Waste management and carbon mitigation in a university event

Abstract

This paper reports on the experience of the Sementeia Sustainability Working Group during the Regional Extension and Improvement Week (SEMEAR), held between 2023 and 2025 at the Rio Paranaíba campus of the Federal University of Viçosa. The objective was to promote recycling and reduce waste generation, as well as reduce and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions associated with the event. The methodology included environmental education, waste separation (wet and dry), and field data collection. Dry and recyclable waste was sent to ACOMARP - the Association of Recyclable Material Collectors of Rio Paranaíba. Volunteer students participated in educational activities and data collection, which formed the basis for calculating environmental compensation using the Greenplus software. As a result, the UFVerde project, with the implementation of the Conscious Carbon Forest, enabled the planting of more than 1,100 native tree seedlings for carbon sequestration and use in teaching, research, extension, and leisure activities. The results indicate the expansion of SEMEAR (Environmental, Social, and Environmentally Friendly Waste), growth in the total amount of waste and expansion of the recycled fraction, as well as a significant increase in calculated emissions as the event became more established. The potential of university extension programs to induce sustainable practices in academic events is discussed, while also highlighting challenges in data collection and systematization and adherence to environmental recommendations. It is concluded that interdisciplinary initiatives, linking universities, public authorities, and civil society, are fundamental for building more sustainable events and for training professionals committed to socio-environmental justice.