Sustainability

EOAS grads have some exciting initiatives with sustainability in mind! Check them out below!

Report on the First EOAS Climate Dialogue

In April 2020, Grad Council hosted our first Department-wide dialogue on UBC's response to the Climate Emergency.

Click here for the executive summary of the outcomes and recommendations resulting from the discussion.

Click here to see the full report, containing a detailed review of suggested goals, actions, and major barriers across all discussion topics.

FAQs about the program:

What can be recycled?:

Soft plastics: coloured and/or clear grocery bags, Ziploc bags, plastic wrap, bubble wrap, cellophane

Styrofoam: styrofoam packing blocks and boxes

What can’t be recycled?:

Soft plastics: lab (latex, nitrile, etc.) gloves, foil-lined packaging (e.g. candy wrappers), hard/molded plastic packaging, pipette tips, dirty or wet plastic

Styrofoam: packing peanuts, styrofoam food containers, plasticy foam packing / polystyrene

Soiled/dirty items will also be rejected. If in doubt, throw it in the garbage! If a bag of recycling contains too much contamination the WHOLE bag may end up in the landfill!

Can I bring items from home?:

Yes please! But other locations around town can also recycle various items (e.g. London Drugs, Safeway accept plastic bags)

Where does it go? / What gets done with it? / How is it recycled?:

Soft plastic recycling is fulfilled by Cascades. Materials are collected and distributed to local and/or overseas (depending on market demand) sorting and processing facilities, where they are subsequently heat compressed into a heterogeneous polymer.

Styrofoam is recycled via Waste Control Services. These materials are compacted and converted to pellets, which are then re-purposed as new packing material.

What does it get recycled as?:

Soft plastics: non-food containers, auto parts, carpets, fleece jackets, new grocery bags, plastic wood products (e.g. for decking, park benches, fences etc.)

Styrofoam: reused packing material

How can I reduce my personal use of single-use plastics?:

Great question - there are so many ways! Here are a few: Use re-usable (e.g. cloth) bags when shopping, instead of accepting plastic bags. Pack your lunch in tupperware or re-usable bee’s wax wrap. Use a re-usable water bottle. Buy in bulk and re-use your bags. Explore some fun DIY projects including baking and making your own cosmetics and toiletries. And finally, pay a visit to your local consignment and/or thrift stores, craigslist, or Buy Nothing Facebook group. When practical, avoiding new manufacturing goods can significantly reduce energy consumption and packaging waste.

For more information, check out the UBC Sustainability and Building Ops sites or contact the EOAS Sustainability Council reps at green.council@eoas.ubc.ca.