Let's make the University of Auckland more clean and green.

All around the University there is a plethora of plastic wrapped food, disposable coffee cups and plastic takeaway containers available in the food establishments. Around the campus, bins are full with coffee cups, sushi containers and other food packaging. There are no compost bins for our food and organic waste. We are surrounded by a sea of plastic.

In 2019 the University of Auckland sent 16,471 m3 of waste to landfill – that’s enough to fill more than 6 Olympic sized swimming pools.

All of this waste is dumped into a big hole in the ground. Around NZ landfills are filling up with mountains and mountains of trash. We cannot keep dumping all our waste into a hole, covering it over and calling it a day. What happens when we run out of room?

Takeaway food packaging, food scraps and organic matter make up a large proportion of this waste, yet this is completely avoidable.  

Takeaway food packaging is especially noxious. It is designed to be used once, for a few minutes, then thrown away, destined to sit in a landfill for 100s of years. This is the epitome of the linear economy; take, make, dispose.

Due to our insatiable consumption of resources and wastefulness, humans have led to the global extinction of 60% of all mammals, birds, reptiles and fish in less than 50 years.

What will our planet look like if this continues?

Food and organic matter does not just sit inert in the landfill; it produces methane emissions which contribute to climate change. The latest International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report makes it pretty clear that we have a very short window to limit catastrophic warming; we need to drastically reduce emissions in the next 10 years.

 

Can't we just recycle it?

-Disposable coffee cups are made from a mixture of plastic and paper, and as such are not recyclable or compostable and are destined for the landfill.

-Plastic straws and cutlery are not recyclable. Sushi containers are not recyclable. And all of these items will be banned by 2025, with the governments new law to phase out unnecessary and problem plastics.

-Even if the plastic can be recycled, much of NZ's plastic recycling is sent to developing countries, such as Malaysia or Thailand. Here it is often illegally dumped or burnt; poisoning the people, animals and ecosystems in these areas.

 

The University claims to be a "global leader in sustainable and ethical practises" and that we recognise our responsibilities as kaitiaki (guardians) to protect and respect our environment. But is this the reality??

Not so much! Sounds like corporate greenwashing BS.

On the Universities website in the “Sustainability” section, it says “Think carefully about any purchases you feel compelled to make, and avoid unnecessary consumption”. But what is the University doing to provide more sustainable food and beverage options for its students?

 

What are some alternatives to disposable takeaway packaging?

-A mug library and mug return scheme for those who want to get a takeaway coffee but have forgotten their cup

-Affordable reusable cups

-Washable plates/cutlery available for those getting takeaway food (like at a mall)

-Compost bins around the campus for our food scraps and organic waste (paper towels, tissues etc.)

The University of Otago, and Lincoln University are both single use coffee cup free, and Victoria University is starting to implement these initiatives. Do we want to be left behind?

The University of Auckland’s motto is “never stop”, so why have they stopped implementing sustainability initiatives on their own campus?