Objective 4: Reducing GHG emissions through engagement and behaviour change

We aim to mobilise the BU community to actively engage with and support our CECAP objectives by developing and implementing a range of inspiring and educational opportunities. Parts of our carbon footprint are heavily determined by student and staff behaviours so we are improving our campuses to make sure sustainable options are easier, more accessible, and more attractive so they can use their choices to make a difference.

Behaviour change

Fairtrade Award

We were proud to become one of only three universities to achieve the Fairtrade Award 3 stars under the Fairtrade Universities & Colleges (FTUC) scheme, ran by SOS-UK and the Fairtrade Foundation. The Award was the result of three years of work to embed Fairtrade and ethical purchasing throughout our supply chain, curriculum, and student opportunities, and involved student auditors to assess our work.

There has been a great deal of strong work undertaken by BU over the past two years, despite the challenges. This is commendable. The issues of sustainability and consumption remain high on the agenda, and have become integrated into the life of the institution.

FTUC auditors

Food (Olio and Too Good To Go)

Our caterers, Chartwells, have been focusing this year on reducing food waste. As part of this work, they have joined Too Good To Go and Olio: two food-sharing schemes that offer unwanted items that would go to waste either a reduced price or free, to be distributed amongst the community. As a result, we have saved 1196 meals and 2.6 tCO2e.

Chartwells also launched their innovative Social Kitchen: free cooking sessions to support students to learn how to cook well. Sessions have focused on Fairtrade and plantbased options to encourage environmentally sustainable and ethical cooking choices.

Waste

This year we introduced new recycling streams for crisp packets, sweet wrappers and stationery across both campuses to increase recycling capacity for these nonrecyclable items. Our total waste increased to a similar level of 2019-2020 due to the increased activity on campus compared to last year. We produced 203 tonnes of waste due to everyday activity and recycled 66% of this. Across all sites and including construction, we produced 306 tonnes of waste and recycled 73%.

SUBU’s Big Give, which annually collects and donates unwanted student items before they move out to charities, this year donated 1333 bags and is estimated to raise over £18,000 for the British Heart Foundation. 438kg of food was donated to the Trussell Trust Bournemouth Foodbank and overall, the campaign saved 16.2 metric tons of waste and 95,615 kg CO2.

SUBU Recycling Roadshow

SUBU launched their Recycling Roadshow in 2022. This campaign aims to help students understand how to recycle both in halls and for when they move into private accommodation. The Roadshow took place across five halls and our campus and will be expanded next year.

Engagement

Carbon Literacy Training

This year, we launched our Carbon Literacy training for students, staff and alumni to educate our BU community about the climate crisis, its implications for society and what they can do to reduce their carbon footprint. This one-day course has a specific BU focus to share what we are doing to mitigate and adapt to climate change before participants create pledges to reduce their carbon footprint, both as an individual and within a wider group. Personal pledges ranged from reducing meat consumption to setting up a Repair Café.

Over this academic year, we trained 40 students, 42 staff, and 4 external members including alumni and students from the Arts University Bournemouth.

Eco-Entrepreneurs Fund

BU launched the Eco-Entrepreneurs Fund in partnership with Santander Universities UK to seek out and support fledgling businesses, created by BU students and alumni, which have an environmental benefit. In its inaugural year, eight businesses who presented in front of a panel of judges were awarded £9,000 in grants.

The overall competition winners, who received a £2,500 grant, were Matt Cosier and Nick Cooper from Gaia Card, a membership scheme which connects customers with sustainable businesses while supporting reforestation. Three other businesses – searchBOSH, an online rental platform; Four Acre Farm, a no-dig market garden and fruit orchard; and Gro Promo, an eco-printing company were awarded £1,500 while the remaining four businesses received £500. The funding was provided by Santander and BU.

Climate Justice Now!

We recognise that the climate and ecological crisis is intrinsically linked to all UN SDGs and is an issue of social justice, equality and ethics. For this reason, we launched Climate Justice Now! a six-week skills-building programme hosted with Middlesex University London. Students received training from sector experts on international climate politics, Fairtrade and food security, before taking part in a public debate during COP26.

The participating students gained a great insight into the interconnectedness of environmental and social sustainability as well as skills in debating, teamwork and communication. We plan to expand this scheme further in 2022.

I learnt a new skill of how to form an argument and debate but I also learnt a wealth of new information and made new friends.

Student who took part in Climate Justice Now!

Climate Action Student Team (CAST)

Working with SUBU, we launched the Climate Action Student Team. Students within the team worked across the year to host events, support projects, and complete research across the themes of food, travel, energy and communications. Two of the CAST members, Tanya Bellows and Emily Ayling, won SUBU’s ‘Outstanding Contribution to Sustainability’ Award.

Climate Action Month

In March 2022, we once again organised Climate Action Month: 31 days of events to enable and empower our BU community to take climate action by sharing knowledge, discussion and top tips. Events covered nature connection, low-carbon heating, entrepreneurship, waste, cycling as well as the Dorset 2030 and Creating Harmony in Community conferences.

We also held an additional Climate Month in November 2021 to coincide with the COP26 conference. Events covered COP26 as well as topics of climate justice, climate resilience, and local climate impacts and solutions.

Green Rewards

went up against were amazing. It really does give me hope about the future to learn of so many revolutionary ideas and impactful businesses.

We continued the use of Jump’s Green Rewards scheme for staff engagement. Over half of our staff body were engaged with the programme and completed more than 26,000 activities. These ranged from eating meat-free meals and washing their laundry at 30°c to switching to an ethical bank and learning from SUBU’s Allyship Hub. The winning teams, Research Development & Support and Finance & Performance were awarded £250 which was donated to Just1Tree, a tree-planting organisation founded by a BU alumni.

Sustainable travel

Sustainable Travel Events & Engagement

This year, as well as our usual array of cycling offers, we also hosted cyclist cafés, led rides, bike maintenance sessions and celebrated National Bike Month.

We joined the Love to Ride platform to encourage more staff to take up cycling. Since joining in November 2021 over 1141 rides have been logged by members covering 9,656 miles.

Our BU Bicycle User Group now has over 120 members who share experience, tips and feedback. For National Cycle to Work day, volunteers from the group handed out coffee vouchers to anyone who cycled for their commute.

As part of National Bike Month, we hosted a Bike Safety Fair. The BCP Safer Roads Team were on hand to share route planning and safety tips while the local community police team offered free bike tagging. We also gave away free bike lights, high visibility vests and backpack covers as well as personal safety alarms.

We continued our free Bike Doctor Sessions: running fortnightly to provide free bike services to students and staff. We also ran our first bike self-maintenance session inviting people to bring their to work on alongside our bike doctor and learn basic bike maintenance and repair skills.

In collaboration with Cycle Like a Girl, we organised a led ride and bike maintenance workshop event as part of Climate Action Month to support female cyclists. Cycle Like a Girl are a local community interest company who aim to help more women to feel confident riding a bike.

Our student Climate Action Student Team Cyclist Cafes, networking sessions to encourage our cyclist community to come together and discuss all things cycling.

We ran free Bikeability training in partnership with BCP Council and Beryl. Qualified bikeability instructors delivered both a beginners and advanced cycling confidence sessions.

Travel Plan progress

The revised Travel Plan was launched in 2019 and includes campus-specific single occupancy vehicle (SOV) targets for both staff and students. The 2021/22 commuter travel surveys show an increase in staff using SOV (up from 42% in 2012 to 53%) which is disappointing but to be expected due to Covid-19 measures. Our target is for SOV use to fall below 37% by 2025.

We will continue to promote active travel in 2022/23 with new changing and shower facilities in Poole House, renewed contracts with local bike suppliers and physical events such as the start of term Big Bike Fair.