Society Guide to #2023PlasticFree
Society Guide to #2023PlasticFree
This page contains guidance on how to make your society single-use plastic free and increase its sustainability profile. Many of you have asked how to ensure your events and socials are sustainable, and we are so excited to provide you with the resources and tools to make your society think consciously about its impact, (or lack of!) and offer you the support to become 100% single-use plastic free, in line with the University and Union’s joint pledge to phase out single-use plastic across the board by 2023.
To meet the University-wide pledge, students and LUU societies must be equal partners in the campaign to reduce the use of single-use plastic on campus. We asked a diverse range of society representatives, from Sports to Faith, what their biggest challenges of single-use plastic on campus were. In response to your concerns, we have designed a strategy that supports all students in tackling the challenges presented by single-use plastic.
What difference can my society make?
Plastic is harmful to the environment as it is non-biodegradable, taking years to disintegrate and thousands of years to decompose, thus contaminating our soil and water in the process. This impacts nature, humans and wildlife alike. If that was not enough, plastic contributes to greenhouse gas emissions at every stage of its lifecycle, from its production to its refining and the way it is managed as a waste product. Plastic production is increasing worldwide, and we must play our part to ensure it is consumed responsibly, if at all.
As a society representative, it is integral for you to be a part of this process and help pave the way to a more sustainable culture in LUU societies. Already, we have been successful in removing over a million pieces of single-use plastic from campus so far by adapting our internal processes and systems. However we now need your help.
Societies hold hundreds of events a year, and the amount of disposable cups, cutlery, decorations and other materials collectively adds up!
How can my society get involved?
There are two ways for a society to get involved in the #2023PlasticFree pledge:
- Pledge to consume no single-use plastic as a society as part of #2023PlasticFree
- Raise awareness on sustainability to your society committee & members.
Part 1: Becoming single-use plastic free
Being plastic free is not as difficult as it sounds, as we have provided the resources for you to integrate this seamlessly into your society life.
What is included in the #2023PlasticFree pledge?
Single-use plastic items are designed to be used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. These comprise polythene bags, plastic drinking bottles, plastic bottle caps, food wrappers, straws, and Styrofoam cups amongst others.
In society life it’s the little extras which go unnoticed; such as plastic wrapping around your society merchandise, or coffee cups bought on the way to away games.
Our research with over 150 students shows that in society life there are 5 overwhelming uses of single-use plastic:
- Disposable Cups and Cutlery
- Meal deals
- Disposable coffee cups
- Disposable drink bottles
- Society Merchandise (wrapped in single-use plastic packaging)
However, it’s not exclusive to this! Any single-use plastic that your society uses must be removed in order to be #2023PlasticFree…
How to eliminate these items from your society
Plastic Free Kit & Merchandise Suppliers
Did you know that you can get all of your kit & merchandise at LUU plastic free? Plus, LUU buys in bulk so is able to get a great price for your society.
Visit Gear to order your custom society merch.
Plastic Free Cups & Cutlery
Did you know that every LUU society can book rooms in both the University and Union free of charge? Both can provide you with reusable utensils for your event at no extra cost.
Plastic Free Coffee Cups
Did you know that you can buy reusable coffee cups at all the cafés on campus?
Your society members can buy the high quality, reusable KeepCups for just £6.50, and will receive a FREE hot drink with the purchase of the KeepCup. Plus, they will also receive 20p off their hot drink when using the KeepCup at any of the University’s outlets!
Responsible Sourcing: Food & Drink
The Green Action Food Coop: A volunteer-run organisation that exists to provide cost-price ethical food. Conveniently located on the lower level of the LUU union building you can get zero-waste food products that you can buy for your society event!
SCOOP Leeds: A zero-waste, non-profit, affordable sustainable shop run by Leeds students. Their supplies range from snacks to toiletries and pasta. They currently run as a pop-up shop, so follow their Instagram @scoopleeds to see where they will next appear!
Asda Middleton: Is your sports society looking for branded energy drinks which are single-use plastic free? Asda Middleton has partnered with popular brands to install new equipment at the store so customers can bring their own containers to fill up on items.
Headingley Greengrocers: Is your society big on cooking? Maybe you are stocking up on vegetables for a society weekend trip away? Check out Headingley Greengrocers for a community shop that’s committed to being low-to-no waste. All the produce is sold loose, so you can stock up on fresh fruit and veg without unnecessary plastic packaging.
Leeds Refills, Hyde Park Corner: This zero waste refill store has a full range of products from coffee beans, toiletries, cleaning supplies and dry food goods. If you want to provide snacks, coffee and tea for your society during events and socials, all you need to do is bring your own containers and have them refilled.
Responsible Sourcing: Costumes, Decorations and Art Materials
SCRAP: An eco-shop that sells low-cost creative supplies that would have otherwise been thrown away. Hundreds of tonnes of art supplies are now diverted from landfill each year, instead used for creative projects across Leeds. You’ll find colourful paper, piles of felts and fabrics.
Great for:
- Sustainable posters and campaigns materials
- Materials for costumes and stage props in performance societies
- Decorations for themed events & socials
Order online or visit them in store, visit their website to find out more.
Part 2: Raising awareness
As a University, Leeds is leading the way in sustainability through its Climate Plan with a view to securing a net-zero carbon footprint by 2030. We are proud that students are playing their part in reducing their plastic consumption, but it doesn’t have to stop there.
Sustainability needs to become something that we factor into our LUU society life, as a priority rather than an afterthought.
We have compiled a list of ideas on how your society can integrate sustainability into its agenda; raising awareness on sustainability and supporting our local community as well as the wider world:
Ideas:
- Sustainable committee training at start of year
How can your society embed this into the way they work? - Run a sustainability workshop or meeting to brainstorm sustainability ideas. You can use this to think about what environmental and social impacts your society has, and find out more about what issues your members are interested in addressing.
- Elect a designated sustainability committee member
This role can help design events and ensure that sustainability is not an extra but an integral part of society life. - Make sure you are disposing of all society waste correctly!
Contamination of recycling bins means the contents have to go to general waste and can’t be recycled. The Sustainability Service has put together a guide to explain what can and can’t go into specific bins, find it here.
Ideas for sustainable events
Great for bonding, to raise awareness, to make an environmental impact and can even be organised as sponsored events for charity!
- Member or committee litter picks around Hyde Park
- Organise a talk or screen a sustainability documentary
- Hold a swap event allowing students to exchange clothes or books they don’t need anymore (can also be done with society specific items if you know you have specific things which are necessary i.e. kit)
- Excursions to sustainability projects in Yorkshire, such as a nature reserves, wind parks, organic farms or a waste handling facilities
- Run a repair café that teaches students how to repair broken items
- Organise a ‘plogging run’ for your members to do sports and collect waste while running
- Collaborate with sustainability student groups or UoL management to organise sustainability information talks for students to learn more about sustainability topics, such as zero waste or the energy transition
Congratulations on starting your journey to becoming a sustainable and #2023PlasticFree LUU society!
This sustainability guidance was brought to you by joint effort of LUU and University of Leeds Sustainability Service. It is built upon LUU Societies Guide to #2023PlasticFree created by student sustainability architect.
To find out more about the plastic pledge, click here, and learn more about Sustainability at LUU here.
Any questions? Email sustainability@leeds.ac.uk, or for more guidance and advice on eliminating single use plastics from your society email plasticfree@leeds.ac.uk.
