IndexIntroductionContextMethodsResultsDiscussionConclusionIntroductionWith an ever-increasing human population comes an ever-increasing amount of waste produced. Humans produce more waste than any other species on this planet and, as such, we are required to have a system in place to dispose of this waste. Waste disposal is part of everyone's daily life, even if we perhaps don't realize it. For this reason this project was launched in an attempt to raise awareness about waste disposal habits. In other words, this project forced participants to make conscious decisions about how and where to dispose of waste and to develop a deeper understanding of their waste disposal habits. Humans are not alone on this planet. The space we occupy is not only ours, but also home to other animals and plants. The risks that poor waste management and waste in general pose for this planet affect all its inhabitants. Risks include water pollution (as seen in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch), air pollution, and soil contamination. This project, in which ENV 1501 students participated, was managed with the support of the Campus Sustainability Office. The Office of Campus Sustainability works to promote environmental sustainability across campus, seeking to integrate sustainability into the daily lives of University of Ottawa staff and students through the school's operations, research and teachings. This report is a comprehensive guide to the project and an analysis of its results. It contains the results of the project, including an overview of the methods used and measures taken. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay BackgroundWaste is any substance that is discarded or discarded because it is no longer useful or necessary after the completion of a process. As a society that revolves around and relies heavily on consumerism, we produce large amounts of waste every day. An important thing to keep in mind when talking about proper waste disposal is that this doesn't just affect the person disposing of it. The way we dispose of our waste impacts everyone and everything around us: other people, animals and our own environment. It is well known that waste has a detrimental impact on all of these aspects and, for this reason, it is essential that we pay attention to our waste and where it ends up. By limiting the amount of waste we produce and making sure we know how and where it is disposed of, we can begin to develop a greater awareness of how much waste is circulating in this world, where it ends up and how it is disposed of. influences the world around us. As mentioned, the problems that arise from waste and its disposal affect everything and everyone around us. The effects of waste do not arise only from their disposal, but also from their production. In the consumerist society we live in today, more and more disposable products are being made to support this consumerist economy we rely on so much. For example, every item of clothing we wear must be packaged, shipped, transported, and sold, all of which take a toll on the environment, whether it's greenhouse gases emitted during transportation or the destruction of animal habitats to build a factory to make clothes. What makes waste so dangerous is precisely this cyclical nature; each waste is associated with a whole chain of other elements linked to its production -all have a harmful impact on the environment. This means that the rate at which our society produces waste is completely unsustainable and that measures need to be taken to solve the problem. The University of Ottawa's Office of Campus Sustainability has taken action to address the problems and threats that increased waste poses to our environment and, more specifically, our community. Through a myriad of initiatives initiated by the Office, ranging from The Free Store (which aims to recycle items that would otherwise be thrown away) to this project focused on waste management and reduction. These initiatives have been undertaken to ensure that the University of Ottawa acts as a model community for others to follow, leading to a society that places high value on sustainable living and waste reduction. Methods This project was completed over seven consecutive days, during which participants were asked to keep a diary of all waste produced during the week. This data was recorded in an Excel sheet, which showed which item was thrown away, along with when and where it was disposed of. Participants also recorded how the item was thrown away and why it could not be recycled or composted. The results of this project will help the Office of Campus Sustainability gain greater insight into waste habits on the University's campus. This will in turn allow for more effective and targeted waste management. Like any data collection method that requires personal entries, there is a margin for error in this project, as the method offers the possibility of forgetting to enter all the waste objects. Despite this possible margin of error, the data will offer a general view of participants' typical waste generation. Results When looking at the data recorded in the Excel graph, two main trends become evident. The first of these is the origin of the waste. In this case, most of the waste produced during the week comes from various food products. Some examples of these are empty cans, candy wrappers, and plastic bags used to carry groceries. This indicates that the food industry has not yet converted to a waste-free or more sustainable system, and also that not enough measures have been taken to tackle the amount of waste coming from food products. For example, using a reusable bag when going grocery shopping would eliminate waste caused by plastic bags. Additionally, making sure to use a reusable water bottle more frequently would eliminate the need for disposable plastic water bottles. Another interesting trend is where most of the waste was disposed of. In this case, most of the waste generated over the course of the week came from home. In the graph, the reasoning given for the majority of items thrown away was that there were no accessible recycling or compost bins. The solution to this problem is therefore quite clear: have a recycling container and a compost container accessible from home. The graph also indicates that there were very few cases where the signals were unclear. This suggests that waste disposal stations around campus have good signage and that very little potentially recyclable waste is thrown in the trash due to the mess. DiscussionOne of the objectives of this project was to become more aware of our waste and consumption habits and to use this awareness to make a change to these.