Genuinely green or green washing? Unpacking waste management during move-in week at a top 'green' university - The Queen's Journal
Queen’s University prominently markets its environmental leadership through high rankings and sustainability frameworks, yet practical execution during high-impact events like student move-in reveals significant gaps between marketing and reality. While the institution highlights waste reduction strategies and food donation programs, student leaders and campus observers note that these initiatives often fail to address the massive surge of packaging waste or prevent excessive consumption, suggesting a reliance on performative gestures rather than systemic change. This disconnect is further evidenced by inconsistent results and communication failures, particularly regarding off-campus student behavior where waste management protocols are frequently ignored. Despite the University’s claims of success in dining halls and recycling efforts, visible litter and contaminated waste streams indicate that current educational outreach and infrastructure are insufficient to drive genuine behavioral change among the student population. This situation serves as a classic example of greenwashing, where an organization emphasizes broad sustainability commitments and public relations victories to create an impression of ecological responsibility while overlooking tangible operational shortcomings. The disparity between the University’s celebrated global rankings and the messy reality of waste management on the ground exposes a narrative strategy designed to protect the institution’s reputation rather than achieve meaningful environmental outcomes.
Source: queensjournal.caPublished on 2025-09-06