The Drop for Good ‘Toolkit’: Empowering Other Institutions to Reduce Student Flatting Waste

Empowering Other Institutions to Reduce Student Flatting Waste

Abstract

A reuse scheme such as Drop for Good achieves circularity within a student flatting community. This ‘how to’ guide on the running of Drop for Good exists to ensure the initiatives continued success and empower other institutions to reduce student flatting waste. The handbook provides guidance around the important relationships, messages and features of a tertiary reuse scheme. Insights from semi-structured interviews with experts in zero-waste and community engagement have informed these recommendations. Surveys conducted on Otago students and event volunteers revealed the initiative’s strengths and determined the Drop for Good ‘wish list’. The key questions of this study are: What are the possible models for a tertiary reuse scheme? How can we best engage students in the circular economy? What are the potential barriers to implementing a reuse scheme at other tertiary institutions? How can Drop for Good become more accessible to students at Otago University? Keeping materials circulating and functioning at their highest potential helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the creation and distribution of goods. The primary aim of this research is to empower other tertiary institutions to challenge students’ linear thinking and reduce waste created by student flatting.

Supervised by: Jesikah Triscott, Ray O’Brien