Hello and welcome to the first blogpost of our Minimal Waste Guide! This blog will be a guide on how to minimize waste in our daily lives. The solutions are close to us, they are just waiting for us to be seen.
Every week there will be a new blogpost in light of several topics and themes. This week’s theme provides tips and tricks on how to minimize waste on campus.
MWG #1 - How To Come Prepared To Uni?
University is a place where busy lives and schedules meet. Everyone comes and goes at their own pace, following their own rhythm and time. What we have in common, is the need for comfort. Creating a comfortable setting in which studying and paying attention is enabled. For that, this guide will give you some tips, to comfort yourself in every cup of coffee and sip of water you take, while contributing to a more sustainable world.
Step up your hydration game
Bring a reusable water bottle that you can refill during the day. There are many fill-up stations all over campus. This not only saves an average of156 plastic bottles a year, it also reminds you to stay hydrated during the day.
Don’t worry about spending money on a new bottle. Just fill up the glass containers of your empty club Mate or lemonade bottle from the supermarket. Looking for a fresh start? Check out these brands: Retulp & Mizulife
Hot coffee please
Break the circle of coffee cups circling around you and your work space. Gone are the days of drinking your coffee out of crappy single-use plastic and paper cups. Pack a thermos cup and enjoy hot drinks that stay hot! Some places, e.g. CREA, Kiosk and Starbucks, offer a discount if you bring your own to-go cup!
If low on budget, or simply preferring buying second hand items, go check Rataplan. This is a nice secondhand store that provides, among many other things, cheap thermos cups and coffee holders. Or just bring a mug from your own kitchen cabinet to school and fill it up.
Here some links to brands who offer quality thermos cups: Retulp, Blokker. Or get our own Green Office Bamboo Cup!
Lunch break!
A great way to save money and unnecessary waste is to bring your own lunch. Take your leftovers from the night before and pack them in a handy lunch box made from stainless steel. Or wrap your cheese sandwich in a small cotton bag.
Recently the Albert Heijn has offered them in their stores. This also comes in handy to carry your fresh croissant to the cashier. Hereby you’ll save the plastic bag, that sadly has a life average of only 15 seconds.
Metal cutlery it is
Bring a set of cutleries from home so you don’t have to use that plastic fork at the cafeteria. Tricks like this, easily save tons of plastic cutlery going to waste after only one meal. Optionally, you can buy a new bamboo set.
Also pack a set of chopsticks, when prefering chopsticks over cutlery. Rataplan has good second hand options. This also comes in handy when ordering sushi at home ;)
Saving 0,20 cents a day
Pack an extra tote bag before you leave for school. It doesn’t take up much space but comes in handy when you decide to get some groceries on your way home. This way no plastic bag from the supermarket is needed and you save those extra euros on the long term.
So far so good! Do you have other sustainable tips and tricks you would like to share with us? Comment on our Instagram page @UvAGreenOffice below our MWG posts and let us know! Also feel welcome to share pictures of your water bottles and coffee mugs, we will give you a shout out on our Instagram story!