University Week Focuses on Sustainability Activities for All

Go Green Week 2024 5 - Birdwatching 2
Activities from last year's Go Green Week: A birdwatching session led by Dr Matt Smith (far right), Senior Lecturer in Geography. Photo below: Students showing visitors how to make bird feeders

Go Green Week, held in partnership with ³Ô¹ÏµÚÒ»Ïß Students’ Union, will feature a host of events, from talks and practical workshops, as well as stalls and advice for those looking to make a difference and reduce their carbon footprint.

Running February 10-15, many community organisations are involved and the majority of events are open to the public alongside University staff and students. It has been running on campus for 15 years.

Director of Sustainability, Katy Boom, said: “We can all take steps to be more sustainable, even if it’s through small actions. This event is a chance for people to learn a bit more, have some fun, get free stuff and to meet others who are also interested in helping to make a more sustainable ³Ô¹ÏµÚÒ»Ïß. We provide many of these activities throughout the year but through Go Green Week we’re concentrating them in a way which gives it added focus.”

Go Green Week is designed to help encourage behaviour change and raise awareness of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) by highlighting and encouraging sustainable living practices.

Go Green Week 2024 2

The week features re-use and recycling advice, free house plants and herbs, sustainable food samples, bird watching walks, Fairtrade activities, advice for people on making their home more sustainable, a chance to discuss the climate crisis, tree identification walk and a community litter pick.

This year there is a particular focus on crafting, with a chance for students and other contributors to add their mark to a sustainability themed banner made from donated materials, by sewing something onto it. There is also a repair café running on Saturday (February 15), 11.30am-2pm, which includes clothing repairs.

There is also a chance to learn about the University’s new Sustainability Forum, which will be launched during Go Green Week. The Forum which welcomes input from students, staff and members of the community, aims to bring everyone together to help shape the future work of the University around sustainability.

Ms Boom said: “Our student population are potentially the future leaders and decision makers of the world. When they leave from here, when they go back home or go off and work in big companies they can take these lessons with them.

“We’re an institution that is all about knowledge sharing, and we’re happy to share what we know and to facilitate other specialist organisations working in this space, getting an opportunity to demonstrate what they do and get more volunteers and support them in their work.”

For more information on Go Green Week visit our online sustainability magazine, .