Guest post by Phoebe Lee (MEd ‘24, Higher Education Administration)
Being sustainable can help you save money and improve your living standards. Here at UBC, sustainability and recycling are crucial to operations, as part of our commitment to climate action. From campus tips on sustainability to thrifting suggestions, read on to learn how to save money while saving the planet.
1. Swap items with others on campus
There are many opportunities on campus for students to purchase or donate second-hand items. For example, the UBC Free Store is a completely student-run place to recycle and circulate items. The annual UBC Mindful Market is also a great resource, allowing students to purchase items donated by students moving out of residence. Finding a second life for items is a great way to participate in the zero-waste lifestyle while benefiting other students. It also allows you to pause and think if you should throw something away or if you could donate it to help another student.
2. Check out Buy Nothing and Facebook groups
Before buying something brand new, check out your low-cost options. Buy Nothing Facebook groups are a wonderful place to find items for free (hence the name “Buy Nothing”). There are usually Buy Nothing pages for each community or neighbourhood, including one for people who live at UBC. These groups are especially helpful for parents who share clothes and toys as kids grow in and out of them. In addition, resale groups and Facebook Marketplace offer some second-hand items for very low prices.
3. Gifting items between friends
Sharing resources amongst friends can be a source of mutual support and a way to show you care. When you have run out of use for a particular item, ask your friends if they need it before throwing it out. Sometimes, you can trade or swap with a friend or even host an exchange party, where you can ask all your friends to bring items that they no longer use to exchange. Gifting old board games, unused puzzles, lightly worn books or even appliances can be a great way to both bond with friends and sustainably get items you need.
4. Getting books second-hand
Textbooks can be quite expensive and make your bills skyrocket. To save money and be more sustainable, try to purchase your textbooks second-hand. You can actually sell your textbooks back to the UBC bookstore and purchase textbooks that people have sold through the buyback program. There are specific buyback periods, so be sure not to miss those opening near the beginning of academic terms. In addition to the UBC bookstore, you can purchase second-hand books directly from your fellow students. UBC-specific textbook resale groups on Facebook can be a great way to connect with students looking to buy or sell second-hand.
5. Go thrifting
Thrifting can be a great way to explore your local community in Vancouver, while saving money on clothes or other household items. UBC’s own Get Thrifty is a student-run thrift shop on campus, where you can shop or consign and donate unneeded clothing and other items. The UNA offers a Green Depot that runs out of UBC's Wesbrook Village, which offers clothes as well as textbooks. There are also many local thrift stores in the neighbourhoods near UBC. West 4th and Broadway, and Main Street have many consignment stores for purchasing second-hand items.
6. Bring reusable containers
Reusable containers are another great way to save money while benefiting the environment. Due to recent laws, single-use plastic bags are no longer offered in Vancouver, and plastic containers for food are discouraged. Instead, we encourage students to bring their own containers both for food and for drinks on campus.
Some cafés at UBC offer reusable coffee cups to eliminate single-use coffee cups on campus. You can also have a positive impact by bringing your own coffee containers, food containers, reusable straws, and bags to save money on single-use containers.
There are several types of reusable containers, each with its pros and cons. Stainless steel and especially glass containers can be significantly heavier than plastic lunch containers. However, you can get fairly cheap stainless-steel containers on Main Street, which is about a 30 to 45-minute bus ride from campus. If you use plastic containers, make sure they are BPA-free and thus food-safe.
Also, if you have a reusable container, definitely take advantage of the multiple microwaves around campus. Available microwaves are a bit of a prized commodity, so definitely keep your eyes out for one if your container is microwave safe. The Graduate Life Centre has a kitchenette with a microwave and dining area, which is accessible to all graduate students using their UBC card.
7. Additional resources
For students considering exploring a zero-waste lifestyle, here are some additional resources on reusing and reducing waste as a UBC student, which has a lot of tips on how to reuse daily items:
- Metro Vancouver Repair and Rewear website, part of Zero 2040
- Sort it out game for waste on campus
- Zero-waste and thrift shopping in Vancouver
- Tips to reduce waste and purchase sustainably
- A-Z Recyclepedia
There are many advantages and benefits to reusing daily household items, and these tips can help you reduce costs as well as your impact on the planet. We hope this post gives you a few ideas that you can start incorporating into your own life.
Phoebe Lee was a WorkLearn at Graduate Studies (G+PS) until her graduation in 2024. This blog post was authored during her time as a WorkLearn.