University saves over £100,000 by reusing goods

An internal reuse project at the University of Edinburgh has allowed staff to save more than £100,000 by reusing goods in under 3 years of use.

In 2014, the University embarked on a trial of Warp It, an online platform similar to eBay that allows staff within an organisation to redistribute surplus goods, and allows others to claim these goods for use within their own departments.

Popular items redistributed include printer cartridges, stationary, office items and electrical equipment.

In June 2016 the University’s Warp It portal had allowed over 13,000 kg of goods to be redistributed to date, resulting in over £100,000 worth of savings.

By reusing unwanted items instead of buying we are reducing the waste we send to landfill, cutting our carbon emissions, and saving natural resources. If you have an item that is taking up space that you do not need, do not request its disposal as a waste item but instead, advertise it on Warp It. Equally, if you are looking for an item, check Warp It before considering buying new!

Savings

Savings are calculated based on the money saved from not needing to buy new equipment, and purchasing or disposal costs. The portal also measures CO₂ saved, staff time, and donations the organisation has made to charity.

Sustainability

Warp It is one of several ways the University encourages staff to embed resource efficiency and ‘circular economy thinking’ in their roles in order to make the University more sustainable. The circular economy is about transitioning from a ‘take-make-dispose’ linear approach to resource use, to systems that encourage reuse and extraction of maximum value before returning resources to the biosphere.

Staff, including researchers, are encouraged to sign up for Warp It and learn more about how to Be Sustainable at the University of Edinburgh.

I have really enjoyed working with the University to help them increase their reuse.  I have been impressed with the communications and the strategic roll out of the system. The community liaison has been very good also involving various charities across the city.  The University was the first to sign up in Edinburgh and since then the NHS, the council and all the schools in the city are onboard as a result of the vision and leadership shown by the University.

Related links

• Information for staff and researchers on Warp It
• University of Edinburgh Warp It portal (requires login)
• Be Sustainable training for staff and students

For more information on Warp It, please contact Alan Peddie.

Alan Peddie

Projects Coordinator

Contact details

• Work: +44 (0)131 650 4065
• Email: Alan.Peddie@ed.ac.uk

Availability

• Alan joined us from Estates Operations where he helped to achieve a Silver in the Sustainability Awards. He works on resource efficiency and the training that our department offers for staff and students.