According to the EPA, 267.8 million tons of trash were generated and 139.6 million tons of that went to landfills. The average person produces 4.51 lbs of waste per day, while only recycling 35.2% of that waste. 75% of the food that could be composted ends up in landfills (EPA, 2017). Out of the 267.8 million tons of waste generated in 2017, almost 30% of that was made up of containers and packaging. Together, we can reduce this waste and be more intentional with the waste that we do generate.

 

Green Week 2020 is hoping to educate students on the importance of waste reduction and provide them some simple tips to reduce the amount of waste that they generate per day. Common examples are avoiding plastic packaging in supermarkets, using reusable water bottles and coffee cups, bringing your own, reusable straw, and bringing your own bag to the grocery store. However, we know that in today’s society it is almost impossible to completely avoid excess packaging and single-use plastics. Therefore, through this event, we will offer students a handful of feasible reuse ideas such as crafting planters out of aluminum cans and making reusable grocery bags out of old tshirts. Our goal is to inspire new and innovative ways for the students to find reuse possibilities in their everyday lives and promote a culture of waste reduction.