Campus Changemakers Summit 2023 @ University of Tokyo
On 21st August 2023, mymizu hosted the "Campus Changemakers Summit 2023", an event for high school and university students who share the passion and enthusiasm for making their schools more environmentally friendly.
The event was co-organized with the University of Tokyo's GX Student Network (GXSN) and held at the University of Tokyo's Komaba Campus, with about 30 students participating.
The idea for this event came when mymizu interviewed members of GXSN. They have been working with the mission of enabling students and faculty to refill their reusable bottles and reduce the consumption of plastic bottles across the University of Tokyo campuses.
Despite taking two years, they successfully installed 13 water dispensers at the Komaba Campus. Their had a strong desire to “connect with students working on campus sustainability, share ideas and challenges faced, and use these learnings to further their activities."
mymizu also often receives requests from students for advice on their current projects. This led to the idea of creating a space for students to share ideas, culminating in the planning of this event.
The event was structured into four parts - Introduction, Sharing, Co-Creation, and Closing - allowing participants to learn, connect and build real solutions together.
Part 1: Introduction
Robin from mymizu joined online to share the origins of mymizu and the need to tackle environmental issues.
Participants then split into groups for introductions. Despite varying ages, nationalities, and schools, they found three commonalities within each group and chose team names based on these.
Part 2: Sharing
Some participants were already involved in projects, and they pitched their initiatives.
One such project was PE², a bottle refill vending machine, initiated by two high school students. Their goal is to install these machines in schools nationwide, making it normal to refill personal bottles.
Part 3: Co-Creation
Groups brainstormed on four topics: 1) Why it's necessary to reduce waste, 2) The types of waste generated on campuses, 3) The worst approaches to waste problems, and 4) Concrete methods to reduce campus waste.
Groups then presented their innovative ideas on reducing campus waste, with topics ranging from food loss to using natural rubber erasers to reduce plastic waste.
Part 4: Closing
Robin concluded the event with these words: "Value the ideas and connections you've made today. This is not the end, but the starting line."
Following this message, participants engaged in deep discussions about their ideas and what sparked their interest in environmental issues. This event seems to have been a valuable opportunity for environmentally-conscious students to meet and connect.
The relationships formed here are likely the start of a new movement to address environmental issues and protect the planet.
mymizu aims to continue collaborating with educational institutions and communities to support more initiatives by the youth in this field.
Thank you to everyone who joined, and we’re looking forward to continued collaborations towards a more circular, regenerative world!