This semester, as part of the Green Reps, I learned a lot about waste, recycling, and compost. As part of the program, I participated in a composting campaign and audit in the Dining Hall. This is my second blog post, where I share my experience volunteering in uOttawa's Dining Hall.  In February, a team of Green Reps students volunteered for two days in the Dining Hall to help audit the compost created by consumers and to encourage behaviour change.  Why is a compost campaign and audit necessary? Most students know that the dining hall is zero waste, meaning that the only waste stream available is compost. This has positively affected the quantity of waste produced in the dining hall, but it hasn’t eliminated the problem of food waste. There seems to be a common misconception that composting is a good solution. Don't get me wrong, it is the best solution of all waste and recycling streams (and you should absolutely compost all of your food scraps), but that doesn't mean th...

A few weeks ago, on March 20th, I attended the Period Project ’s Reusable Menstrual Product Info Session. I walked in not knowing what to expect. I imagined graphic diagrams and tense, uncomfortable faces and strained conversations, but I found none of these things. The attendees were a mix of staff and students, some longtime reusable-loving folks, and others who had never tried a reusable product. It was a really cool mix and made for some great conversation. Here’s everything you need to know about The Period Project’s Reusable Menstrual Product Info Session and why you should sign up for the next one! Info session intro The info session kicked off with a game of sustainability jeopardy, led by Reanna from the Student Health and Wellness- Sexual Health- volunteer team. Reanna asked us questions about menstrual products and sustainability and if we got them right, we got a prize. Did you know that it takes a tampon 500 years to decompose? I certainly didn’t but after I learned that f...

This semester, as part of the Green Reps, I learned a lot about waste, recycling, and compost. As part of the program, I participated in a composting campaign and audit in the Dining Hall. This will be a two part blog, where I first talk about the problems of food waste, and then I'll share my experience volunteering in uOttawa's Dining Hall.  To start off, when I talk about food waste, I mean what is edible food that is not eaten, but instead is discarded into the compost or landfill. I am not talking about the smaller percentage of items that is inedible such as bones or banana peels.  How Bad is Food Waste Really? Food waste is one of the top contributors of greenhouses gasses and a huge source of emissions causing climate change. When food is wasted, it releases a gas called methane as it decomposes. This gas is extremely harmful to the atmosphere and has a large impact on the environment as well as the food supply chain, cost of food, and food security (Sanders, 2021). Wo...