• Model of Sustainable Library Operations: TU Library Eco-Circle applies circular economy principles to reduce waste, such as eliminating single-use plastics and personal rubbish bins—achieving a 99.5% reduction rate—contributing directly to SDG 12.
• Innovative Learning and Engagement: The initiative promotes environmental education through activities like the TU Library Book Club, Green Resources website, and creative workshops like From Waste to Art, supporting SDG 4 and encouraging active community participation.
• Inclusive and Impactful Outreach: Projects like Learn for Green, From Dates to Dots, and From Waste to Forest empower youth, people with disabilities, and local communities, integrating sustainability with social responsibility under SDGs 4, 12, and 13.
• Real-Time Impact Tracking and Recognition: A Digital Dashboard monitors environmental impact, showing over 6,000 kg of recycled waste and 20,000+ kg CO₂ eq. in emission reductions. The initiative earned the TU Best Transformation and Sustainability Award and was shortlisted for the 2025 IFLA Green Library Award.

เลือก Page 2 เพื่ออ่านเป็นภาษาไทย

Thammasat University Library has launched the pioneering initiative “TU Library Eco-Circle,” which aims to advance sustainable development by integrating the principles of the circular economy. The core objective of this project is to raise awareness and encourage participation in sustainability among the Thammasat community and the wider public. This aligns with the library’s vision of becoming a “Library of Life” and supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

From Internal Transformation to Societal Impact

The initiative began with internal efforts to raise awareness and shift behaviour through the “One Day with Green” campaign, which encourages staff to avoid using single-use containers every Wednesday. The campaign has achieved remarkable success, reducing the use of such packaging by 99.50% and resulting in the removal of 52 personal rubbish bins from the office. This achievement directly contributes to SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

Knowledge Sharing and Creative Environmental Engagement

To promote environmental education and exchange of knowledge, the library established the “TU Library Book Club,” a reading community that hosts monthly discussions on environmental books to deepen understanding of sustainability issues. Additionally, the “TU Library Green Resources” website was launched, offering a curated collection of environmental and sustainability-related information resources in over 20 categories. These efforts directly support SDG 4: Quality Education.

On the creative front, the initiative introduced the “Eco-friendly Workshop & Showcase” under the theme “From Waste to Art,” where participants repurposed used plastic boxes into keychains. The workshop received outstanding feedback, with an average satisfaction rating of 4.87 out of 5. This hands-on activity reflects SDG 12 by inspiring creative reuse of waste to reduce environmental impact.

Instilling Environmental Values and Passing on Social Good

The library’s efforts also extend to instilling environmental values in children through the “Learn for Green: Little Eco-Hero” activity, which educated around 150 students from Thammasat University Kindergarten on waste separation. This activity links to SDG 4 and SDG 13: Climate Action.

Furthermore, the “From Dates to Dots” project collected 2,543 old desk calendars to be repurposed into 30,515 Braille pages for the visually impaired. The “From Waste to Forest” initiative incentivised the community to donate plastic bottles in exchange for access to massage chairs, resulting in the collection of 3,850 bottles. Both projects exemplify solutions to social and environmental issues, aligning with SDG 4 and SDG 12.

Monitoring and Partnerships for Sustainable Impact

A key highlight of the initiative is the use of technology to track and evaluate outcomes. A Digital Dashboard was developed in collaboration with Jak Reward Technology to provide real-time data on recycled waste volumes, financial value, and carbon emission reductions. As of the reporting date, the initiative had collected 6,173.4 kg of recyclable waste and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 20,195.245 kg CO₂ equivalent, supporting SDGs 12, 13, and 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Proceeds from the sale of recycled materials were converted into trees for planting in the “Green Barrier” project, which helps create natural barriers to protect wild elephants in Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary. This activity integrates urban waste management with nature conservation, contributing to SDGs 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, 13, and 15: Life on Land.

The TU Library Eco-Circle stands as a model of how libraries can evolve beyond being knowledge repositories to become catalysts for social transformation and sustainable development. Through multi-sectoral collaboration, the project received the TU Best Transformation and Sustainability Award at the 2024 Thammasat Quality Day (TU – QD Day), underscoring the library’s commitment to sustainability and its support of Thammasat’s ONE TU philosophy, which promotes interdisciplinary thinking and collaborative innovation.

Moreover, this success has garnered international recognition, as the project was shortlisted for the IFLA Green Library Award 2025 under the title “From Waste to Wealth: Green Library Through Circular Economy.”