University of Washington
Join Us for Zero Waste Week
April 14th-21st
This campus-wide challenge will teach you, step-by-step, how to produce less waste and support the circular economy in Seattle!
Upcoming Events
Orientation
Sunday, April 14th, 2pm
Join us for a Zoom session on how to get ready for your zero waste week.
Panel: Reducing Food Waste
Monday, April 15th, 1-2pm
*This is a hybrid event
On-campus location: HUB 334
Join us to learn how you can make a difference in reducing food waste and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Attend this event for a chance to win a farm box from Full Circle!
Circular Economy Roundtable
Tuesday, April 16th, 6-7:30pm
*This is a hybrid event
On-campus location: PACCAR 392
Hear from speakers on how to make our currently resource-hungry economy more sustainable.
Attend this event for a chance to win laundry detergent and dishwasher soap from Blueland!
Repairing Our Way Out of the Waste Crisis
Wednesday, April 17th, 6-7pm
*This is a hybrid event
On-campus location: Savery Hall 158
Learn about some of the benefits of repairing and gain insight into policymaking pertaining to the right to repair, and get connected with the local repair economy.
Attend this event for a chance to win a screwdriver set from UW Surplus!
Waste Justice Student Discussion
Friday, April 19th, 4-5pm
On-campus location: John M. Wallace Hall (Room 120)
Come to learn about waste justice issues in Seattle and beyond, eat snacks, and meet some of the members of the Student Partners Organizing for Representation in Environmental Studies (SPORES)!
End of Challenge and Earth Day Celebration
Monday, April 22nd, 12-1:30pm
On-campus location: John M. Wallace Commons
Come celebrate and reflect on the end of the challenge with us! Play trivia, win prizes, eat food, and have tons of fun. No RSVP required, just show up for however long you can!
How it works
Do your best to avoid trash and recycling for one week and collect any waste you do create to review at the end of the week.
What counts as waste?
Any new thing you acquire during the week including wrappers, bags, containers, receipts, and food scraps (if you don’t have access to a compost).
Exceptions
Waste from your work and waste associated with medications etc. don’t count. Keep yourself healthy and continue taking any medication you need to feel your best, without worrying about the trash.
Sign Up
Sign up
Get Resources
learn from resources
Build Momentum
etcetera
Why zero waste?
Learn how to take concrete action on waste and climate issues
Waste isn’t just about trash. From extraction to disposal, our materials economy sits at the root of climate change and environmental breakdown. Learn what you can do in your own life to reduce waste and build momentum for a zero waste future at the university and in the city.
45%
of GHG emissions come from the production of stuff we consume
32 lbs
of waste are created upstream for every pound of trash we throw out
Join the challenge to win a prize!
Frequently asked questions
Still have questions?
If you cannot find an answer to your question in our FAQ, you can always contact us
and we will answer as soon as we can.
Challenge Team:
Team Lead
Event Manager
Social Media and Content Coordinator
Outreach Coordinator
Outreach Coordinator
Technology Officer
Social Media and Content Coordinator
Business Partnership Lead