Get involved in sustainability

UWE Bristol has over 30,000 students and 3,000 staff and together we can make change happen. With climate action becoming ever more urgent, we are working to make a truly sustainable university a reality. Our 2030 strategy commits us to empower and inspire you, our students and staff, to make sustainable choices. Find out more about what you can do and how to get involved.

• Make your voice heard: Join others and take action with The Students' Union Green Team with practical projects and campaigns like ‘Let’s talk Trash’  and ‘Changing consumerism’ .
• Make your ideas a reality; put forward an idea at Student Ideas, apply for up to £500 project funding (provided by the university and administered by the Student Union) from Change for Change.
• If you are a member of a sports club apply for a Greener Futures award.
• Learn how to grow your own vegetables on Frenchay Campus at the Community Garden. Join one of our fortnightly sessions advertised through the Student Union
• Get involved in oversight of the University’s Carbon Management plan, its Ethical Investment Policy and its all-encompassing Sustainability Plan for 2030; contact sustainability@uwe.ac.uk for more information For a recent example of student involvement, see the Divestment update (PDF)drafted by the Green Team.
• Join the Student's Union at UWE Sustainability Committee, and/or raise an issue you care about with the University Sustainability Board by emailing thegreenteam@uwe.ac.uk.
• Want more on sustainability in your course? Talk to your sustainability course reps and tutors direct and/or contact Vicki Harris, email: vicki.harris@uwe.ac.uk or georgina.gough@uwe.ac.uk
• Join in with UWE Bristol Green Week in October and Fairtrade Fortnight in February/March.
• Support the award-winning 'Bring your own bowl' eventand other food waste campaigns runs by HallsLife.
• Take part in community projects such as GreenSpace (starting again in October 2021) and Green School ambassadors with UWE Bristol Volunteering and look out for opportunities within your course to work with local communities to embed sustainability. For more info email sustainability@uwe.ac.uk.

Visit the SU website for more ideas on getting involved

Staff inductions and orientation

All new staff are invited to the staff welcome fair at which there is a sustainability presentation, covering our overall policy and strategy, how they translate into action and how you can get involved; this is supplemented by an online section of the induction training on the intranet. Existing staff are invited to the lunchtime sessions of the welcome fairs. Union members can get involved through their unions which have representation at the sustainability board. For further info email sustainability@uwe.ac.uk.

Teaching and research: KESE network

All academic staff are urged to explore how to embed and develop sustainability within their teaching and research; for support contact Associate Professor Georgina Gough (email: georgina.gough@uwe.ac.uk) who coordinates UWE Bristol's cross-institutional 'Knowledge Exchange for Sustainability Education', which has representation for every academic department in the University.

In addition, there are many formal and informal research clusters focussing on sustainability and in specific in 2020 our Research, Business and Innovation Service set up the Changing Climate Network. It aims to draw together UWE staff with interests that converge on the causes and consequences of climate change, encourage cross-disciplinary collaborations and support funding bids for related research. For more information contact Olivia.Lelong@uwe.ac.uk.

Taking positive action: Climate action cafés

Climate action cafés are informal sessions which focus on changes you can make in your work content and practice on campus and in your life at home. Relevant to academics and services staff alike the events provide an opportunity to focus on sustainability and are tailored to  your team's needs. To request a session,  and contact us for an initial chat: email sustainability@uwe.ac.uk.

Our social media

You can engage with the Sustainability Team and the Students Union at UWE via our social media channels. We'd love to hear from you on:

• GreenUWE Facebook page
• The Sustainability Team Instagram
• The Green Team Facebook Group.
• The Green Team Instagram @su_uwegreenteam

Around campus and at home

• Buy more plant based food: eat less meat and dairy.
• Love food and hate waste: buy only what you need and use up leftovers.
• Travel lighter on the planet: walk, cycle, go by bus/train or car share, and rethink your holidays.
• Save energy, water and money: put lids on pans, turn the tap off whilst cleaning teeth and washing hands, turn off radiators before opening windows, use sleep mode and turn off electronics when not in use.
• Prevent plastic pollution and support wildlife.
• Buy less cheap stuff - check out sustainable fashion and find out more top tips.
• If you see energy or water being wasted on campus, contact the 222 Helpdesk or email the Energy Team at email: energyteam@uwe.ac.uk.

Take inspiration from others

Take a look some of the other ways that students and staff are making change happen here at UWE Bristol:

• working with Hospitality Services and The Students' Union at UWE to increase vegan and vegetarian menu options
• running clothes swap shops and sustainable period drop in sessions
• acting as ambassadors for Fairtrade and holding events in Fairtrade Fortnight
• carrying out green office audits using our online staff induction (staff login required) and taking part in our plastics audits for further info email: sustainability@uwe.ac.uk
• Holding sessions on Green team campaigns, climate justice and inequalities.