Syracuse Sun

According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, scientists estimate there will be more plastics by weight than fish in the ocean by 2050. World Refill Day, a campaign to reduce plastic waste that was celebrated this past Sunday, is a reminder of the simple ways individuals can transition away from single-use plastics toward more sustainable systems.

Eat, drink and shop with less waste in the following ways:

Bring your reusable water bottle with you and look for refill stations. Coffee or tea drinker? Find places that offer discounts or rewards for bringing in your own reusable cup. When you head to the grocery store, don’t forget to bring your reusable bags and use reusable items to store your perishable items like fruits and vegetables. Switch to glass instead of plastic containers when packing your lunch or packing away those leftovers.

Committed to advancing its own sustainability efforts, the University has already taken steps to reduce its plastic footprint by releasing its Plastic Reduction Plan. The plan outlines how the University will work to drastically reduce the use of single-use plastics by the 2027-28 academic year.

Helping the University meet its goals, University community members can take advantage of more sustainable options on campus as it relates to beverages. Refilling reusable water bottles on campus is easier than ever with a feature on the University’s interactive campus map showing exact locations of bottle filling stations.

More of a coffee or tea person? Did you know that Food Services offers discounts for those with reusable mugs? At campus cafés, when you bring your own mug for a fill-up, you receive a 10% discount. If you join the mug club, you receive a 20% discount plus one free fill-up on Fridays when using your mug club cup! Find a café near you.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about what you can do to help reduce our plastic consumption, email the Sustainability Management team at sustain@syr.edu.