Get involved in sustainability

UWE Bristol has nearly 40,000 students and 4,300 staff and together we are making change happen. With climate action becoming ever more urgent, the importance of engaging students staff and the public in making a sustainable university is recognised in all of our sustainability strategies and plans, in our Sustainability Engagement Framework and in our work with The Students' Union at UWE.

Find out more about what you can do and how to get involved.

• Make your voice heard. Join others in The Students' Union Green Team for practical projects and campaigns.
• Sign up to our free online climate education course available to all students.
• If you are a member of a club or society, apply for a Greener Futures award for guidance on how to run it in a planet-friendly way.
• Get involved in textiles and electronics repair and save items from landfill at UWE Bristol's monthly Repair Café.
• Work with staff and students to decolonise our teaching and promote climate justice at UWE Bristol.
• Make your ideas a reality through Student Ideas and apply for up to £500 project funding (provided by the University and administered by the Students' Union) from Change for Change.
• Learn how to grow your own vegetables on Frenchay Campus at the Community Garden. Join one of our fortnightly sessions advertised through the Students' Union.
• Get involved in oversight of the University’s Carbon Management plan, its Ethical Investment Policy and Sustainability Plan for 2030.  
• Join The Students' Union at UWE Sustainability Committee, and raise an issue you care about with the University Sustainability Committee 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 Professor Georgina Gough at georgina.gough@uwe.ac.uk.
• Join in with UWE Bristol Green fortnight in November and our Fairtrade Fortnight in March.
• Take part in community projects such as GreenSpace and Green School ambassadors with UWE Bristol Volunteering.     
• Hold the University and the Students' Union to account: get involved as auditors in our NUS SOS-UK biannual Responsible Futures accreditation and our Fairtrade accreditation, our annual Green impact accreditation, and our ISO 14001 audit. Email sustainability@uwe.ac.uk for more information.

Visit The Students' Union at UWE for more ideas on getting involved

Staff orientation and input

All new staff attend the staff welcome fair at which there is a sustainability session, covering our strategy, how it translates into action and how you can get involved. This is supplemented by online training, a general induction, and our Climate Action Series, which is available on the My Learning platform for staff and via Blackboard for students.

All staff are welcome to attend meetings of the Sustainability Executive committee at which the Sustainability Strategy, Carbon Management Plan and other relevant strategic areas of sustainable development are discussed and reported.

Union members can get involved through their unions, which have representation at the Sustainability Executive committee. For further information, email sustainability@uwe.ac.uk.

Teaching and research: KESE network

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

In addition, there are many formal and informal research clusters focussing on sustainability. For example our Changing Climate Network aims to draw together staff with interests in climate change, encourage cross-disciplinary collaborations and support funding bids for related research. For more information contact Lindsay Walker: lindsay.walker@uwe.ac.uk.

Taking positive action: Climate action cafés

Climate action cafés are informal sessions which aim to translate UWE Bristol's policies and plans into your area of work. 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. 

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 at Hubbub and view their top tips for more ideas.
• And if you see energy or water being wasted on campus, contact the 222 Helpdesk or email the Energy Team at energyteam@uwe.ac.uk.

Swap shops

Visit our new swap shops at Frenchay Campus for clothing, books, household, small electrical items and more. We're open three days a week in 1D015, next to the main information point on the ground floor.

Opening hours

• Tuesday: 10:00 to 16:00
• Wednesday: 10:00 to 16:00
• Thursday: 10:00 to 16:00

At Bower Ashton, City Campus visit the Students' Union at UWE's Community Corner for clothing, books, household items, a community fridge and more. 

Opening hours

• Monday to Friday: 09:00 to 16:00

If you have any queries, please email us at sustainability@uwe.ac.uk.

Fix my Crack

Fix my Crack are the on-campus student-run tech repair company based in 1D015.

Opening hours

• Monday to Friday: 09.00 to 17.00