Background
We all know that waste is a problem. Each of us in Canada was responsible for an average of 694 kg of solid waste in 2018, and we generate among the most garbage of any country in the world . Most of us want to do better, but it isn’t easy in a world where so much is disposable, packaging is ubiquitous, and recycling isn’t as easy as it should be.
Many of the barriers to better waste diversion are not related to awareness and education. For example, we can’t find an organic waste bin for our banana peel, or the recycling bin for our pop can is down the hall but there is a garbage bin beside our desk, or maybe the recycling container is always overflowing. A community-based social marketing approach starts by identifying the specific and indivisible behaviour to target3 . Through research, observations and engaging with target populations, this approach aims to identify the barriers and the benefits to the desired behaviours. Strategies that specifically address those barriers and reinforce the benefits can then be tested, evaluated and if appropriate, expanded.
In 2017, the University of Waterloo committed to diverting 60% of its waste by 2025 and 90% of its waste by 2035, thereby achieving a zero-waste designation. This goal also furthers the University’s work on UN Sustainable Development Goal 12: responsible consumption and production.
The Shift Zero action plan outlines the need for major shifts in campus operations and user behaviour if we are to achieve this objective. Yet despite updated and enhanced waste sorting receptacles, reuse programs, and engagement campaigns, the diversion rate was not approaching where we aim to be in less than 5 years.
The University of Waterloo is therefore looking for a study of the student barriers to waste reduction and diversion on campus.
Scope of Work Could Include
- Conduct a literature review on the barriers to waste diversion on campuses and in large institutions.
- Identify UW student barriers to a specific type of waste diversion (eg paper recycling or pop can recycling)
- Recommend and/or implement strategies for identifying student barriers to waste diversion on our campus.
- Develop recommendations for addressing barriers that are unrelated to awareness.
- Make recommendations for how to measure the impact of waste diversion measures.
- Make other recommendations for how to increase waste diversion by students on campus based on best practices at other major institutions.
Resources
The Sustainability Office can share:
- Shift Zero waste diversion strategy
- Report on “Integrating Community‐Based Social Marketing Theory to Improve Waste Sorting Behaviour at the University of Waterloo”
- Campus waste audit data
- Outcomes of previous waste surveys
Stakeholders
- Sustainability Office
- Plant Operations Custodial Services
Proposed Deliverables
The details of the deliverables are flexible but must meet the requirements set out by the course instructor. Some proposed deliverables include:
- A work plan early in the term outlining key milestones and responsibilities.
- Updates on progress at least once during the term.
- A final report that includes outcomes of the project.
- A final meeting to review the outcomes of the report and answer questions.
1 https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-indicators/solid-wastediversion-disposal.html
2 https://www.statista.com/statistics/689809/per-capital-msw-generation-by-country-worldwide/
3 https://sustainability.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/Guide%20to%20CommunityBased%20Social%20Marketing.pdf