A reusable cup deposit scheme is the most effective way to reduce plastic waste at Trinity Ball, which is an annual event and has over 7,000 attendees. Therefore, if each ticket holder purchases three drinks during the night, it amounts to about 21,000 single-use plastic cups which break down to microplastics over hundreds of years, further polluting our environment. Compostable alternatives are not a long-term solution, as they still use significant amounts of energy to produce and break down in industrial composting facilities. We endeavour not to place this added cost onto attendees, but instead are actively pursuing funding through grants and sponsorships. 

Large festivals such as Glastonbury have already adopted such measures, and following Trinity College Dublin's commitment to phasing out the majority of single-use plastics by 2020 - a campaign which was initiated by students - now is the perfect time to enact such change. In 2019, the Ball featured improved waste segregation and compostable food packaging, but we think that MCD should do better, and soon. If you agree, please support our petition, which will accompany a full proposal for a reusable cup deposit scheme to the event organiser, MCD, in advance of the planning of Trinity Ball 2020. 

[Copyright for Cover Photo - Sinead Baker, University Times]