Student-led Menstrual Equity Case Study Wins 2022 Campus Race to Zero Waste Award
The University of Pittsburgh’s Student Office for Sustainability took first place in the 2022 Campus Race to Zero Waste “Education and Awareness” category of the for a case study on student-led menstrual health equity efforts.
The case study describes the Zero Waste Period Program at Pitt and a Spring 2022 event that addressed the short- and long-term environmental and health impacts of disposable and reusable products, menstrual health, period poverty, and equity. It was authored by undergraduate student Angel Joseph (a sophomore Pitt EcoRep and international student from Kerala, India, studying psychology, film and media studies).
The Campus Race to Zero Waste (CR2ZW) Case Study competition recognizes college and university waste reduction initiatives. Held annually by the National Wildlife Foundation, CR2ZW engaged more than 3.6 million college students and employees across 200 campuses in 2022, collectively keeping more than 200 million single-use plastic containers out of landfills.
The Student Office of Sustainability (SOOS) has worked toward menstrual equity on Pitt’s campus alongside other organizations since 2019. SOOS collaborated with Pitt EcoReps, Student Affairs, and student organizations Free the Planet and Pitt Planned Parenthood to develop the Zero Waste Period program and build a coalition for future menstrual equity programs and initiatives on campus.