The soft plastics conundrum

By jackiesimpsonMar 13, 20240 Comments
Soft flexible plastic is everywhere – it wraps our bread, vegetables, pet food and many more everyday items. It is designed to be lightweight and to protect items from damage, and keep them fresh; but most of it is single-use and is not generally recycled by local councils as part of weekly kerbside collections. Supermarkets have begun to offer soft plastic recycling services to try and ensure that this material is collected and recycled where possible. These stores have a distinct advantage in this area as they are able to use their empty delivery trucks to transport soft plastics back…
Waste and Recycling
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Reading places 1-2-3 in Europe for work towards UN Sustainable Development Goals

By jackiesimpsonJun 12, 20230 Comments
University of Reading has been ranked as the best university in the UK and Europe for championing responsible consumption and production in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2023. It has also been ranked second in the UK and Europe for climate action and third for research and education linked to protecting life on land. Compiled by THE, these rankings map how universities around the world are committing to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are a global call to action to tackle some of today’s biggest global issues, such as poverty, climate change and inequality.…
Waste and Recycling
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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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Food Waste at the University of Reading

By jackiesimpsonJan 30, 20230 Comments
Here at the University of Reading, we understand that dealing correctly with unwanted food is an essential aspect of our waste management strategy to minimise the amount generated and sent to landfill. The University operates all Catering Services in-house, for the benefit of staff and students. Already, the University has processes in place to divert food waste from our main dining locations on campus (such as Park Eat, The Dairy and The Square) away from landfill and into energy generation. Current action to tackle food waste at the University The University’s catering team is committed to reducing food waste by…
Waste and Recycling
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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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A new LEAF in laboratory sustainability at the university

By rhidiandaviesJun 29, 20220 Comments
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…
Awards and Achievements, Behaviour Change, Energy and Water, Waste and Recycling
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Reducing food waste at the University of Reading

By jackiesimpsonMar 09, 20220 Comments
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: •…
Behaviour Change, Waste and Recycling
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Let’s reuse more!

By jackiesimpsonSep 15, 20210 Comments
The University of Reading has now published its new Waste and Resource Use Strategy to cover the period 2021-2030. A central tenet of this strategy is the waste hierarchy which firmly places the emphasis on the need to prevent and reduce the amount of waste generated. This is closely followed by reuse and repair, then recycling with the last resort being landfill. This hierarchy aligns with the concept of the Circular Economy which aims to move towards more efficient use of resources by gaining maximum value from all resources through increased reuse and repair. To help encourage and manage reuse…
Waste and Recycling
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Embedding sustainability within your department

By naomiwadsworthFeb 28, 20200 Comments
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…
Behaviour Change, Waste and Recycling
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Sustainable university living

By danfernbankSep 19, 20190 Comments
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…
Behaviour Change, Energy and Water, Travel and Transport, Waste and Recycling, , ,
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