Editorial

Citation

Walter Leal Filho, P. (2009), "Editorial", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 10 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijshe.2009.24910aaa.001

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Volume 10, Issue 1

Welcome to another issue of IJSHE. As usual, readers will find here an interesting set of papers dealing with aspects of sustainability in higher education, from universities in various parts of the world.

In this editorial, emphasis is given to a report produced by the UK-based group IPSOS MORI[1], which was conducted with British households with both weekly and fortnightly waste collections. The study has identified the fact that a significant proportion of households (34 percent) now have a fortnightly collection of residual waste, compared to the majority (61 percent) who still have a weekly service.

The UK study suggests that alternative fortnightly collection systems (collecting, for example, waste one week and then food waste and recycling the next) can boost recycling rates. However, the study indicates that those with weekly collections remain sceptical of the benefits and motivations behind fortnightly collections; 68 percent of those with a weekly collection would see any change in their collection system as the council trying to cut costs and save money, and only 19 percent would see the move as an attempt by councils to increase recycling and protect the environment.

Extending this line of reasoning to universities, one may wonder whether current waste collection systems at higher education institutions are suitable and whether the frequency with which waste collection takes place may influence the amount of waste generate. There is certainly an interesting research topic here, which may be taken up by any willing university!

Enjoy your reading!

Professor Walter Leal Filho

Available at: www.resourcesnotwaste.org/CONFERENCES/SLIDES-AWC(LONDON)/02.PhilDowning.PDF).