Sustainability Events
Sustainability Services at University of Reading hold a number of events throughout the year to engage with our community to promote, educate and celebrate sustainable actions
Every drop matters!
Climate change’s affects on weather patterns means that water scarcity is becoming a reality in some parts of the world and the UK will not escape these impacts. Adaptation to these impacts will see the need to reduce consumption and careful water management will become vital in the coming years. The University is committed to managing our water use effectively to ensure that we protect this limited and increasingly precious resource. In July 2021 the University achieved significant reductions against all of its 5 year targets which were set in the 2016-21 Carbon and Water Management Plan. For non-residential properties…
Upcoming Events
Sustainability Listens at UoR Held on the first Wednesday of each month, during term time. It's your opportunity to: engage with our team, find out more about what we're working on, give feedback and provide new ideas. NEXT EVENT Wednesday 1 May, 11:00-13:30, celebrate local biodiversity with us in the Library foyer Take part in our next event and win a prize! We have a fun biodiversity quiz for you to test your knowledge about nature on our campuses.
A new LEAF in laboratory sustainability at the university
A new LEAF in laboratory sustainability at the university The University of Reading provides invaluable teaching and research through our on-campus laboratories. The nature of laboratory work is very carbon-intensive and, as a result, the universities’ science-based buildings represent 25% of total energy consumption and produce 20% of total day-to-day waste (by weight) . In order to support all relevant departments with creating a more sustainable laboratory culture, we are now participating in the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF). LEAF is an online assessment tool to aid improvements in the sustainability and efficiency of both research and teaching laboratories and is already…
Key Staff and Committees
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 Staff Sustainability Groups and Committees Campus Operations Programme Board (COPB) This group is responsible for reviewing the Environment & Energy Management System (EEMS) and supporting the implementation of the system to…
Reducing food waste at the University of Reading
The University of Reading puts sustainability at the heart of everything we do, it is a cornerstone of our strategic vision. A key part of sustainability is to reduce the amount of waste generated across all streams and our commitment to reducing food waste is led by our Hospitality and Catering Teams. The University has adopted the Sustainable Food Policy And Framework, which outlines all the actions that have been completed in this area and those in progress. This policy includes many areas which are relevant to reducing food waste and those which are most relevant are highlighted below: •…
Earth Day 2021
The publication of Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” in 1962 marked a watershed moment in our planet’s history, raising public awareness and concern for our environment, our wildlife and the links between pollution and human health. The emerging shift in public consciousness and societal values was provided a voice during the first Earth Day in 1970. Since its inception, Earth Day has marked important environmental events, including the signing of the 2015 Paris Agreement. This year the theme for Earth Day is ‘Restore our Earth’ bringing focus to climate change mitigation and actions we can take to restore our planet’s ecosystems.…
Sustainability spotlight: Giki
Sustainability has become a familiar term to most people in the 21st century, however, people have been debating about sustainability and the environment decades ago. Knowing this, and seeing increased climate activism from figures such as David Attenborough, Leonardo Di Caprio, and Greta Thunberg, we might be looking for advice on how to make more sustainable choices on an individual level. This blog post will provide the down-low on a social enterprise designed for individuals like staff and students of Reading; Giki. Who is Giki? Giki stands for Get Informed Know your Impact and was set up for one simple…
Embedding sustainability within your department
Here at Sustainability Services, we’re always keen to work with Schools and Functions to embed sustainability across the University. We were delighted to receive an email from a colleague in Computer Science who updated us on the great work their department has been undertaking. During the past three years, Computer Science has refurbished the majority of the academic rooms, labs and student common rooms with reclaimed furniture advertised on our Warp-it platform. Warp-it is an online portal for members of staff to offer items they no longer need for other Schools and Functions to claim and reuse. You can sign…
Sustainable university living
I’ve escaped from my desk to come and sit in Park Eat café/bar to write this article. Immediately I arrive, I’m confronted with an environmental dilemma. I’ve brought my Sustain It mug (of course!) for a cup of tea, but realise I can’t get any milk out of the machine because my cup isn’t chipped. The catering staff offer to put some milk in a paper cup. I insist I don’t want a paper cup and they insist it’s no bother. How should I respond? Back down politely and take the cup, or stick to my green guns and insist…