No More Plastic: Disposable bottles banned at Sapienza conferences and ceremonies
Sapienza has approved a series of initiatives promoting environmental sustainability as per the agreement signed at the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI) with the Marevivo Association and the National Interuniversity Consortium for Sciences (CONISMA) to join the #StopSingleUsePlastic Campaign.
“The Plastic Free Programme,” explains Rector Gaudio, “is part of a series of initiatives in favour of environmental sustainability that reach beyond this fundamental challenge. We are committed to jointly coordinating actions even on the issues of energy with a far-reaching plan for conversion to renewable energy, waste and even on the didactic front with a project for lessons on environmental sustainability in all degree programmes.”
The Sapienza programme, which was approved by the Academic Senate on April 16, includes a wide range of activities:
- Distribution of metal water bottles to all new students to disincentivise the use of disposable mineral water bottles. The metal water bottles will be provided for free during the Open Doors Event and they will also be available in the Sapienza Store;
- Increase the number of water fountains without plastic cups present on campus;
- Install coffee machines that promote the use of personal cups;
- Present an award to food services operating at the university that ban disposable plastic.
Moreover, Sapienza will also ban plastic water bottles and glasses from speaker panels at all university conferences, the Sapienza Store will gradually make all gadgets eco-compatible and all university stationery will also be plastic-free.
Sapienza aims to act before the “European Strategy for Plastic” may be approved starting in 2021 that will ban a wide range of disposable plastic objects. “Starting from the next academic year, there will be an integrated course on sustainability science in all faculties,” adds Livio de Santoli, Deputy Rector for Energy Policy. Moreover, starting in January six work groups will address fundamental sustainability issues: waste, food, sustainable mobility and energy.