SEVEN Ways to Create Zero Waste College Campus
Ensure you put these steps into action to reform the zero waste campus.
- Source Separation
Source separation is the process of removing garbage from regular streams or groups of materials for separate collection. Reducing contamination levels results in cleaner selling materials and reduces landfill impact.
You should strive for uniformity by employing the same containers, labels, and logos throughout your entire campus to encourage everyone to recycle. Additionally, this aids faculty and staff in selecting the appropriate bin for their waste.
Most private universities in Coimbatore follow this process and are tracked through college volunteers, where the separation is collected the next day or on a regular basis.
- Composting
Through regulated, aerobic decomposition, composting transforms organic waste into a nutrient-rich soil additive. Switching to compost eliminates the need for chemical fertilisers.
Methane emissions are greatly decreased by the use of organic waste and leftover meals. It functions as natural fertilizer, enhances soil drainage and aeration, and reduces the need for expensive irrigation.
Campus can make use of the volunteers to collect leftover food and deliver it to those who are in need. The idea of composting can be sent out and processed at local composting facilities.
- Recycling
The process of recycling tries to remove materials from the garbage stream. The majority of the materials we use on a daily basis can be recycled in some manner. The benefits of recycling are:
- Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and open burning.
- Reduces pollution
- Conserves energy and other resources.
- Generates economic benefits and jobs.
The list of commonly recycled materials are- organic materials, glass bottles, aluminum can, scrap metals, papers, old electronics, clothes and shoes, furniture.
Last but not least, you should locate recycling hotspots where waste ihttps://kahedu.edu.in/academics/arts-science-and-humanities/s frequently dumped; these regions should be your main attention. The top arts and science college in India considers the hotspots that includes libraries, sports arenas, cafeterias, and break rooms which bring potential change. Having this knowledge should be a great place to start if you want to make changes.
- Reuse and Repair
A high-value action to take in waste reduction efforts on college campuses is reuse and repair. Some of Coimbatore colleges and universities host recurring “fix it workshops,” where students may bring devices or electronics and learn how to mend their broken items, it creates a career opportunity.
Promote reuse initiatives and activities on campus, such as swap meets and sales, to assist those in need. In this way, you can benefit from reducing the replacement cost by restoring the worn components alone rather than buying a new one.
- Waste Reduction Initiatives
Any activity taken before waste is generated in order to lessen or stop further waste generation is referred to as waste reduction. Initiatives to reduce waste on college campuses could change this by making it simple for students to act responsibly and, eventually, by making it the standard practise to reuse, recycle, and recover as much as possible.
- Economic Incentives
Your campus waste reduction efforts should use this process as motivation. Few practises bring awareness of waste management to the students, and the college can allow these kinds of ideas.
- It’s similar to selling recyclables, which might bring in money for your college.
- Another suggestion is that individuals should pick which container they wish to use on campus for trash, recycling, and composting. By making the trashcan bigger, more students helped pay for the cost of getting rid of trash in their rooms.
Conclusion:
However, this waste management practise may already have begun at the top art college in India. The process is defined, and you should audit the existing waste management practises. It means looking at your college’s present recycling programme and determining whether they have a recycling policy in place if you want to position yourself for success.
The next step is to learn how waste is collected and whether there are any current laws dictating what items your university should recycle.
Finally, encourage the students and staff to take ownership of their campus through the recycling programme. Otherwise, create the environmental club and build student teams to take different initiatives.
Being environmentally conscious doesn’t require you to give campus recycling a second thought!