As SETU students and staff return to our campuses in the coming weeks, its a great time to remind each other how we can have a positive impact on the environment around us.
By being mindful and making small changes to your daily routine, you can have a real impact in shaping a more sustainable future. Here are eight ways you can be more sustainable while on campus at SETU.
1. Return your empty bottles and cans for cash
You can now bring along your empty and undamaged plastic bottles and cans to campus to claim back your deposit. Deposit Return Scheme machines have been installed on our Cork Road Campus in the canteen and in the Gallery Restaurant. You can then choose to spend your deposit in Centra or claim the cash back at the till.
2. BYOB – Bring your own bottle!
Why pay for a bottle of water when all SETU campuses have water refilling stations? Just bring your own reusable bottle to campus and fill up for free. You’ll save money and reduce your plastic waste.
3. 2GoCup Scheme
For just a €2 deposit, you can get your own 2GoCup, which is a reusable alternative to a takeaway coffee cup. Enjoy a takeaway coffee guilt-free, and when you’re finished, you can return the cup to any of the participating locations for your full deposit back, or you can swap your empty cup for a fresh one and keep the cycle going.
4. Save some cents off your coffee
Another alternative is to bring your own reusable coffee cup to campus. By eliminating the single-use takeaway cup, you’re saving the planet and your pocket! Some coffee shops across our campuses provide discounts of up to 20 cents off the price of your tea/coffee as a reward for bringing your own cup. It’s only small, but you know what they say: Count the pennies and the pounds take care of themselves!
5. Use public transport
As our campuses across the south east are well linked with bus routes, public transport is a great option to commute to university. In Carlow Town and Waterford City the local TFI buses stop right outside our campuses making it super handy for students. The local link stops a short walk from our campus in Wexford Town. Private bus companies also operate routes with stops at our campuses. These include JJ Kavanagh, Wexford Bus, Dublin Coach and Bus Éireann. Even better, if you are a full-time student, or a young adult aged between 19 and 25, you’ll qualify for a discounted fare using a Leap Card.
6. I want to ride my bicycle…
If like Queen, you want to ride your bicycle to campus, SETU has bike storage and plenty of places to lock up your bike.
If you don’t own a bike, don’t worry, you can rent one! In Waterford City you could sign up to the TFI Bike Scheme which conveniently has a bike station on our Cork Road campus. If you’re studying in Carlow and Wexford Town, you can rent the Bolt E-Bikes.
7. Wash and reuse
Want to get coffee number two of the day but your reusable cup is dirty? No hassle, we have a cup washer on our Cork Road Campus which will have your cup spotless and ready for its next coffee in 20 seconds.
8. Right rubbish, right bin!
With general waste, compost and recycling bins, it can be confusing to figure out what rubbish goes in which bin. With this in mind, bins across campuses have images and descriptions of how to sort your rubbish. This makes it super easy to sort your rubbish and to be more conscious of what you’re binning.
We've created a short TikTok video showcasing all of the ways you can be more sustainable. Check it out below: @SETUIreland.