Sustainability action can be as simple as collecting stationery

In spring of 2023, we asked our faculty and staff to tell us who among them were taking actions or driving initiatives to advance sustainability at the university. This is part four in a five-part series recognizing sustainability efforts at UBC.

Most UBC buildings are equipped with recycling stations to sort food waste, containers, paper, and garbage—but what do you do when your pen dries out?

Like many returning to the office after the pandemic, Daniela García, Geography Department Assistant, was decluttering her office and figuring out what she needed in the new world of working. As she sorted through dried-out pens and markers in her office cabinet, she felt compelled to find a recycling solution for stationery—one that was easy and accessible for everyone. By repurposing a discarded cardboard box and inviting others to take part in keeping pens, mechanical pencils, highlighters, and dry-erase markers out of the landfill, Daniela established the Department of Geography’s very own stationery recycling initiative.

Her enthusiasm for recycling stationery has inspired collaboration and collective action within the Geography department. What started off as a personal project has expanded to include a Faculty-wide digital awareness campaign inviting students, faculty and staff to get involved and help create a more sustainable campus.

“People are really busy, and with so many competing priorities, I wanted to help them think about sustainability and what they might do automatically, like throwing everyday office supplies in the garbage,” Daniela says. Making a box to collect stationery and bringing it to Staples for recycling is a simple idea, but having it in the office reminds everyone that there is an option to recycle each time they come in, she adds.

To help the community learn about the new stationery recycling initiative and take part, Daniela worked with her department’s communications team to launch the initiative in different buildings within the Faculty of Arts. “I wanted to promote it broadly, because when I was an Arts student, many of my English classes were in the Geography building, so I knew other students would also have classes here. I wanted to get everyone involved, Faculty-wide.”

Last fall, they officially launched a campaign, putting up posters, sharing it on social media, and posting it on digital signage.

“I was surprised at how people showed excitement and commented on Instagram. One student collected stationery throughout the semester and dropped off a bag at the end of the year!”

By following her curiosity, Daniela created a new system to recycle stationery in the Geography department—what started as a simple recycling initiative grew into something bigger, connecting her with a community of like-minded advocates.

“We want to find ways to get together and be more sustainable, but also have fun,” Daniela says, which is why she joined the department’s Climate Action Committee, working with faculty and staff to come up with other ideas to reuse and recycle.

For example, when faculty members retired and staff were clearing out their homes over the summer, Daniela suggested ways to repurpose unwanted furniture and books. This is how the Geography Shared Library began, a place to give and take books or magazines. There are also plans to host a swap event in the fall so incoming students can get to know faculty and staff better.

“I think it’s fun to chat with people and learn through the belongings they share—maybe I’ll discover a new skill or get inspired by a story,” Daniela continues.