Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Reusable Cups on Campus
The environmental impact of single-use items is well-publicised, with single-use coffee cups in particular being an area where the figures are alarming – it has been estimated that 22,000 disposable coffee cups are disposed of in Ireland every hour!
Paper, plastic, ink and other materials are used in their production, energy is required to run the machines that produce them and to fuel the trucks that deliver them. After being disposed of, bin-trucks are used to collect and bring them to their final destination. While increasingly, modern single-use cups are either compostable, recyclable or a mix of both, resources are still used to produce, distribute, collect and dispose of them. With this in mind, reducing the number of disposable cups we use should be our ultimate aim as a University and a society.
The UCD Green Campus committee are looking at ways in which the use of resuable cups can be promoted and the impact of single-use cups can be communicated to students and staff. As part of this, and in conjunction with Estate Services, we have been working with the food-service providers on campus to provide and promote discounts for bringing your own reusable cup – so you can be environmentally friendly and save money!
Please see below for a list of outlets on campus that provide discounts as well as the amount of discount in each outlet:
| Compostable/bio Cups | Discount bring own cup | Reusable cups for sale | Plastic Straws | Plastic stirrers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Readers | Yes | 10% discount | €8.50 each | Not used | Not used |
| Arts | Yes | 10% discount | €8.50 each | Not used | Not used |
| Vets | Yes | 10% discount | €8.50 each | Not used | Not used |
| Roebuck | Yes | 10% discount | €8.50 each | Not used | Not used |
| Pulse Café health Science | No | 10% discount | €8.50 each | Not used | Not used |
| Richview | Yes | 10% discount | €8.50 each | Not used | Not used |
| Leopolds at Conway | Yes | 10% discount | €8.50 each | Not used | Not used |
| Quinn | No | 10% discount | €8.50 each | Not used | Not used |
| Nova | Yes | 15c discount | Yes €7.00each | Not used | Not used |
| Pi | Yes | 15c discount | Yes €7.00each | Not used | Not used |
| Sutherland | Yes | 15c discount | Yes €7.00each | Not used | Not used |
| Main restaurant | Yes | 15 cent | - | Not used | Not used |
| Chopped | N/A | N/A | - | Not used | Not used |
| Subway | No | N/A | - | Not used | Not used |
| Starbucks | No | 15c discount | - | Not used | Not used |
| Centra Store | Compostable | 15c discount | Yes | Not used | Not used |
| Blackrock restaurant | Yes | 10% discount | Yes €5-€20 each | Not used | Not used |
| Library | Compostable | 40c | Yes | Not used | Not used |
| Engineering | Compostable | 40c | Yes | Not used | Not used |
| Sports Centre | Compostable | 40c | Yes | Not used | Not used |
| Poolside Café | Biodegradable | None | No | Not used | Not used |
SWITCH-OFF WEEK
Our “Switch-Off” initiative, which is normally run over bank-holiday weekends is being expanded to become a “Switch-Off Week” with the aim of reducing electricity usage and harmful emissions throughout the Green Week and to raise awareness of the important role individuals play in energy conservation.
SPARC Recycling Awareness Campaign focusing on coffee cups running all week in Newman. Come visit us at the big red wall beside An Cuas across from the Coffee Dock.
