The Soapstand in the Nest is undergoing upgrades.
Established in 2021, the Soapstand is an accessible, affordable and sustainable service for UBC students to get dish soap, hand soap and laundry detergent.
VP Administration Ian Caguiat said the Soapstand “is a way for us to make sure that zero waste … is a part of students’ daily routine.”
He also said students “can pay 50 per cent less of” current soap and detergent costs.
Caguiat mentioned that similarly to other food and entertainment services, the number of students accessing the Soapstand declined during the pandemic and stayed lowered, even as COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. He hopes to increase usage by promoting the stand on social media and working with sustainability and residence life groups on campus.
“Students who live in UBC housing would benefit a lot from this service,” said Caguiat.
Caguiat said new designs for the station would be dependent on whether or not the Soapstand ends up moving from its current place on the first floor of the Nest. He mentioned adding a “statement piece” to the location to help attract more users.
Caguiat spoke about the possibility of installing beverage refill stations in the Nest through an extended partnership with Drinkfill. Caguiat said the idea came up at the end of last school year.
“It was an exciting opportunity because you're providing another service for students that will be helpful for both the society and for the university.”
Both the Soapstand and beverage refill station are part of the AMS Sustainable Action Plan (ASAP) goals which include reducing overall waste generated by the Nest, supporting new and existing methods of recycling and implementing carbon neutral operational practices.
While the plans for the beverage refill stations are still in the works, possibilities for the drinks included are kombucha, different types of sodas and even mocktails. Caguiat said, however, that the AMS “would focus a bit more on the healthier drinks that we can offer.”
The AMS hopes to finalise pre-launch plans over the summer and do a trial run, which Caguiat mentions “would involve a lot of free tastings.”