OnCampus Issue 2 • August 2015 • For daily updates visit www.uwc.ac.za
Page 3 New study of obesity funded
Page 4-7 Events
Page 11 PharmaSea project scours oceans’ depths
Page 12 Water brings Africa and China together
Greening the Campus UWC’s Green Campus Initiative involves over
2000
student volunteers. The reserve has been receiving
25% 75%
I
The UWC Recycling Initiative collects an average of
70
tons of recyclables each month and sells the materials to recycling companies.
of its power needs from a prototype hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) generator built and installed by Hydrogen South Africa Systems Integration and Technology Validation Centre (HySA Systems), a project based at UWC.
n a world battling climate change, energy shortages, habitat destruction and pollution, it has become important that universities serve as role models for greening and sustainability. UWC’s Green Campus Initiative involves over 2 000 student volunteers in campus clean-ups, creating vegetable and indigenous gardens at residences, participating in formal green talks and debates and hosting green/dark religious services (that is, services conducted without the use of electricity). “As a tertiary education institution, we have a responsibility to lead by example,” says Saudiqa Yasin, Manager: at UWC’s Department of Infrastructure and Engineering. “How can we advocate being among the forerunners in education,
840 tons UWC Recycling Initiative has reduced UWC’s annual CO2 emissions by about 840 tons.
developing future responsible leaders and captains of industry and innovation, without fully incorporating best practice and actively working towards reducing our carbon footprint?” The University’s best practices are reflected in a range of other green initiatives at the main campus. UWC’s nature reserve conserves the endangered Cape Flats Dune Strandveld and the critically endangered Cape Flats Sand Fynbos. Students are actively involved in managing the reserve, eradicating alien vegetation and maintaining fire breaks, while staff educate the public about the biological treasures in the reserve. For the last few months, 25% of the power the reserve needs has been supplied by a prototype hydrogen fuel
• Received the Outstanding Award for an Advanced University at the 2014 Association of College and University Housing Officers International, Southern Africa Chapter African Green Initiative conference. • UWC was chosen the Greenest Campus in 2012 and 2014. • For the green award Universities were assessed on energy efficiency, water conversation, biodiversity and nature reserves. green buildings, green purchasing, green programming, waste reduction and recycling, green leadership and innovation.
cell (HFC) generator built and installed by Hydrogen South Africa Systems Integration and Technology Validation Centre (HySA Systems), a project based at UWC. HFC technology is pollution-free – the only emission is water! The UWC Recycling Initiative collects an average of 70 tons of recyclables each month and sells the materials to recycling companies. It has been estimated that over the past four years, the UWC Recycling Initiative has reduced UWC’s annual CO2 emissions by about 840 tons. “UWC management, service providers, media and students have proven that, by working together, we can move our campus into the future,” says UWC Green Team leader and Residential Services Officer, Njabulo Maphumulo.