What can I do?

Resource Use

Consider buying second hand, there are lots of options in Dublin, which you can check out on our Resource Consumption Map. Some examples:

Clothes: Georges Street, Thomas Street, Capel Street, Temple Bar
Books: Parliament Street, Charity Shops
Sports equipment: Olio, Donedeal
For the Office: join the TCD Staff Yammer Group, a page for swapping office equipment among staff members
Bring a reusable cup & water bottle to campus! If you forget your keepcup, Trinity has a 2Go-Cup deposit return scheme in place.

Sustainable Food Choices

Buy locally produced food and products to reduce food air-miles.
Buy food produced with minimal chemical input (e.g. organic or biodynamic) to ensure the least possible damage to ecosystems and to your own health.
Increase your plant intake, and reduce your meat consumption!
If you do purchase meat and dairy products, be attentive to healthy, comfortable conditions for farm animals. Purchase ‘Free Range’ meat and dairy foods where possible, in order to minimise harm and distress to farm animals.
Fairtrade-certified suppliers are sensitive to fair labour conditions for their employees. Seek products which are Fairtrade.

Reusable Cups

Bring your own travel mug/reusable cup to the tea/coffee vendors in and around Trinity rather than using a disposable cup. An estimated 200 million disposable drinks containers are thrown out daily in Ireland. Find out more from the Conscious Cup Campaign.

Compare the carbon footprint of disposable and reusable cups in this study from the University of Basel.

Reusable Options in Trinity:

use ceramic cups available in the Buttery café and the Pavilion (and anywhere else that provides them)
bring your own cup and get 40 cent or 10% (depending on the location on campus) off the price!
if you don’t already have a reusable/travel cup, thermos mugs (35cl) are available to buy in the SU shop and main cafes for only €8.95 and you get your first coffee or tea free!
a range of 'Keep Cups' are available to buy in outlets around Trinity (Science Café, SU shop, Buttery, etc.)