Students' efforts go to “waste”

It’s not uncommon to hear trash talk in Todd Thexton’s classes.

No, not that kind of trash talk.

We’re talking of course about waste – discarded items destined to be recycled, composted or sent to landfill.

And waste – or more specifically a waste audit – was the topic of study for his Bachelor of Business Administration students.

As part of their undergraduate program, they audited Royal Roads University’s trash, recycling, and compost streams as part of a project to reduce university plastic waste on campus.

The audits happen every three years, but this was the first to be done by students.

"The BBA is an extraordinary,​ project-based program. It’s a roll-up-your-sleeves sort of education squarely focused on social and environmental justice,” Thexton says.

Waste diversion and reducing waste-related emissions are a key to RRU's Climate Action Plan.

The waste audit looked at RRU’s waste, recycling, and compost streams for the biggest challenges and opportunities while stretching BBA students beyond a traditional business focus, Thexton says.

It showed them how to track and handle the environmental impacts caused by a product or service from start to finish.

The students' research resulted in key recommendations to improve waste management and reduction from source reduction, to training, bin design, communications and awareness, says Maria Bremner, climate and sustainability manager.

"Our Climate Action Plan is amplifying action through education, partnerships, collaboration and research. This program is just an extraordinary example of that."

Learn more about the Bachelor of Business Administration program.