FootPrint - Issue 2

The Sustainability Newsletter for staff & students of the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group

Welcome to Footprint

Hopefully you will be picking up this edition as we mark our first Group-wide sustainability week, celebrating all things sustainability.

The week will look back on the best green practice across the Group which took place throughout the year. We hope that this will raise awareness for staff and students of the sustainability actions that we are taking as a Group and to promote initiatives such as reduction of printing, informed choices about sustainable diets, sustainable fashion and more.

We all have a part to play when it comes to increasing sustainability and we recognise the role that we need to play in supporting not just the region’s, but the UK’s aspirations in reducing our carbon footprint and reaching net zero.

That is why I’m incredibly proud to see so many fantastic initiatives going on across our three Colleges and externally to make this a reality. From the Mayor of West Yorkshire getting our students involved in forming solutions to tackle the climate change emergency, to our students hosting sustainable activities, to our own Director of Higher Education, Clare Hagerup, delivering a keynote at the Association of College’s

Sustainability Conference - it’s clear that we have made great strides so far.

Colleagues were also commended by True North Education Consulting for the progress they have made on our sustainability journey and for that, I truly say thank you to you all. The enthusiasm our students have shown to adopting more sustainable practices and raising awareness of climate change is also exceptional.

Externally, we are also working companies such as Drax on energy reduction projects and with the likes of Nissan to enhance our students’ knowledge about sustainability.

We have come a long way in the last 10 years or so, but there is still much work to be done. I hope you enjoy reading about our sustainability vision, objectives and our journey so far.

Sam Wright Principal and Chief Executive Heart of Yorkshire Education Group

Staff Undertake Sustainability Training

Staff from across the Group recently took part in two sustainability training sessions facilitated by Mark Thompson of True North Education Consulting.

The first workshop explored the ways in which we can better embed sustainability across our curriculum and how we can engage our students in this subject and harness their talents and enthusiasm to drive this agenda forward. The second workshop was centred on what we need to do as a Group to

measure our scope three emissions and critically, where we can further reduce our carbon footprint.

This workshop was attended by staff from Adult Skills and Partnerships, Estates and Finance and was strategically focused on how the group can take the next step on its journey to becoming more sustainable. It was heartening to hear from Mark that we are further along than many other colleges and are making excellent progress.

It also became apparent that we do an enormous amount in this space but that we do not champion this work enough.

Going forward, a key focus for the Group will be to increase the visibility of our work in sustainability and become a champion for sustainable practices, and an example to other organisations in the region.

Sustainability Strategy

At the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, we are in a unique position to influence change, to train and educate, develop values, behaviours and attitudes to influence societal change when it comes to sustainability.

We have the power to do this through the development of our curriculum offer and the partnerships we have forged within the green economy. We can also set and follow sustainable practices across our Colleges, helping to reduce our environmental impact.

These factors form the basis of our sustainability strategy and outline our intentions to our partners and the local authority in reaching net zero.

Our sustainability strategy highlights our vision and intentions over the next few years, with a focus on the journey to net zero, the sustainable development within our curriculum and how we can create a sustainable future via our green skills partnerships, and education and visibility engagement.

We plan to do this by:

Energy Usage and Reducing Emissions

• Monitoring and controlling energy usage through systems including existing BMS systems

• LED light replacement

• Exploring alternatives to fossil fuels

• Reducing water consumption and increasing grey water capacity

• Installing PV and battery provision

Waste Management

• Zero to landfill

• Waste hierarchy of reduce, reuse and recycle

• Enhancing recycling to end users and students

Our Environment including Biodiversity

• Reviewing the grounds at all Colleges to increase biodiversity

• Considering beehives

• Reducing the use of hazardous chemicals

• Including biodiversity within capital and revenue works

Resources and Procurement

• Defining sustainability in qualitative assessments of procurement

• Reviewing financial standing orders to enforce assessment of purchases

• Include environment and biodiversity within the scope of tenders for services and bids

Our sustainability strategy is currently being approved by our Board of Governors and will be shared with staff and students once it has been finalised.

Green Skills for Green Jobs

Green Curriculum Development is a key area of our strategy with a focus on the green growth sectors. Our planning and partnerships focus is on supporting the green economy whilst recognising the attention needed on updating skills, meeting the demand for upskilling in these industries and ensuring we are up to date on evolving industry practice.

Green Skills are essential to support the transition to green economy. We expect to see millions of new jobs created globally due to climate policies and commitments. These skills are needed to adapt products, services and processes to climate change and the related environmental requirements and regulations. It is an expectation all jobs of the future will have a green aspect, and this will feature within our Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

Strategic Development Fund Project Update

Highlighting our commitment to creating a sustainable curriculum offer, we’ve recently completed work on a Strategic Development Fund (SDF) project which focused on developing new provision around the net-zero agenda.

This initiative from the Department for Education has provided Further Education colleges across the country with vital funding to invest in equipment which meets emerging skills needs, for the development of new courses and staff training to bring their knowledge up to date.

We have used this funding to invest in Electric Vehicle (EV) rigs, a Nissan Leaf EV, tools and diagnostic kit used in the repair and maintenance of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles, at Castleford College. Commercial and domestic EV charging

points and associated equipment were also bought to support new courses in EV charging point installation. To support the delivery of Green Skills Building Information Management (BIM) courses, brand-new high-spec PCs were also purchased at our Castleford campus.

At Selby College, training rigs for the teaching of new courses in Heat Recovery and Transfer will be installed over the summer. The Group worked with 26 employers to develop courses in this subject which builds on the work previously carried out in creating the College’s Carbon Capture and Storage provision.

Across the Group, staff have received Continuing Professional Development (CPD) so that they are able to deliver the

newly developed courses and the Group has worked collaboratively with other Further Education colleges in the region to share best practice and to ensure a strategic approach to providing skills across Yorkshire.

Thanks to these efforts and projects, we’re now able to offer Green Skills courses in Carbon Capture and Storage, Construction, Electric and Hybrid Vehicles and Heat Recovery and Transfer.

Find out more about our range of Green Skills courses, at: https://heartofyorkshire.ac.uk/ green-skills-for-green-jobs

Our Sustainability Initiatives…

Inspiring Change with Art

Higher Education Art and Design students from Selby College were driving forward change with their latest exhibition, which highlighted the effects global warming is having on our planet through their art.

The Climate Crisis exhibition, which was open to the public, provided thoughtprovoking work designed to showcase the impact of the rising climate.

Higher Education Art and Design student Chloe Brown’s piece visually represented how the rising climate is melting the polar ice caps, whilst student Abi Townend’s artwork explored the affect that bacteria has on the environment despite common misconception.

Kiernan Robert’s (pictured) large-scale sketch of soot used carbon graphite and white chalk to symbolise the emissions we are putting into the atmosphere, showcasing the negative impact transport has on the environment.

Planet Earth Games Commence

The Association of Colleges Sport, Pearson BTEC Sport and Physical Activity, launched the Planet Earth Games in January, which encourages Further Education institutions across the UK to organise sustainable activities.

Our students and staff have enjoyed getting involved in the activities so far, including a ‘swap shop’ where they can exchange clothing, footwear and household items rather than discarding these or them ending up in landfill. This was supported by Bad Bambi, a used clothing store in Castleford which sells and repairs vintage clothing, with 10% of all their profits going to mental health charities.

‘Fast fashion’ is the planet’s second biggest polluter, so it’s great to see so many students embracing this initiative!

For Valentine’s day, our students designed and sold cards using seeded paper, encouraging students to get out in their gardens, planting seeds.

Wakefield College’s Public Services and Sport students also arranged a litter-picking event at Thornes Park, in Wakefield. The students carried out ‘plogging’, which saw them jog around the park whilst litter-picking.

Next year we would like to broaden these activities across all departments and get everyone involved in Planet Earth Games, so get thinking about how you or your students could organise activities around sustainable themes of:

• Carbon Reduction

• Energy

• Travel

• Food

• Waste Reduction

• Connecting to Nature

• Conservation

Mayor Visits College to Launch Innovation Prize

The Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, chose Wakefield College as the location to launch the Mayor’s Innovation Prize, which offers £10,000 to anyone aged 16-26 with a brilliant idea that could help tackle the climate emergency.

A Level, Construction and Science students took part in a creative workshop coming up with ideas that could address sustainable travel, waste reduction, or clean energy to help meet the goal of becoming a net zero region by 2038. The prize has since been launched across the region for anyone to apply.

Building Greener Colleges

We are also taking steps to make our College estates more sustainable, with solar panels and air source heat pumps installed at Castleford College and harvesting rainwater used for toilets at Selby College. LED lights have also been installed across our Selby College and upgrades made to the installation of buildings.

Across the Group, we ensure that none of our waste goes to landfill and our fleet of pool cars are now electric!

The Science Behind It

The Science department are strong believers in the importance of sustainability being taught in their courses, with climate change as part of the syllabus. Students recently received a lesson on pollution and recycling so they can understand the effects of human activity on the environment, how these effects can be measured and how to reduce the impact on ecosystems. The department also make sure everything they use that can be recycled, is!

Electric Vehicle Car Charging Training

Electrical Installation students benefitted from the expertise of industry professionals YESS Electrical and Project EV, who taught them all about Electric Vehicle car charging.

The students commented that the sessions were extremely informative and they welcomed the additional knowledge to build their awareness around Green Skills for the sector, despite this not being a requirement of their qualification.

Reducing Wastage One Step at a Time

Across our Colleges, curriculum departments are making a conscious effort to reduce their wastage or recycle materials. Our Animal Care and Hair and Beauty departments are sending hair clippings and waste to Thornes Park in Wakefield to be used as composting materials, whilst our Construction department is recycling wood chippings by sending them to local stables.

Art and Design students have also used sustainable and recycled materials to make artwork, which was exhibited at Thornes Park during Easter. Performing Arts are also re-using and re-purposing their costumes by passing them onto fashion students.

Our RESET students also arranged their own social action project with B&Q, which saw them use recyclable materials to make flower boxes to be displayed across the Group’s campuses.

The Harrison and Seacole buildings at Wakefield College are both fitted with air source heat pumps supported by photo voltaic panels and we will not install fossil fuel heating into new buildings.

Print and Paper: The MYTHS vs the FACTS

When it comes to the sustainability of print and paper, it is important to separate the facts from the myths. The European paper industry is a world leader when it comes to sustainably sourced raw materials, renewable energy and recycling rates. Yet the myths around paper are still prevalent. From “European forests are shrinking” to “only recycled paper should be used”, here are some facts about print and paper that help dispel the myths.

The Hidden Environmental Costs of Digital

“Go Paperless”, “Go Green” and “Save Trees” are common messages as many organisations encourage their customers to switch to electronic transactions and communications. But are these appeals based on fact?

These sort of messages give the impression that electronic communication is more environmentally friendly than paper-based communication. But it is very difficult to make such statements without considering the full lifetime of those different mediums. From the escalating problem of e-waste to the increasing

Paper is a uniquely renewable and sustainable product. The main raw material, wood, is grown and harvested in a carefully controlled and sustainable way – so sustainable, in fact, that European forests, where most of the raw material comes from, have grown by an area the size of Switzerland in just 15 years.

As a Group, when purchasing paper products or printed materials, we carefully consider which supplier we use based on their Carbon Capture scheme and sustainability credentials. We are a part of the Premier Paper’s Woodland Trust Carbon Capture scheme which plants trees to mitigate the CO2 emissions generated by the production, storage and distribution of the paper.

carbon footprint of data centres, digital transformation is having a huge impact on the planet.

Vast amounts of e-waste is one aspect of the environmental challenges associated with digital media. One key issue is the exponential increase in ‘dark data’, the images, files and documents stored in data centres around the world, never to be seen or used again.

With readily available data storage either free or very low cost, many businesses and individuals will simply keep everything. Whether it’s presentations never to be used again, identical images

and videos automatically stored in iCloud, or unwanted data generated from industrial sensors, there’s a lot of redundant files out there.

To find out more, visit: www.twosides.info

Founded in 2008, Two Sides is a not-for-profit, global initiative promoting the unique sustainable and attractive attributes of print, paper and paper packaging.

Centre Stage at the AoC’s Sustainability Conference

Clare Hagerup, Director of Higher Education at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, delivered a session on ‘The Social and Cultural Pillars of Education for Sustainable Development’ at the Association of College’s Sustainability Conference in March. Clare spoke about ESD and how it can empower learners to make informed decisions and responsible actions for environmental integrity, economic viability and for society, both present and future generations, while respecting cultural diversity. Clare emphasised why this should be an integral part of quality education to attendees.

Did you know?

Highlighted here are some of the positive things we’re doing as a Group to help us reach our goal of net zero. You will also find other facts and figures scattered throghout this newsletter.

Group Executive Director for Student Experience and Support, Clare Allcock, and Andra Ghencea, Director of Adult Skills, also attended the conference and found it extremely beneficial.

Clare Hagerup has also been working with curriculum departments on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A trial project has taken place within selected curriculum areas to provide a baseline for action on curriculum design, sharing good practice and CPD requirements. The areas included A Levels, Arts, Animal Care, Business, Care and Early Years, Construction, Engineering and Automotive, Digital and

Computing, Hair and Beauty, Horticulture, Hospitality and Catering, Sports and Public Services (including Counselling), Teacher Education and Travel and Tourism. Work has also been done with the Group’s Pastoral team, who have been delivering a sustainability research project for our Level 3 students relating to green jobs in their area of study.

Tackling Climate Change Together…

We take our engagement with sustainability seriously and are pleased to share the forums we are involved with and the sustainability partnerships we have established:

• Association of Colleges - Planet Earth Games

• Carbon Trust

• Changing Agents UK

• EAUC - The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education

• EAUC FE Network

• Green Skills Forum – Yorkshire Learning Providers

• Selby Circular Cluster – Reducing Waste

• Veolia – Zero to Landfill

• West Yorkshire Combined Authority - Travel Planning Network

• Woodland Trust’s Carbon Capture

• West Yorkshire Combined Authority Green Jobs Taskforce

• West Yorkshire Colleges Consortium Strategic Development Fund Partnership

• Yorkshire and Humber Institute of Technology

• Yorkshire Learning Providers Green Ambition

Do you want to get involved?

As members of the Yorkshire Learning Providers Green Ambition, we regularly attend the Green Skills Forum where we network with other education providers and receive the most-up-to-date information on the green agenda. As part of our role in this, we have volunteered to help the Supply Chain Sustainability School in supporting the development of a new offer dedicated to the Further Education workforce and teachers.

As part of our membership, we also have access to a range of resources, at: https://padlet.com/ askresources21/GSDAmbition

In addition to the above groups, we are hoping to set up a staff group and a student group who will support our steering groups and drive forward activities, such as:

• Student social action projects – global citizenship

• Activities relating to biodiversitytree planting, wellbeing walks and more

• Development of environmental awareness and climate responsibility in staff development

• Embedding Sustainable Development Goals into our curriculum activity

• Visits with Veolia – zero to landfill

• And more…

If you want to get involved email, please contact sustainability@wakefield.ac.uk.