The CIVIQ and Elkay H2O HEROES Competition – University Edition received excellent response from different universities across Australia. CIVIQ is extremely proud that these universities are similarly invested in providing clean, fresh and filtered drinking water to their students and staff, inculcating the habit of responsible water use, and promoting sustainability while working towards eliminating single-use plastic on the campus.
Congratulations to the winners!
University of Sydney Union
“The USU is committed to a sustainable future for our campus community and has made commitments ensuring sustainability is embedded into everything we provide – from our events and cafés to our student programs and facilities.
“In our effort to become more sustainable we have partnered with companies who share a similar social, environment and ecological goals and we see CIVIQ as one of the key partners.”
University of Technology Sydney
“In 2019, UTS celebrated the opening of our newest campus building UTS Central. The public food court in the building was designed to phase out single-use plastics in response to environmental concerns of staff and students.
“Staff and students are encouraged to bring their own reusable cups, containers and cutlery. All takeaway food packaging is commercially compostable (a mix of cardboard, paper, bamboo and PLA) and all drink containers are recyclable glass, aluminium and paper board.
“We are estimating that in the first year of operation, we’ll be converting around 19 tonnes of food waste into usable compost, by diverting food scraps and packaging to be commercially composted rather than added to landfill.
“UTS has a commitment, responsibility and capacity to act and be an actor of change. UTS is educating the next generation of leaders and as such has a responsibility to ensure graduates are equipped with good knowledge and understanding of responsible and sustainable business practices.”
TAFE NSW
“We have solar panels, we have recycling bins, we use recycled cups for takeaway coffee service. We are attempting to improve our sustainability practices. We practice love food hate waste. We use Criso for recycling and cleaning of grease traps, we have water tanks on campus.”
WA College of Agriculture Denmark
“Our campus is located on the southern coast of Western Australia; as a town, we have dispensed with single use plastic bags in our shops and at events. Our college has aligned itself with those values and continues to strive for a reduced environmental footprint with regards water consumption with the installation of showerheads that run at 7 litres per minute and educating students in the art of showering and reduced water usage.
“We no longer use plastic water bottles and encourage all students and staff to carry reusable 2-litre bottles. Our goal for the future is to install water tanks and retrofit our commercial laundry, showers and toilets to reduce our use of the reticulated supply. We intend to throw our environmental net wide and capture all the opportunities available to us to reduce our utility use and educate, with the installation of solar panels and supporting a local shire project to recycle wastewater by reticulating it onto pasture for our crops and animal production.
“We are taking responsibility for our future by making changes across our campus that demonstrate the best way forward to our students and staff. A recently formed Sustainability Committee will hold us accountable and harness the minds of the environmental leaders of tomorrow: Our students.”
James Cook University Student Association (JCUSA)
“TropEco, which is a department of James Cook University, is about all of us creating a culture of sustainability at JCU. TropEco celebrates Sustainability in Action by creating opportunities and recognition for JCU sustainability ideas and assisting JCU to implement waste reduction, reuse and recycling programs and to educate and change behaviours with students and staff on waste management.
“Single use plastic is being phased out. Straws were banned on campus at least 2 years ago. JCU has a War on Waste program. This exists to reduce the 700,000kg of waste JCU sends to landfill every year and to increase the recycling rate from 20%. The goal is 70% recycling rate.
“Help us reach 70%.”
