Sustainability@bangor christmas 2014 newsletter

Sustainability@Bangor Newsletter Christmas 2014

Bangor Students’ Union praised for track record on sustainability Bangor University and Waitrose branch out into green packaging

Sustainability is one of the Students’ Unions’ core values Whether it’s financial investment for their environmental volunteering projects and societies, the work that they carry out on sustainability of the Welsh language and culture, the sustainability of local communities and local projects, or their work in promoting democracy and civic engagement. Each and every one of these activities, and more, all contribute to a healthy society where communities thrive.

is at the core of all of our work.

The SU and the University are pleased to see that their work on sustainability is being recognised nationally, and that the progress in recent years, in collaboration with the University, shows that working collectively around shared issues can have a positive impact on the world around us.

Here are some of the highlights;  15 departments took part in taking 260 greening Improvements audited by 9 trained students, helping to save an estimated 4.8tonnes of carbon and £10,162.

They’re embedding these  As part of Green Impact principles in the new Students' Unions, Bangor Community Partnership, Love University Students' Union Bangor, which will bring was awarded a Gold award for communities together to their efforts, achieving an campaign around shared impressive total score of 445, interests to influence change on and winning the Ecologist and a range of issues, furthering the Resurgence Communications wider sustainability agenda that Challenge award and www.bangor.ac.uk/sustainability

the prestigious Union of the Year - Non-Trading award.  2% reduction in electricity usage in halls of residence, over 12 tonnes of CO2 and nearly £2,020 saved via the Student Switch Off campaign in conjunction with Infrastructural changes made on campus.

NUS said, “This impressive progress demonstrates just how significant an impact individual actions can have when carried out collectively, and staff and students at Bangor University should be commended for their efforts to promote more efficient and more sustainable behaviours on campus.”

Cynaliadwyedd Prifysgol Bangor University Sustainability

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this work for a number of reasons. Obviously, the opportunity to explore novel ways to create more sustainable materials, such as packaging, Prototype green packaging, developed as part holds its own attraction but this has been a great of the STARS project, was on display at Waitrose, Menai Bridge on 18th November 2014 demonstration of a more open approach that shows how academia and business can work The STARS project, funded with support from together, each contributing their expertise, to the Welsh Government through the A4B help deliver real, practical science to the market" scheme, is a collaborative project led by the BioComposites Centre at Bangor University, in Bangor University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor John G. Hughes said: “The Biocomposites partnership with Aberystwyth University and Centre at Bangor has a strong track record of several industrial partners including Waitrose. working collaboratively with companies in Wales Packaging made from grass can be easily in order to commercialise sustainable products. composted with food waste, providing an Bangor is proud to be part of this very exciting environmentally beneficial alternative to the tons project and we look forward to seeing the and tons of plastics that are used in collaboration develop as part of the University’s supermarkets today. commitment to Wales and local business.”

The Waitrose store hosted a display showing a variety of food items packed in the grass packaging product range, which currently includes food trays, fruit punnets and egg boxes. Shoppers were asked to comment on the product range thereby providing valuable feedback for the project. All the packaging on display was made using the new pulp moulding machine, supplied by Adare and located at the BioComposites Centre’s Biorefining Technology Transfer Centre, Mona, Anglesey.

Quentin Clark, Head of Sustainability and Ethical Sourcing, Waitrose said: "Waitrose has been very pleased to have been involved with

Lucideon Certifies Bangor Univeristy’s EMS to ISO 14001 The Challenge Bangor University has had an Environmental Management System (EMS) since 2009 in line with achieving and reaching level 5 of the Green Dragon scheme.

As a part of its commitment to further development the university asked CICS (now known as Lucideon) to externally verify its EMS to the internationally recognised standard ISO 14001 in line with best established and implemented an EMS capable practice. of achieving their policy commitments, objectives and operational needs. The EMS had been What they Delivered established for a number of years as part of the Lucideon assessed the university’s Green Dragon Scheme. This has significantly Environmental Management System which assisted the University in establishing an EMS, covers a range of buildings over a number of addressing the requirements of ISO 14001:2004. campus locations. The certification process The process of implementing the EMS had consisted of a pre-assessment followed by stage 1 and 2 assessments. The assessments review identified and addressed a number of opportunities for improvement, establishing systems in place, raise non-conformities and foundations for continued improvement in the give recommendations for improvement which future.” will help to eventually achieve certification.

Thanks to its work in the Green Dragon scheme Bangor University was well on its way to certification. The university has now become one of the first universities to have its EMS certified to ISO 14001. Having the EMS externally certified gives the university the re-assurance that the data is accurate and reliable. It will also help to bring about cost savings through improved performance and efficiency, and the systematic approach this international standard demands.

Sustainability is now higher on students’ agendas when looking at universities and students expect an environmentally conscientious campus. Certification to ISO 14001 demonstrates this and can give a big boost to a university’s reputation, including recognition from green leagues and sustainability awards.

Tim Watts, Operations Manager at Lucideon, says: “During the initial assessment process Bangor University demonstrated that they had

Ricky Carter, Bangor University’s Environmental Manager said: “Both the Green Dragon and ISO 14001 standards require systematic control of those activities that can have an adverse impact on the environment. In our case these include our energy consumption, use of natural resources, handling and disposal of waste, and business travel. Green Dragon is a highly credible management standard within Wales and to build on this by achieving ISO 14001 certification clearly demonstrates to our stakeholders at a global level, that our University is committed to protecting and enhancing our natural environment.”

Vice Chancellor Professor John Hughes commented: “This is a wonderful achievement of the long term goal we set ourselves when we embarked on our EMS back in 2009. I am delighted that we continue to build on our international reputation as a sustainable University, and this is further evidence that we are taking our environmental responsibilities very seriously indeed.”

Love Bangor Partnership Launched The Love Bangor Partnership a community organising project lead by the Students’ Union was officially launched in an event open to the whole community including and all students. The partnership aims to work in collaboration with students, Bangor University, Gwynedd Council, residents, businesses, and many other community groups across Bangor. The project has also been proposed for the NUS Green Impact Students’ Unions Excellence Award. The excellence framework gives students’ unions the opportunity to work with their institutions on a ‘bigger picture’ sustainability initiative, creating transformational projects, with support and guidance from NUS. The Partnership is built upon community organising tactics and is focussed upon core themes as identified from consultation with both residents and students.

The core themes of the Partnership are: Sustainability Waste & Recycling Housing & Appearance Citizenship & Democracy Noise Pollution The Partnership will provide a space and a platform where people can come together to influence the change that they wish to see in their communities, working as collectives rather than organisations working on people’s behalf. The community organising tactics that the Partnership is built upon will also shape the way in which the Students’ Union works with students and communities to achieve change, and in the next three years that change will ensure that the voice of students is too loud for any politician to ignore.

The Love Bangor Community Partnership will bring together people from all over the world, proactively working towards shared aims and objectives, promoting the brilliant work and collaboration that already exists within our communities day in, day out.

Improving Energy Efficiency at Normal Site Socially responsible development, as well as promoting personal actions can also bring The SBBS Sustainability@Bangor team were at benefits such as signing the Freshers Fair, the most popular event of University’s Sustainability Pledge, debating Welcome Week, where students sign up for which sustainability developments the clubs, societies, sports and volunteering. The University should work on, and getting more team promoted the University’s aim of ‘Bringing involved with Sustainability@Bangor.

Sustainability to Life’ through Bangor University’s Environment Manager Sustainability@Bangor, the unique structure and ongoing programme of improvements the Ricky Carter said: team has developed to understand and manage It was great for new students to chat with the the University’s sustainable development under SBBS team, they not only found out why the commonly used sustainability structure: everyone needs to play their part in helping the People, Planet and Prosperity.

University reduce it’s environmental impact through simple everyday actions, but it’s also John Hughes, Vice Chancellor of Bangor given them new, sustainable perspectives on University is keen that the University becomes their future careers and ambitions.” known globally as the Sustainable University and he is extremely supportive of the SBBS team’s work to embed the Sustainability@Bangor structure across campus and beyond in teaching, research and public engagement. He says: “At Bangor University, sustainability is part of everything we do. It is how we function and why we function.”

Freshers’ Fun at Bangor University

The success of any sustainability initiative depends on input from every member of the community, and at Fresher’s Fair hundreds of students were inspired to get involved with sustainability both personally and professionally. The Team promoted how to benefit from new opportunities through developing sustainable practices to gain a competitive edge in the jobs market and as entrepreneurs by tapping into the SBBS team’s expertise in environmentally and

Monday 9th February Sunday 15th of February Throughout the week we will be holding various themed sessions and on Wednesday between 12 and 4pm in the Main Arts Foyer and Corridor there will be several number of stands full of information on living healthier.

The Estates and Facilities Department recently upgraded the aging oil fired heating system on the Normal site with a new mains gas system. The new system will be far more cost effective and beneficial in terms of environmental impacts.

Tony Flint, Engineering Maintenance Manager in Estates said….. “We are constantly looking for ways to improve energy efficiency and there by reduce costs as well as our environmental impacts. By replacing the oil heating system on the site we anticipate to save around £40,000 a year in fuel costs, and reduce our carbon emissions by more than 80 tonnes. This is one of a number of measures we are taking across the Estate to achieve our long term carbon reduction targets.”

Ricky Carter, Environmental Manager added” Not only will the new system be more cost effective and efficient in terms of emissions, it will reduce the additional carbon footprint associated with oil transportation and delivery, as well as removing a significant potential for pollution from spillages or leaks”.

For more information on energy efficiency measures, contact environment@bangor.ac.uk

Switch Off This Christmas Did you know that each year, Bangor University uses the same amount of electricity as around 5,000 typical UK homes? Our “Energy Clock” gives a good indication of how much our energy use is costing us, together with the carbon footprint it generates.

Ricky Carter, Environmental Manager said “We’re making some great progress with our energy conservation measures, and despite a 30% increase in staff and student numbers, our total energy use is now 75% of what it was 10 years ago”. Staff and students are helping the University get this even lower by switching off all unnecessary electrical equipment at night, over weekends, and especially before they leave for the Christmas holiday period. Many thanks for your help, and have a great seasonal break.

S’mae Day, a Day to Celebrate the Welsh Language S’mae, S’mae…. Those words, meaning ‘How are you?’, were heard everywhere around Bangor University on Wednesday, 15 October on this official national day to celebrate the Welsh language. Welsh speakers and learners of all walks of life made a point of greeting each other in this way in order to raise public awareness of the Welsh language and practice their Welsh.

‘Give it a go’ was the general theme of the day. Sustainability@Bangor supported the day by ‘Bringing Welsh to life’ as part of the goal to ‘Bring Sustainability to life’.

As elsewhere in Wales, many different events were held across Bangor, and Bangor University got involved in promoting the day.

Staff and students at Bangor University, who spoke Welsh on the day were rewarded for their efforts with a 10% discount on tea and coffee. Welsh learners, including the

The Wales We Want: The University We Want

University’s Vice-Chancellor, were awarded for their efforts to learn the language in a special award ceremony. A Welsh taster session was held for students at the Belle Vue pub. It was also a great opportunity for departments to organise their own events for the day.

It was a very successful day but let us also remember that the Welsh language isn’t something for one day only, it is a key part of our University, our city, and our country’s life every day of the year.

The sustainability team held a special sustainability forum with Mike Palmer (Wales Audit Office) on the Future Generations Bill.Currently ‘One Wales: One Planet’ is the WG’s current statutory scheme for promoting Sustainable Development (SD) across its functions. It states that SD will be the central organising principle of the government in Wales – making SD the central organising principle of government has therefore been government policy for nearly four years. The Future Generations Bill takes this aspiration a step further by strengthening existing governance arrangements within a certain range of public sector organizations in order to ‘improve the well-being of Wales’.

The Bill will ensure that the needs of the present are met without compromising the

Planet Ocean Film Screening In October the Sustainability team helped organise a screening of the ’PLANET OCEAN’ film for the local Friends of the Earth group and the public. A stunning documentary of the oceans and the need to protect them. The film is an be an opportunity to dive into our planet's greatest mysteries with a team of international underwater cinematographers as they explore the breath-taking bond between humanity and the ocean. Narrated by Josh Duhamel. We were also joined by Paul Kay, Welsh Projects Officer at Marine Conservation Society for a Q&A session.

Student Switch Off is an energy saving and recycling competition open to all students living in halls of residence, Look out for the prizes and like us on Facebook

ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This will happen by incorporating principles of sustainable development in the law.

Although Universities will not be included in the bill, the strong feeling at the forum was that Bangor University should be included and involved in the National Conversation and that the University should be preparing for and implementing the Bill within our own practices. This event was an opportunity to gather ideas around The Wales We Want / The University we Want i.e. the sort of University we envisage and how best to measure and report on our sustainability successes.

UniPlanet :: Sustainability@Bangor A word from Dr Einir Young The Head of Sustainable Development bangor.ac.uk/sustainability

Monthly Sustainability ThinkTank 'Bringing Sustainability to life' Promoting ideas and discussion around Sustainability@Bangor

28/01/15 1-2pm Teras room 3 SU President Rhys Taylor—Love Bangor Community Partnership 25/02/15 1-2pm Teras room 3 Heli Gittins, Mindfulness and Sustainability 18/03/15 1-2pm Alun Roberts 304, Hughes Seminar Room Jackie Ellis, Human Resources and Sustainability 29/04/15 1-2pm Teras room 3 Angela Church, Sustainable Procurement and Catering 27/05/15 1-2pm Teras room 3 Nicola Day, Sustainable Procurement at Bangor University

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this issue of the Sustainabiltiy@Bangor Newsletter. It’s been another busy year with even more activities and successes to celebrate.

We are fortunate that the University has agreed to fund Mair Rowlands’ position and she will be continuing the good work of co-ordinating and promoting sustainability across the campus.

During the coming year there will be some restructuring to ensure that our sustainability efforts are maximised and bring benefits to all of us.

In the meantime here is a summary of our successes to date: BU’s total annual energy bill is around £2.5million a year: roughly £1.9 million on electricity; £500k gas; the difference made up with oil and LPG. Over the last 9 years our total energy consumption has been reduced by 23% Energy related carbon emissions in the same period have reduced by 10.6% The cumulative energy savings over 9 years is £1.6M and our bills this year had we not taken action would be nearly £600,000 more.

In the same period, staff and student FTEs have increased by 30%, and the number of student rooms in Halls of Residence has increased by 20% Carbon “tax” is currently costing around £200,000 per year (i.e. approximately 13,000 tonnes x £15.60 per tonne). The cost will rise to £16 per tonne next year.

Waste recycling rates are up from 17% to 47% a 30% improvement over nine years. To put this achievement in perspective it took Cyngor Gwynedd (a Council with a good recycling record) ten years to achieve a 20% improvement, which we achieved in five following the implementation of the EMS. The work of the BU students unions and Mair’s liaison work has been recognised with UK awards – winning the Gold in the Green Impact Students’ Unions Awards, the Ecologist and Resurgence Communications Challenge Award and the Prestigous “Union of the Year – Non Trading” award. In the latest NUS HEA Sustainability Survey 90% of Bangor University’s students either agreed or strongly agreed that sustainable development is something that the University should promote.

The NUS itself commented on BU’s performance: “This impressive programme demonstrates just how significant an impact individual actions can have when carried out collectively, and staff and students at Bangor University should be commended for their efforts to promote more efficient and more sustainable energy, waste, transport and food behaviours on campus.”

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and invite you all to contribute your department’s expertise to activities during 2015.

www.bangor.ac.uk/sustainability