Reduce and Re-use

Reduce, Re-use.....

Reducing the production of waste has been our number one environmental aim over the past few years.

For more details on different initiatives see under Waste section on our main Sustainable Development Website.

A few notable re-duce and re-use campaigns in the college are shown below.


Reduce waste into landfills - Compost Project 

Our compost on campus has gone under much improvement since its startup, with Grade 3’s, Grade 5’s and gardening groups on campus all contributing to the compost bins, we should have a great deal of soil aid to feed our plants. Our fruit and veg scraps, coffee and various other compostable foods that we have on campus is all put on the compost pile. So the food we do waste doesn't go to waste.  The incredible edible and campus gardening teams then use the school compost to feed our plants! 

Conscious Consumption - The 'Really Really Free Market' 

What started out as a pilot project by the now-disbanded environmental service, a new service has been created to reduce the cycle of waste and to educate others on the harmful effects of fast fashion. The Really Really Free Market collect, clean and hold free markets for unwanted goods in the community that can be passed onto others that can use them! Look out for their next collection or event! 

Boomerang Bags

Concerned by the unnecessary number of plastic bags given out at stores in Singapore, we researched different ways to combat this problem. We realised that our school is a large contributor to the problem and searched for ways to change the culture of consumption in our school. We came across a Boomerang Bags Facebook ad and were immediately intrigued by it. After further research, we knew that the Boomerang Bags model was perfectly suited to be implemented in school. It appealed to us because it is primarily a grassroots, community-focused initiative that can foster a community of passionate like-minded people. We were also excited by the prospect of reusing fabric and reducing potential landfill waste.

Perspectives Article 

Reduce Soil Waste and breakdown - Reuse space - Aeroponics 

The incredible edibles team has set up a new aeroponic growing system in the tent plaza. Aeroponic growing systems are an advanced subcategory of hydroponics, the soil less growing of plants. These plants grow their roots in a soil alternative called rockwool. Then, a solution of water and nutrients are pumped to the top of the plant tower and tickled down the inside, evenly spread over the exposed plant roots.

The nutrient solution we add to the tower nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are needed to encourage plant cell tissue development to aid healthy growth! 

What are the benefits? 

- Uses Less Space and  Less Water 

 - Because pesticides usage is not a requirement, and soil is not used, chemicals are not widely entering natural ecosystems and our diets. 

This lets us grow plants with 98% less water is vertical growing spaces. And because there's no soil, there's no weeding, pests or contaminated soil! 

LEAF GC return stalls 

This group run rentable crockery stalls at events like UN Night, Community Fair and most GC events have stopped using disposables. LEAF and The Middle School Environmental Stewardship Council also run the Lost and Found stalls at the end of terms to reduce material thrown away.

UWCSEA has partnered with Sodexo to reduce the amount of disposable packaging on campus and encourage use of re-usables such as Melamine pasta bowls. They also offer a $1 discount on drinks for those that BYO mugs.

 Disposable Cups for hot and cold drinks sold at Sodexo outlets in campus are now fully compostable - even the ones that look like the old plastic ones! While we are working with partners Sodexo to always reduce the amount of disposables, these are definitely a step forward. Sodexo are also looking into purchasing our own Biodigester so the cups can be properly composted with our food waste. Check out this video from a trial we just carried out with packaging partners TRIA and Biodigester company BIOMAX.
 In the meantime don't forget you can get $1 off your drinks at the cafe by bringing in your own mug/cup. The profit from higher cost for drinks in disposables is 'ring-fenced' by our operations department for environmental projects on campus, but in creating a zero-waste culture BYO is certainly the option we want to encourage.