QUT's commitment to sustainability will be showcased during the university's inaugural Sustainability Week 23 – 27 August.
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability Strategy) Professor Kerrie Wilson said the week offered students and staff alike the opportunity to better understand how they as individuals, and the university, could become more sustainable.
"The week celebrates our sustainability successes be it in research, on-campus management activities or in our personal lives," Professor Wilson said.
"Every day we all make decisions that have an impact on our planet – from the food we consume and clothes we wear through to the choice of lighting in our buildings and the ways we deal with waste.
"Sustainability Week enables us to hear from experts from both outside and within the university to guide us towards a future that's about living in harmony with our planet."
QUT Sustainability Manager, Leigh Burgess said QUT Sustainability Week offered an opportunity for all staff and students to fly the flag for sustainability.
"Innovative artwork in the form of a Bin Chicken made from reclaimed waste will be a talking point on our Gardens Point campus, while a variety of research topics will be explored during Conversations @ The Cube," Ms Burgess said.
"Interactive programs like Sulitest test our awareness of sustainable development while QuestaGame enables staff and students to take part in a university bioQuest challenge to identify flora and fauna."
Monday 23 August will see Minister for the Environment and Great Barrier Reef Meaghan Scanlon open Sustainability Week with an update on the Queensland Government's plastic reduction strategy at a lunchtime Dreaming of a Waste Free World lecture.
World's Biggest Garage Sale entrepreneur Yasmin Grigaliunas will be joined by QUT researchers who will share waste reduction strategies.
QUT Centre for a Waste-Free World director Professor Leonie Barner will challenge some waste and recycling beliefs at the event.
"Recycling is not the best option for dealing with waste," Professor Barner said. "Top of the waste hierarchy is reuse and other options like refurbishing and repurposing goods," Professor Barner said.
"Before throwing something out to landfill stop and think how it could be reused by you or via an op shop or could you use it for a different purpose."
She said waste and recycling industries contributed more than 2 per cent to Australia's greenhouse gas emissions and the supermarkets' provision of soft plastic collection is a move in the right direction as soft plastic can be recycled into other products.
The entrepreneurial theme continues on Tuesday when QUT's Pro Vice-chancellor (Entrepreneurship) Professor Rowena Barrett talks with QUT student entrepreneurs from Down2Earth, an organisation that is funded through the return of 10 cent cans and bottles to help the homeless through food, mobility and other assistance programs.
Wednesday 25 August sees leading climate scientist Professor Tim Flannery provide a keynote address on what COVID-19 teaches us about dealing with climate change. Register here
Biodiversity is highlighted on Thursday with tree planting at QUT's Kelvin Grove campus and a tour of the university's Samford Ecological Research Facility where QUT's Elder in Residence Uncle Cheg will be joined by Leeton Lee from Firesticks to talk about the importance of connection to country, custodianship of the land and working to protect our environment for future generations. Book here
Friday 27 August sees opportunities to test drive QUT's electric vehicle, a biodiversity tour of QUT's Kelvin Grove campus with a spotlight on the story behind the university tree sculptures and a QUT Guild documentary night.
The QUT Student Guild brings the week to a conclusion with environmental influencer Asher Bowen-Saunders providing a talk on how the live 'The Waste Free Way' by incorporating waste free principles into everyday life.
