A Zoomer is a member of Generation-Z, which is defined as anyone born in the mid-to-late 1990s through to the mid-2000s and early 2010s. Spanning primary and secondary school students through to university undergraduates, as a cohort, they list action on climate change as one of their top priorities.
Zoomers are shaping the very institutions they attend with their awareness of social justice and concern for our environment. Not only are they highly literate in environmental issues, many will be educated in institutions that showcase cutting-edge green technologies.
The University of the West of England Bristol's approach encompasses upgrading lighting systems and installing charging points for electric cars. Glasgow Caledonian University uses smart 'dynamic demand' technology in its Saltire Centre, which if widely adopted could be a technology that can nudge us towards a carbon-free future.
For immediate and low-cost impact, addressing food waste through the introduction of composting in the school canteen and making sustainable choices for packaging and food service materials will help reduce pollution from single-use plastics and divert food waste from landfill, reducing emissions of the greenhouse gas methane.
How Can Your Campus Go Green?
Schools and universities are great environments to close the loop on our waste cycle. By adopting compostable packaging and utensils we can achieve a cleaner recycling stream and send less waste to landfill.
Compostable Raw Materials
Sustainable options for conventional plastic items are readily available. Look for compostable alternatives made from sustainably sourced and rapidly renewable materials like sugarcane, FSC™ (License code FSC™ C110879) certified wood or BioPlastic that are certified either home or industrially compostable. These materials can reduce your carbon footprint and the certification supports the growth of the local composting infrastructure, creating jobs and enhancing soil.
Carbon Neutral Products
Another way to significantly reduce your impact on the planet is to look out for carbon neutral products. An increasing number of brands, like BioPak, are taking responsibility for the unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions created through the production, transportation and disposal of their products, by actively reducing their carbon footprint and purchasing carbon credits to offset the remaining CO2.
Tree-free Sugarcane
The first phase of the impending plastic bans focus on cutlery, stirrers and straws, but there are so many more compostable solutions that can be used. Sugarcane pulp bowls and containers offer a quality shape and feel and are 100% plastic-free. Sugarcane pulp is a waste product of the sugarcane industry that would have been otherwise burned and eases the demand for tree-based materials. Sugarcane packaging is functional and elegant. It can not only be shaped into any size but will also protect your food in transit, making it a diverse takeaway solution for any cuisine.
Start Composting
Check with your council if your packaging is accepted in your FOGO/Food bin or find speak to us about composting, to turn your food scraps and certified compostable packaging waste into nutrient-rich compost.