A College Student's Guide to Living Zero Waste

a college student’s guide to

living zero waste

by the uvm eco-reps

credits liz mackin (‘21)....................................................................................editor & writer alysa kelly (‘20)................................................................................editor & writer isabel lisle(‘20)...................................................................................editor & writer ella halpine (‘19)................................................................................................designer

table of contents what is zero waste? .......................................................................................................... 1 daily essentials ...................................................................................................................... 2 eating on campus ............................................................................................................ 3 grocery shopping .............................................................................................................. 4 bathroom ........................................................................................................................................ 5 beauty .................................................................................................................................................. 6 cleaning ............................................................................................................................................. 7 online resources .................................................................................................................. 8 green brands ............................................................................................................................ 8

uvm eco-reps university of vermont burlington, vt ecoreps@uvm.edu uvm.edu/ecoreps/

copyright © 2018

what is zero waste? our mission

we noticed an increase in student interest in waste reduction on campus so we put together a set of tangible resources to guide you on your journey to a zero waste lifestyle.

zero waste

the goal is to produce no garbage; nothing is thrown in the trash and nothing is sent to landfill. there is a focus on reduction and reuse-compost and recycle the rest.

why?

• 99% of “stuff” americans buy is discarded within 6 months.

• the average american produces 4.5 lbs of trash a day.

• the great pacific garbage patch is an island made entirely out of trash and is the size of texas. it floats in the pacific ocean and is caused by litter swept offshore from north america and asia.

how?

the process of going completely zero waste seems overwhelming. it takes time and patience. our advice? adopt one habit at a time and make changes slowly. after all, every little bit helps.

get your 5 R’s right refuse

reduce reuse recycle rot

1.

2.

3.

4.

refuse what you do not need reduce what you do need reuse what you consume recycle what you cannot refuse, reduce or reuse 5. rot (compost) the rest

1

daily essentials carry these every day

reusable utensils

ECOW ARE tupperware

reusable water bottle

ecoware tag

carry these when you can

reusable mug

reusable plate or bowl

reusable napkin

reusable straw

reusable bag

2

eating on campus ecoware

take your ecoware tag to any points place or dining hall on campus. hand the cow tag to the cashier and receive your meal in a clean ecoware container.

2. get a 25 ¢ discount every time you use your ecoware!

3. enjoy your meal, empty the container and return it to any points place or dining hall on campus. they will take your dirty container and give you another tag.

1.

spork 1.

purchase a spork at any points place or dining hall on campus for $1.

2. use with ecoware or alone and get a 5 ¢ discount.

mug

reusable mugs are available for purchase in all points places.

2. use your reusable mug & pay $1.19 for any size refill on-campus for coffee and fountain beverages 1.

freestyle bottles 1.

pick up your freestyle bottle at the marketplace, marche or redstone market 2. use reusable bottle at touch screen fountain beverage dispensers across campus

3

ECOWARE

grocery shopping buy in bulk and fill up your own containers

in the burlington area you can do this at city market, healthy living, and some at hannafords, but check your grocery stores at home too; many have at least small bulk sections that allow you to shop zero-waste.

step-by-step

grab a container: weigh them using a digital scales, then write down the tare weight before filling.

2. select your item and fill up your container.

3. write down the bin number: write the bin number (PLU) on a twist tie or take a picture using your phone. take your tagged items to the register and the cashier will ring up the price.

1.

tips

• bring reusable bags.

• farmer’s markets are great for eliminating packaging from produce.

• look for recyclable or compostable packaging if reusable is not available.

4

bathroom tips

• reuse glass jars to hold your d.i.y. products instead of purchasing new containers.

• buy bar soap versus liquid soap in plastic containers.

• choose bamboo toothbrushes that can easily be composted.

• use diva cups for a sustainable alternative to tampons.

diy

easily combine these ingredients in your choice of container

we r e pep comme perm nd int

toothpaste

1-1/2 tbsp. baking soda

2 tbsp. coconut oil

we r e pe comm lave pperm end int, nde r, or le orange mon ,

shampoo

8 oz. water

3 oz. castile soap

1/4 tsp. jojoba or olive oil

body wash

1/3 cup castile soap

10-15 drops essential oil

20-50 drops essential oil

we recom mend vanilla, ora nge, or lemon

1/3 cup honey (preferably raw)

1/4 tsp. jojoba, almond, avocado or olive oil

5

30-60 drops essential oil

beauty tips

• use reusable cotton rounds for removing makeup.

• reuse old beauty containers for your own creations (mascara tubes, deodorant sticks).

• find recipes with ingredients you already have in your kitchen cabinets.

diy

easily combine these ingredients in your choice of container

mascara/eyeliner

1/2 oz. coconut oil

1/2 oz. shea butter

we 10 fr recomm an e 10 la kincen nd s v 5 pe ender e, & ppe rmin t

lotion

1 tbsp. beeswax

1 tbsp. shea butter

3 tbsp. coconut oil

25 drops essential oil

we lave recom nde men r, d & sa lemon ge

deodorant

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 oz. activated charcoal powder

1/2 cup baking soda

6

40-60 drops essential oil

end mmmary o c e r rose , also we ypress amot c rg e b &

cleaning tips

• use reusable cloths on swiffers and for cleaning up spills.

• reuse what you can. repurpose your old toothbrush to scrub hard to reach places. use your old dish sponge as a floor sponge before tossing it.

• compost dust bunnies, nail clippings, hair, lint.

diy

easily combine these ingredients in your choice of container

laundry detergent

1 cup baking soda

1 cup castile soap

glass cleaner

1/2 cup white vinegar

2 cups water

2 tsp. castile soap

30 drops essential oil (optional)

we r ec tea ommen tre d lem e & on

few drops essential oil

multipurpose cleaner

1/2 cup baking soda

1 cup white vinegar

7

1/2 tsp. essential oil

online resources Explore the community of bloggers, YouTubers, and writers who strive to make zero waste living practical, easy, cheap, and fun.

• • • • •

goingzerowaste.com trash is for tossers (lauren singer) trash monster (rob greenfield) zero waste home (bea johnson) story of stuff (annie leonard)

green brands beauty

• rms beauty - rmsbeauty.com • lush cosmetics - lush.com • pacifica - pacificabeauty.com

cleaning

• seventh generation - seventhgeneration.com • dr. bronner’s - drbronner.com • mrs. meyer’s - mrsmeyers.com

8

dr. suess’ the lorax 9

uvm eco-reps © 2018