Best Practice of Circular Economy in Action at Mahidol University, Salaya Campus, Thailand
摘要
The increase in population and urban density directly affects the decrease of resources. The challenge of resource management is how to maximize the efficiency of resource use, which can deliver the decoupling of economic growth from natural resource depletion and environmental degradation. This chapter focuses on integrating the concept of a circular economy into university campuses. A case study of Mahidol University in Thailand is presented as a prime example of a circular campus. The chapter explores the evolution of environmental policies aimed at establishing a sustainable campus. Various circular economy initiatives on the campus, including a recycle waste bank, a think cycle bank, biodiesel production, fertilizer production from plant waste using the Aeration Pile System, bio-fermentation production with Effective Microorganisms, the U-Turn platform, and the utilization of renewable energy, are detailed. These initiatives serve as best practices for implementing the circular economy concept on university campuses. Finally, the chapter outlines a monitoring system and specific environmental indicators designed to assess the performance of the university campus in its sustainability efforts.