Tourism and Events students and Our Kinds (OK) – a Perth-based business determined to make single-use takeaway cups redundant – recently joined forces as part of an exercise to change the behaviours of coffee consumers on Murdoch’s South St campus.
The students were required to design, develop and deliver an event on the theme: One new habit, OK? to incentivise customers at Café Kadjininy to adopt more sustainable behaviours.
Over a two-hour period, students asked patrons who usually purchase hot drinks in a disposable cup to instead use a ceramic mug, which they were then asked to return. A range of incentives were offered, and Our Kinds (OK) provided information on its global mission to support the transition away from single-use cups.
Murdoch staff Kim Culver and Yohai Okamoto swapped single use cups for ceramic mugs as part of the sustainability initiative.
Murdoch Pro Vice Chancellor Sustainability Martin Brueckner opened the event, which was supported by Café Kadjininy; the Student Guild; School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences; and sponsored by Our Kinds (OK), City of Melville, European Foods, Garden Eats and Northbridge Coffee Roasters.
“While Murdoch has always been associated with the environment and conservation, our new Strategy challenges us to achieve truly sustainable campuses - including a commitment to achieving zero per cent waste to landfill by 2030,” he said.
Senior Lecturer in Tourism Diane Lee said the students had led by example, developing a regenerative strategy that educated and motivated changes to business and community behaviours, values and understanding of sustainability.
“We hope to shift behaviours so that everyone who participated in the activity on the day are now using ceramic mugs or keep cups when they purchase a coffee on campus,” she said.
Associate Professor Brueckner also reminded the community that 5 June is World Environment Day, with the theme #BeatPlasticPollution.
“Our students have demonstrated what can be done to support and encourage behavioural change through this exercise,” he said. “Ultimately, it will be actions big and small that will have the positive impact we need to reduce plastic waste and protect our environment.”
Feature picture caption: Pro Vice Chancellor Sustainability Martin Brueckner (left) with participants in the One new habit, OK? student initiative at Murdoch University.