The EPA-IUA Campus Living Labs Project (Campus Living Labs) is a two-year partnership project between the Environmental Protection Agency and the IUA.
Recognising that university campuses are exemplary ecosystems to test and trial effective interventions for waste management and recycling, the ambition of this project was to deliver evidence to inform campus sustainability programmes and advance activities that will introduce systemic change in preventing waste and increasing recycling on campus.
Through Campus Living Labs, several pilot schemes have been implemented across IUA member universities, including an online interactive education tool “The Waste Game”, a reusable coffee cup trial, a measurement tool to reduce food waste and student focussed campus workshops on bulky waste, bike and textile repair.
INSIGHTS & RESOURCES
Insights and resources have been developed through Campus Living Labs. These include an overview of findings from the reusable coffee cup trial and the roll out of ‘The Waste Game’, a step-by-step guide to design and trial behavioural interventions and recommendations for universities around bulky item reuse.
Click here to download the full guidebook
Or click below for:
One-page summary on The Waste Game
One-page summary on Reusable Cups in Universities
One-page summary on Intervention Design
Dublin City University
Maynooth University
Trinity College Dublin
Technological University Dublin
University College Cork
University College Dublin
University of Galway
University of Limerick
Dublin City University
Working towards a zero-waste to landfill campus with DCU #CampusLivingLabs
Working with colleagues from across the university, DCU is taking a holistic approach to improving the current waste management system on campus. With a focus on consistent messaging, three-way segregation and changing behaviour, DCU strives to maintain a zero waste to landfill campus.
Maynooth University
Tackling food waste on campus with Maynooth University #CampusLivingLabs
Through a collaborative food waste initiative, Maynooth University is raising awareness on the impact of food waste, demonstrating how to segregate food waste properly and bringing the university community together to create high quality compost to fertilise the campus grounds.
TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN
The Waste Game’ – encouraging waste prevention and recycling on campus with Trinity College Dublin #CampusLivingLabs
Developed through the Campus Living Labs project, ‘The Waste Game’ is an online quiz that transmits waste prevention and recycling knowledge. Trinity College Dublin was one of four IUA universities that rolled out the Game to staff and students, taking important steps to encourage waste prevention and recycling behaviour on its urban campus.
Technological University Dublin
Measuring food waste on campus with TU Dublin #CampusLivingLabs
The EPA Food Waste Tool provides users with a mechanism to utilise existing waste bills to reduce food waste. Working with colleagues across the institution, TU Dublin piloted the Tool. Now, with a deeper understanding of the amount and type of food waste generated on campus, the university is eager to take steps to reduce it.
University College Cork
UCC is creating a plastic free university campus #CampusLivingLabs
In UCC, students are the driving force behind the ambition to create a plastic free university campus. Working together, students and staff are embedding the plastic free initiative which not only reduces waste on campus but raises important questions around the need to move from a linear model of consumption (Take-Make-Dispose) to a circular model of consumption (Reduce-Reuse-Recycle).
University College Dublin
Trialling a reusable cup scheme on campus with UCD #CampusLivingLabs
Disposable coffee cups remain a waste challenge on university campuses. Through Campus Living Labs, UCD trialled a reusable cup scheme which both encouraged the purchase of a reusable cup, and the sustained use of the same reusable cup on campus. The trial was conducted in collaboration with UCD Estates and eCups, a reusable cup provider that served as an implementation partner.
University of Galway
Students at University of Galway are driving circularity on campus #CampusLivingLabs
Students and staff in the University of Galway are working together to prevent waste on campus. ‘Glassary’ is a circular economy initiative which reduces household waste generated in campus accommodation, whilst simultaneously providing support to local community and voluntary organisations.
University of Limerick
Developing textile repair skills with students at University of Limerick #CampusLivingLabs
In collaboration with UL staff & students and The Rediscovery Centre*, Campus Living Labs provided University of Limerick students the opportunity to learn about the circular economy and develop textile repair skills. The ability to repair is key to preventing waste and supporting the transition to a circular economy.
*The Rediscovery Centre is the National Centre for the Circular Economy in Ireland. A creative movement connecting people, ideas and resources to support greener low-carbon living.
