Sustainable September: Week 2

Welcome to Week 2 of Sustainable September!

The first week of the Sustainable September has been great! People got engaged, spread the word and brought their own cup. We saved at least 87 to-go cups from the bin! We hope that you have been inspired by how small steps can make our working lives more sustainable. The poster in the cafe will stay up for all of sustainable september, so keep going to make sure it becomes a habit!

First sticker on Monday 87 stickers on Friday

Last week we have been focussing on reducing a form of waste - the disposable cup. This week we will be focussing on reducing even more, reusing and recycling our waste in the building. We’ve all probably heard this term hundreds of time - so much that we might not even pay attention to thinking of new ways to do this.

Here are some ways you can reduce, reuse and recycle this week. Share your efforts with #sustainableseptember

1. Participate in the waste survey

First off, we want to understand a bit better about the problems you face on a daily basis with waste at UN city. Confused about which bin? Frustrated about things that you can’t recycle? Tell us in our quick survey here.

2. Quick tips for recycling at UN city

• To-go coffee cups, milk cartons and soft plastic (bags, cling-wrap etc.) cannot be recycled and must go in general waste

• Coffee capsules can be recycled! There is a separate bin for these in the waste sorting area on the ground floor

• Clothes can also be recycled in the waste sorting area

• Paper must be recycled separately from stiff cardboard

• Any rubbish that ends up in the wrong recycling bin, or items that are not clean, may lead to the whole batch having to be thrown in general waste as it is contaminated - try and make sure you rinse out any food remnants, or keep lids on bottles and jars

3. Hold a plastic-free meeting

Plastic pollution can lead to an increased transmission of malaria, toxic air pollution and is even found in the food we eat - read more about it in the UNEP report.

Is there a weekly meeting in your finger where you share food together? Can you set yourself a challenge to hold a “plastic free” meeting where all the food and drink you bring is plastic free, and avoid using disposable cutlery, plates or napkins? Share your success with the hashtag #sustainableseptember

4. Take it home

Have you caught zero-waste fever? How about going one step further and trying out these different ways to reduce the waste you produce in the first place at home and around Copenhagen.📷

• Do your grocery shopping at Løs market– the first supermarket in Copenhagen where you can buy dry goods, fruit & veg, toiletries and household supplies packaging free! 📷

• Go plastic-free (or if that seems too ambitious, try cutting out some single-use plastic in your life) check out this blog for 100 ways to reduce your plastic use. 📷

• Confused about recycling at home? Have a look at this handy guide in English written by a fellow Copenhagen dweller

• Check out your local Red Cross thrift shop or flea market when you next need a new dress, cooking pot or bookshelf – you never know what treasures you’ll find, and you’ll save money and waste too!📷

*Who is running Sustainable September?*

Sustainable September is initiated and run by United Interns of Copenhagen. Think of us as the staff association for interns: we run events and connect interns with one another at UN city. Find out more on our website and keep up to date with all things sustainable september through our instagram account.

#uninterns #sustainableseptember