With thousands of students moving on and off campus every year, universities across the country face a recurring waste problem. Despite tight budgets and student needs, discarded items end up in landfills every year. To try and combat the problem, the University of Ottawa's office of campus sustainability opened the Free Store. What started in 2006 as a series of donation tables and pop-up give-away events has evolved into a popular brick-and-mortar centre for reuse and recycling, supporting the university community's sustainability efforts.
"Our mission was two-fold," said Angela Plant, supervisor of the store. "We wanted to tackle the issue of excessive waste during student move-outs, and at the same time, address the financial struggles that many students face."
For more information
350 Albert Street, suite 1710
Ottawa Ontario
Canada K1R 1B1
www.universityaffairs.ca
