Goodbye to Doing UoR Bit

By jackiesimpsonAug 22, 20240 Comments
The University of Reading has used the Doing UoR Bit platform for a number of years, allowing staff to take simple actions to reduce their impact on the environment and be rewarded. The platform has been a successful programme, providing many people with new and different ideas of ways they can be more sustainable and helping the University to succeed with its sustainability ambitions to embed greener behaviour across our staff community. As the University approaches its centenary and we move towards being within 5 years of becoming a Net Zero institution it is vital to raise our ambitions and…
Behaviour Change
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Going green at Green Festival 2023

By jackiesimpsonDec 04, 20230 Comments
This year’s Green Festival was held from 14-16 November and it was packed schedule of events which attracted a range of people across our University Community. The Sustainability Team would like to extend their thanks to the following people and teams who we worked closely with to deliver this great programme of events: Reading Students Union, Careers, Dominque Davies, Dylan Parkes, Reading Buses, Leonie Fisher, Bethany Brown, Jamie Robertson, Hedgehog Society, RECC, Citizens Advice, Water Aid, Community team, Students Advice Service, cycling team, Chaplaincy, UPP, MERL, Student Comms, Digital Engagement Team, Reading Students Union communications team and the University Internal…
Behaviour Change
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Celebrating sustainability at Green Festival 2023

By jackiesimpsonNov 06, 20230 Comments
It’s Green Festival 2023 – the University of Reading’s annual sustainability celebration. This year the festival will be held on 14-16 November and we have an action packed schedule, which really does include something for everyone. Highlights include: Combat fast fashion with our clothes swap Become informed about the impact of our consumer habits on the Amazon rainforest Take part in our Big Discussion about Climate Justice Show off in our sustainable fashion show Join in with our eco poetry workshop Take action for our local environment by taking part in our litter picks Learn how to save money by…
Behaviour Change
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Sustainability Champions Network (Future Page)

The University! has a dedicated team to manage sustainability across our campus. In addition, a number of groups, committees and senior management staff have sustainability responsibilities as detailed below (hover over the staff pictures for information on their experience and responsibilities). Progress against our sustainability objectives/strategy is reported to the Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC), and to the University Executive Board (via ESC), through our annual Environmental Sustainability Report. Sustainability Champions Sustainability Groups and Committees Environmental Management Review Group (EMRG) This group is responsible for reviewing the Environment & Energy Management System (EEMS) and supporting the implementation of the system to…
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Be a good egg – switch off for Easter!

By jackiesimpsonMar 27, 20230 Comments
Easter is fast approaching, spring is in the air and the Easter closure period is upon us! We never like to miss a good opportunity to be more sustainable and ask colleagues to join us by being a good egg and switching off for Easter. By switching off lights, computers and unused/non-critical appliances over the closure period, we can all take small steps to save energy which will directly equate to carbon savings and cost savings – good for the environment, good for people and good for the University! Check out our cheat sheet which outlines the kinds of things…
Behaviour Change
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Famous women in sustainability – Women’s history month

By jackiesimpsonMar 06, 20230 Comments
Women’s history month is an opportunity to celebrate these iconic women who will go down in history for their contributions towards environmental science and climate change activism. The past decade has been notably one of the most significant turning points in climate change awareness history, with an increasing number of activists storming social media all with the aim to influence climate change awareness. We recognise key female individuals in the sustainability field, whether they are socially famous or are more centralised to a business, laboratory or workplace. They are all making a difference and should be celebrated for their work.…
Behaviour Change
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Make your plate happy: reducing food waste at UoR

By jackiesimpsonMar 06, 20230 Comments
Introduction Our Bars & Dining team are devoted to enforcing sustainable efforts to boost our eco-system. We understand that tackling food waste is a challenge for many within the hospitality sector, but not for us. The University operates all Catering Services in-house, for the benefit of staff and students. We have already implemented processes to divert food waste across our main dining outlets across campus (i.e Park Eat, The Dairy, The Square, St Patrick’s and Wantage Dining Hall) so that we can eliminate our landfill waste to be used as regenerative fuel across campus and beyond. What we are doing…
Behaviour Change, Waste and Recycling
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Fairtrade Fortnight: why fairtrade is important and what you can do

By jackiesimpsonFeb 20, 20230 Comments
Fairtrade Fortnight runs from February 27th- 12th March this year and is an annual campaign created by the Fairtrade Foundation to spread awareness surrounding Fairtrade products. When you purchase Fairtrade products, you are in turn helping to support communities abroad, providing ethical working standards and a better quality of living for those who farm and produce the goods. This year’s focus: The climate crisis The most common and favourite fairtrade products available are: bananas, cocoa and coffee. These are grown in tropical areas, which means that your morning coffee has travelled a long way. Bananas are the world’s most popular…
Behaviour Change, Fairtrade
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Love your community and environment

By jackiesimpsonFeb 09, 20230 Comments
When it comes to February, there is no doubt that love is truly in the air, and with the upcoming arrival of Valentine’s Day we should celebrate and share our love for the earth. Valentine’s day is a popular, annual celebration in which we may gift our loved ones to show our affection for each other, however each year Valentine’s day contributes a surplus of 9 millions kilograms of CO2 into the atmosphere as well as a sizeable amount of waste. Around 40 million people in the UK celebrate Valentine’s Day each year, and spend around £1.3 billion pounds on…
Behaviour Change
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How to have a more sustainable Christmas

By jackiesimpsonDec 16, 20220 Comments
The festive break is fast approaching and Sustainability Services wanted to share with you some top tips about how to have a more sustainable Christmas. Many of these tips will also save you money! Presents Think about quality over quantity – every year Christmas does generate many unwanted gifts. If you’re still wondering what to get for someone, why not think about an experience like a night out at the theatre, adopting their favourite animal, buying a subscription to a vegetable box or consider a charity membership such as the National Trust. If you do have unwanted gifts, consider donating…
Behaviour Change, Waste and Recycling
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