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This Earth Day theme is Planet vs. Plastic, and at Lancing College, we’re working to reduce single-use plastic and encourage all our community members to think consciously about their consumption throughout their lives.
In our most recent edition of The Quad, we discussed the sustainable considerations we have prioritised as part of the introduction of our new pupil space, Fives Café. Read on to learn all about our Cup Design Competition, which combines our students’ artistic talents with their awareness and care for the world they inhabit.
The Problem
It's mind-boggling to think that less than 1% of takeaway cups are recycled. In the UK alone, we consume a staggering 2.5 billion of these cups every year. Consider the fact that these cups, lined with plastic, are used for mere minutes but end up in landfills, incineration facilities, streets, or even the ocean. Such a wasteful and unsustainable use of resources!
As our new café nears its final stages of construction, we are taking great care to consider every detail. Our aim is to be as environmentally sustainable as possible. That's when we came across "Huskup," a company with a mission to replace single-use disposables and minimise their impact.
The Solution: Huskup’s Sustainable Mission
Huskup goes beyond simply creating an alternative to plastic cups. They have chosen to use rice husks, one of the world's most abundant food waste materials, as the primary material for their coffee cups. These cups are completely free from plastic and can fully biodegrade at the end of their life cycle. Even reheating them in the microwave poses no risk of harmful substances leaching into your drink.
The production, transportation, and disposal processes for single-use cups require vast amounts of non-renewable resources. Thankfully, influential figures like Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Sir David Attenborough have raised public awareness about the issue of single-use plastics and inspired consumers to demand change.
We are thrilled to announce that we will be introducing the 'Huskup' in our new café. Furthermore, our pupils were given a unique opportunity to design the exterior of these cups.
Cup Design Competition
Over the past few weeks, pupils have been putting their creative skills to work to design the outside of the new cups. After careful consideration by our judging panel, three winners were selected whose designs will be produced and used in our Fives Café from September.
We received an impressive array of designs, making the task of selecting winners quite challenging. Nevertheless, we extend our congratulations to Ellie F-S, Jorja S, and Alysha H for their exceptional designs.
We eagerly anticipate seeing your ‘Huskups’ in our cafe very soon!
Sustainable Actions across the College
Lancing College's dedication to sustainable practice and reducing plastic pollution doesn't just start and end with coffee cups though ... our Commercial Manager, Karen Ford, has been sourcing College uniforms from reputable, industry leading, environmental suppliers for years.
David Luke
David Luke, our Eco uniform supplier, has pioneered the use of recycled polyester in their Eco-Uniform range for over a decade. During that time, they have prevented over 46 million 2-litre plastic bottles (all post-consumer waste) from entering landfill.
William Turner
William Turner provides the College with high quality ties. Each tie is made from a single recycled bottled, giving new life to wasteful single-use plastic.
Pre-Loved Shop
Karen runs a pre-loved shop for school uniform, returning 50% of all sales back to the original purchaser. This system encourages pupils to take good care of their clothing, a life long skill that will no doubt contribute to downward consumption trends in future years.
Plastic-Free Education
Whilst this article does not provide an exhaustive list of all the ways in which the Lancing College community put the Earth first, it does highlight how every day, not just on Earth Day Lancing College is dedicated to reducing plastic waste and single-use plastic.
To learn how you can also reduce your single use plastic, and contribute to Earth Day's mission of Planet vs Plastic, visit the organisations web page here.