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students transforming
sustainability review sustainability review
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endorsements “As the Union moves forward, and in order for us to achieve our strategic ambitions, we must take corporate responsibilities seriouslyparticularly sustainability. It is an issue that our students and staff are concerned about. Increasingly our choices are influenced by the social and environmental performance of organisations. It is important that we give students and staff the opportunity to choose to study or work at an SU which takes its responsibilities seriously. Our intention is to ensure that the SU delivers a student and staff experience within an environment and culture incorporating the principles of sustainable development. Our members and staff will have the opportunity to meet, socialise, study and work in a sustainable environment as well as develop and use the skills and understanding required to contribute to global sustainability throughout their work here as staff. As an SMT, we fully support the publication of this review and its aims and objectives” Jim Dickinson, Chief of Staff at uea(su) This review has been approved by: • The Ethical and Environmental Committee The Sustainability Collective: • Catrin Darsley, Sustainable Development Manager, UEA
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contents 4
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the issues
our action plan
retail and catering
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venues
opportunities
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education and engagement
operations, hr and payroll
advice
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the issues
We organised a workshop with all career staff to identify our significant negative impacts on the environment and we shortlisted the top 5.
1 2 3 4 5 4
Energy In Union House last year’s electricity bill came to £83,000 and the heating bill was £20,000
Retail Wastage On average Unio has a monthly waste of £295 and the Shop has a monthly waste of £2080 (at cost of purchase)
Travel Carbon emissions from staff and student travel, student trips and conferences
Plastic Wastage We generate a large amount of plastic waste through the amount of plastic bottles, straws and coffee cups we provide
Paper Wastage A large amaount of paper wastage is produced from the leaflets and handouts from events and campaigns, agendas, recruitment and administration
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We also asked students for their thoughts on sustainability in a survey and the major findings were:
38% of students wanted to see uea(su) incorporating sustainability into student life
As a result of this finding, we have encouraged our career staff teams to create action plans to combine sustainability into student life whether that be through retail, venues, opportunities, operations, advice and education and engagement.
38% of students wanted more activities and interventions
Again, through this review you will get a taste of the variety of interventions we plan to put in place. One of our most notable interventions is the removal of plastic straws from our bars.
25% of students wanted more awareness on what we are doing to reduce our environmental impacts
As a result of this finding, we have published this review to make our students aware of the sustainability issues we face and how we plan to reduce them.
78% of students want to learn more about sustainability and 72% think it is something that all universities should incorporate and promote
We completely agree with the student voice and will continue to promote sustainability through interventions, campaigns and events.
65% of students think uea(su) takes action to limit environmental impacts and
59% agree that being a
student at UEA encourages them to think and act on environmental issues sustainability review
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our action plan Each team within uea(su) has created a sustainability action plan, which provides a framework for us to keep track of the sustainability actions each team has pledged! We hope that these action plans will inspires us to continue to transform our workplace to ensure we reduce our environmental impacts. These action plans will fit in with our overarching strategic aims to gain and maintain an ‘Excellent’ level Green Impact award. This entails ensuring we are maintaining the highest level of sustainability across several different factors, including Knowledge and Understanding, Leadership and Strategy, Partnership and Policy, Operations, Campaigns and Outreach.
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retail and catering Action
Resources required
Lead
Who is Deadline Measurable evidence involved?
Paper carrier bags instead of plastic
Price comparisons online or using our current suppliers
Jokubas Kudaba
Wendy Storey 28th February Reducing the 2018 use of plastic
No issuing till receipts unless requested
Fidelity systems
Kerry Searle
Sam Sharpless
Reducing and reusing food waste in the shop and unio
Sales analysis and foodbank/ student enterprise
Sam Palmer and Cheryl Hall
Foodbank and 31st March Elyza Amira 2018 Habeeb Rahman, (President, Enactus UEA)
This should have been sorted when the upgrade took place so needs to be challenged immediately
Money saved by less ordering of till rolls
Feedback from foodbank and our members
Less printing Laminating Robbie of operational current sheets Palmer checklists and invoices
All Shop staff
28th February Money saved 2018 on printing
Re-usable coffee cups
Price comparisons online or using our current suppliers
Shane Blake
Wendy Storey 16th February 2018
Money saved and less waste
Advertising the way to dispose of waste correctly
Meet with marketing
Shane Blake/ Kerry Searle
Marketing De- 31st March partment 2018
Correct recycling in the bins provided
Turning off of computers and lights when not in use
Staff complying
Wendy Storey All staff
28th February Energy 2018 savings
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venues
reduce Issue
Solution
Who
When
Paperless tickets
Move from ABC to MSL: requires new scanners, hardware
Lee, Paul
By September 2018
Plastic straws
Stop giving them out automatically Seek alternative: not easy, await market innovations
Bar Team Bar Supers
Complete
One use items
Team effort to think of All changes Use glasses and water jugs
Ongoing January 2018
Deliveries quantities/ frequency
Plan ahead, look at bulk purchases
All
Ongoing
Travelling to gigs
Charge for parking? Encourage customers to look at bus times, share taxis, ofo bikes, details on our website
Lee, box office team
New ticket site
Drinking water
Install drinking/ refill fountains around UH Cost approx. ÂŁ500 each need 5
Gavin
Over Easter
Electricity and heat
Closing doors, turning All off lights, TV timers
Ongoing
Issue
Solution
When
Can we change any disposable cup
Look to buy ECO cups Emily for club nights deposit schemes
Ongoing
Office stationary
Reuse document folders/files
Ongoing
reuse
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Who All
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recycling Issue
Solution
Who
When
Customers
Education: Signs, labelling, stickers, campaigns, emails, personal interaction.
Gavin, Leah, Oli, Design
Ongoing
University staff
Need to renegotiate Toby, Gavin, Robyn our cleaning deal Need cleaning staff to learn about recycling
Bins
We need a cross team UEA, Norse, Gavin, agreement over which Robyn bins do what and where the stand.
Staff
Training from induction, what streams where Templates, artwork
All
Asap
Asap
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opportunities Impact
Action
Lead
Deadline
Student Group Transport
We develop a green fund for societies to apply for to take greener transport options on trips
SA & AM
March 2018
We will encourage public transport and encourage more lift sharing amongst student groups
SA
Develop a guide for local attractions societies can run trips too to reduce travel
JB
Develop a resource for transport recommendations
SA
Reduce the amount ordered at events
All
Increase number of non-perishables
All
Food wastage at events led by the department and students
All Increase amount of vegetarian food ordered at events also encouraging students to do the same
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Start now Ongoing
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Impact
Action
Lead
Deadline
Society leaflets and Develop our social posters with reference media training for to fairs in particular clubs and societies to decrease reliance on posters and leaflets
SA & GE
March 2018
Reduce leaflet sizes if absolutely required
AF & SA
Research options to use regular poster boards as a chalkboard
AF
Have a dedicated AF recycling champion at the fairs to ensure recycling is prioritised Have more reusable signs for regular events
AF
Reduce size of signs put on tables for the fair
AF
Remove the use of the AM & GE bar codes system Training Resources Paper requested by student groups
Follow up training GE with email resources and review committee hub to ensure resources are as accessible as possible
April 2018 Ongoing
Schedule this email to GE go out immediately after any training session
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Impact
Action
Lead
Deadline
Club and Society Equipment Usage Waste and groups forgetting what they have previously sourced
To implement a process of submitting inventories
GE
May 2018 Ongoing
Increased spot checks GE on societies lockers Clearer donations or selling process for clubs and societies
GE
Introduce a big clear out day every year to donate or reuse
GE & SA
Review locker storage SA & GE & AM options Room Bookings – room being left unused and spaced across campus
Concrete Print Run Large number
Develop a culture of AM societies notifying us and room bookings when rooms are not in use to reduce energy consumed in keeping building open – and develop a switch off campaign for socs to turn things off as they leave the room Where possible consolidate booking in to single building rather than many across campus
AM
Reduce number of issues printed to reduce waste
AM & SA
Start now Ongoing
Complete
Change the paper used to recyclable paper Water Bottles non-reusable bottles being used
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Develop a campaign CK & AM for use of reusable bottles in sports clubs
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Impact
Action
Lead
Deadline
Other Actions
All staff to turn off computers at the end of the day
All
Ongoing
Reduce our leaflet production
All
Ongoing
Develop some agreements with relevant suppliers (i.e. coach travel)
AM
April 2018
On all amazon orders to ensure orders are collated as one
AM
Ongoing
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operations, hr and payroll Impact
Action
Bins - wrong things in wrong bins
Reminder to all staff Robyn as to what can go into each bin
Asap
Excessive use of paper
Re-use paper where possible, recycling trays next to printers, ensuring paper is recycled correctly
Robyn
April 2018
Lighting
Explore possibility of more motion sensor lighting, reminding staff to switch off lights where possible, produce documentation for communal spaces
Robyn
April 2018
Heating
Remind staff to turn off radiators when not in use and not to always have them on the highest setting. Communicate with Estates to find out when our heating is turned off and on.
Robyn
April 2018
Water
Explore the idea of water cooler, remind staff that water is cooler in other locations.
Robyn
Asap
Electricity
Remind staff that Robyn computers/equipment should be turned off when not in use.
April 2018
Transport
Review Rob communications with external candidates and add further information about public transport. Offer skype interviews where possible.
Summer 2018
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Lead
Deadline
education and engagement
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Impact
Action
Lead
Deadline
Not ordering accurate quantities of campaign material means there is often a surplus that is wasted
Complete accurate assessment of quantities needed – how? Where possible, ensure dates are not included on promotional material to encourage re-use
James Barket
Throughout the year, build into event/ campaign planning
Energy use
Turning off tablet docks at the end of each day
Lindsay Westgarth
Ongoing
Takeaway coffee cups in landfill
Take reusable cups to unio when buying coffee
All team E&E who buy Ongoing coffee from unio
Printing
Stop printing SOC sub-committee agendas by default and use electronic screens (unless for an access need). All SOC sub-committee staff support to email committee members in advance to ask if any committee member would like a printed copy of the agenda
All staff who support SOC sub-committees
Ongoing
Low awareness Incorporate green Lindsay Westgarth amongst student impact/environmental leaders of these issues issues into course rep training
Plan in August for October 2018
Low priority for E&E team
To incorporate into month discussion from February 2018
Create space in E&E meetings to discuss how to reduce our environmental impacts
Jo Caulfield
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advice Action
Lead
Impact:
Students travel in for face to face appointments with advisors Advisors use cars to travel to appointments at ECB
Better utilise the Lucy Aspey systems that we have: skype, phone, email and offer these more routinely to students.
Costs/ Resources
Deadline Notes
Limited costs as Easter Break resources already available. Time with student staff to ensure that when booking appointments, they offer these appointments routinely. Jo P to promote these options via social media.
05.02 - we have overhauled the diary slots that are available to offer students more flexibility in terms of times and type of appointments.
Impact:
We hand out lots of paper to students at stalls and in appointments
Review of leaflet content and combine materials where possible. Print smart when we do print. Develop podcasts for info Look into app/QR development
Carl Portman
Impact:
We need to ensure that we have explicit consent to hold data and this results in lots of paper being used
Investigate an electronic form system, similar to mach forms, that can be put onto website and used more commonly
Jo Plumstead
Impact:
We use lots of tissues in meetings with students
Liaise with shop(su) to buy environmentally friendly tissues
Mike Hill
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Jo P to provide support re: leaflet modification
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Time from Carl’s diary to review materials.
Summer 2018 for leaflet review and amends Carl to work with Jonathan Murray to TBC – Carl investigate to meet podcasts and app with JM by and costs of these. March 2018 and look at dates.
Time from Jo P’s diary to sit with Jonathan Murray to work out a new system
£50 from CC 132
Easter Break
March 2018
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Action
Lead
Impact:
We use lots of plastic cups at housing socials
Liaise with bar(su) to buy environmentally friendly cups
Mike Hill
Impact:
We talk about environmentally friendly tips under other guises but are not explicit about this type of advice (i.e. money saving)
Jo P, Mike, Carl to Lucy Aspey ensure that the information is also given out and the environmental impact is discussed too Impact:
Costs/ Resources £50 from CC 132
N/A
Deadline Notes March 2018
Ongoing
We hold lots of individual appointments for students, often to give the same advice
Develop a programme Lucy Aspey of workshops to give out advice and information
Time from advisor’s diaries to deliver these. Plan and get these into diaries and advertised with Jo P
March 2018
05.02 – EC workshops have been booked in. Appeals dates to follow. Discussion of creating housing info workshops for next cycle.
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achievements so far As a result of the action plans created for each term, so far we have: • Significantly reduced the amount of plastic straws we purchase for our bars • Programmed our tills to no longer automatically print out receipts • And there are still so many more interventions in progress!
conclusions
To summarise, our main negative environmental impacts are: plastic wastage, paper wastage, travel, retail and energy. We have taken this into account, along with students voicing a need for more environmental interventions to create robust action plans for each department. We hope that these action plans will set an excellent precedent for sustainability at uea(su) and we hope it will enable and inspire our students to move towards sustainable lifestyles.
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uea students’ union is a registered charity number 1162866 company number 09664303
if you require this document in a different format email union.info@uea.ac.uk