Students start university on a ‘green’ note

A “zorb ball” filled with hundreds of plastic bottles got students thinking about recycling during The University of Queensland’s Market Day celebrations at the St Lucia campus on Wednesday.

Students and staff are contributing to improved “resource recovery” after the recent arrival of additional new public place recycling bins.

UQ’s current bid to raise awareness about recycling was working in concert with the national Do the Right Thing, Use the Right Bin awareness campaign, said UQ Environmental Officer Leigh Burgess.

“Improving the recovery of recyclable materials and reducing waste to landfill has major benefits for the environment, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving valuable landfill space,” Ms Burgess said.

The initiative is a partnership between UQ and the Australian Food and Grocery Council’s Packaging Stewardship Forum and aims to ensure that at least 50 per cent of UQ’s public area general waste is recycled.

The UQ Public Place Recycling Program will officially be launched on March 4 at UQ St Lucia’s Grassy Knoll.

UQ is a signatory to two international declarations under which it has committed to reduce the University’s environmental footprint.

This significant push towards sustainability (www.uq.edu.au/sustainability) is being seen in both the University’s own operational practices, and in a continued emphasis in these fields in UQ teaching and research.

Media: Caroline Bird, UQ Communications, +61 7 3365 1931; Leigh Burgess, UQ Property & Facilities, +61 7 3365 7580