University College Cork saw a 20% increase in reusable cups use once it installed cup cleaning stations on campus.
The aim should be to move away from being waste managers and become waste preventers instead. Recycling and Reduction are great first steps but a true sustainability plan requires more.
It is important to identify unique opportunities to eliminate trash and recover resources that still have value, create environmental interventions that address underlying reasons of waste generation, as well as create strategic partnerships where resources can be reused.
Let's also not forget we need to lead by example: Organization values and leadership behaviors have great influence on employee actions.