Mini diagram of ways that Purchase is working towards a circular economy.
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Mini diagram of ways that Purchase is working towards a circular economy.
Author: Giovanna Albanese
2024 Fall Sustainability Team Cohort
Major: Psychology
Graduation Date: Class of 2027
Working as a Zero Waste Intern has been an exciting learning experience. By attending meetings and working on a variety of tasks with other interns, I have been able to gain a deeper understanding of Purchase’s efforts in waste reduction. For example, I learned about the campus’ minimization of plastic, its use of the Rocket composter, and the Food Recovery Network. One experience that resonated with me is when I did compost tabling in the D-Hall because I enjoyed teaching others about what could be composted, and was happy knowing that I was actively playing a role in reducing the amount of food getting thrown away.
In the last few weeks of my internship, a project that I worked on was researching the meaning of circular economies, and the steps Purchase has taken so far to become one. Circular economies are systems that focus on reducing the environmental impact of production and consumption by adopting environmental habits to reduce waste and pollution, circulate materials, and regenerate nature through processes like reusing, recycling, repairing, and composting. Some examples of how Purchase is working towards a circular economy are by having the Food Recovery Network, the FreeStore, and the Native Plant Garden. Circular economies are important because they are another step towards making the Earth a cleaner and healthier planet.
