Home News No travel mug ... no worries NipU students got your back

   In effort to reduce waste on campus, Nipissing students are launching the Flip-a-Cup project, which provides reusable mugs for students, staff and faculty at the Education Centre.

The mugs, bright green and branded with the Flip-a-Cup logo, are available in the cafeteria and can be returned to locations around campus. The mugs will be collected regularly, washed by the cafeteria and made available for re-use.

The project is being officially launched on Tuesday, September 23 at 10:00 a.m. in the main Education Centre Cafeteria.

"We're looking for ways that we can make a difference," said Melissa Lacey, environmental biology and technology student and one of the students who spearheaded the Flip-a-Cup campaign. "While this might not save the world, small changes like reusing mugs can decrease our impact and ecological footprint. With Flip-a-Cup, we wanted to assist consumers in making environmentally friendly choices that are extremely convenient, but can collectively have a significant impact on the environment."

The cost to start the program was $2,500, which purchased 400 mugs, as well as return bins and signs. Funding was provided by Aramark, the Nipissing University Student Union, the Sustainability Task Force and the Nipissing History department.

Lacey estimates the 400 mugs could have a minimum 15 per cent reduction in the amount of waste produced each week if the cups are used once per day.