From Waste to Rewards: ‘Trash2Points’ Student Project to Increase Waste Awareness in Campus
One important aspect of sustainability in higher education means turning knowledge into community action. At UPH, the Biology Study Program is taking part in sustainability through a course focused on environmental problem-solving, called sustainability in biology course. Rather than keeping lessons confined to textbooks, the course empowers students to design and implement practical projects or campaigns that tackle real-world environmental problems.
An interesting example of the project as the outcome of this course is “Trash2Points,” a creative project that turns recycling into an engaging campus-wide action. Recognizing that proper waste sorting is a major challenge, the team built an interactive website, encouraging students to correctly dispose and sort their trash. Now, whenever students or faculty sort their waste into the correctly assigned recycling bins, they can quickly scan a QR code placed nearby. This link takes them to the website, where they can instantly log their sorted trash and trade it for student engagement points (SEP).
By turning everyday recycling into a rewarding game, the “Trash2Points” initiative proves that environmental stewardship can be both accessible and fun for everyone. It is a powerful reminder that with a little creativity and the right technology, our entire campus community can work together toward a cleaner and greener future.
