Initially launched from a garage at the beginning of this year, the Food Co-op has now changed its location to a better, hipper, cleaner and safer one: your Student Union!
The big relaunch takes place tomorrow 12-4 pm.
Come along, meet new people and learn all about ethical eating and food co-ops.
The food co-op is an initiative by the People and Planet Student Society. For more information contact Harley Wright (h.g.j.wright@ncl.ac.uk)
A class of sixteen of Year 7 from Longbenton Community College let off its creative steam and turned litter from their school into art. They worked with Sara from Special Collections and Richard & Linda from the Green Group as part of the Special Collections Outreach scheme to local schools.
Sara, Linda and Richard with the Litter Bug
Over two days the young “artists” planned and constructed two sculptures in total for their own school and the Robinson Library. The construction was limited to the final day, giving them only four hours to craft the sculptures from scratch, using recyclable litter from the library as well as materials from the House of Objects (HOO) at the Rising Sun Country Park.
The kids were amazed and surprised by how much litter currently comes together every day at their school (20 bags). In addition GBP 76,000 are annually spent on electricity. The “Litter Bug”-project sets a signal to decrease these numbers; and aimed at creating more eco-awareness among the youngsters.
Perhaps successfully: “The school could turn the projectors off after they’ve been used and install more recycling bins”, Georgia (11) suggested.
After its success last year, Britain’s biggest climate change campaign, “Climate Week”, enters its second round on Monday, 12th March 2012.
Climate Week offers the opportunity to show how we can combat climate change. It gets organisations, groups and individuals on board to create a more sustainable, greener future with plenty of events and actions going on throughout the UK.
Of course, the Newcastle Sustainability Team will be there, too!
To celebrate we are hosting a special event 12.00- 2.00 pm on Tuesday 13th March for all Newcastle University staff and postgraduate students. The event will be held in Devonshire Building, and gives the opportunity to find out more about what the University is doing to reduce its environmental impact, as well as what everyone can do in their own home.
The focus is not just the usual ‘we want to cut 10 % emissions by turning off the lights’ philosophy, but goes one step further by being a week where everyone is encouraged to help in a creative and fun way.
Sign up for an exclusive talk by Robyn Bradley from the Energy Saving Trust about how to save energy at home!
>>> Numbers are limited!! Please sign up and let us know which time slot you would like to attend. (Contact Hannah to get your sign up form: hannah.munro@ncl.ac.uk)
There is plenty of other stuff going on. So why not take a break from the office or your books and get involved with Climate Week!
Find out more about the UK’s biggest climate change campaign >> http://www.climateweek.com/
Your
Sustainability Team
Fairtrade fortnight 2012 runs from the 27th February to the 11th March where the theme is to take a step for Fairtrade. Steps can be as simple as trying a new faritrade product, or as big and bold as launching a campaign to get your whole town to go Fairtrade. Every step counts, as they lead to life changing projects in developing countries.
The campaign is aiming to acheive 1.5 million steps by the end of 2012, one step for every farmer and worker in the Fairtrade system. Get involved and register whatever step you can take online at http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/step
To help you achieve one of your steps Accomodation and Hospitality services are participating in Fairtrade fortnight by offering various Fairtrade treats at catering outlets on campus, including chocolate orange bread and butter pudding at the Courtyard and homemade banana bread at the Bistro. To find out more about the tasty treats on offer and various events through the fortnight take a look at the Catering webpages.
Join the Green Impact scheme and get to work with your colleagues on bringing some green achievements to your department!
Green Impact is an environmental accreditation and awards scheme, bringing staff and students together with their wider communities to enable and showcase positive changes in environmental practice.
Members of staff join together to form teams and follow an online workbook of environmental actions bespoke to Newcastle University, that is split into different awards categories.
Every year we will hold an awards ceremony that celebrates the efforts of the teams and recognizes their achievements.
This scheme gives you the opportunity to enhance your team working, project management and communication skills whilst working with your colleagues towards a common goal that also helps the University achieve its’ sustainability objectives.
You can find out more about Green Impact here.
Get in touch with either Hannah.Munro@ncl.ac.uk or Lucy.Latham@ncl.ac.uk to find out if there is a team for you to join in your department, or to start your own.
Brilliant news, we have converted 50% of our electricity supply from brown to green! Which means instead of using electricity generated by burning coal and gas we are now using electricity from lovely 100% renewable biomass!
We currently spend over 5M per annum on electricity, so the even better news is the green energy is cheaper than the brown stuff, as it is exempt from Climate Change Levy (a tax on commercial electricity supplies).
Haven power will be supplying us electricity derived from 100% renewable biomass which is provided by their parent company Drax Power. Drax Power work directly with individual farmers and landowners to secure biomass from sustainable sources and to reinforce this commitment with an established sustainability policy.
Through undertaking the largest steam turbine modernisation project in UK history and the largest renewable, biomass co-firing project in the world, Drax is set to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by over three and a half million tonnes each year.
Right this is not good- we have now had 3 people leave our team in as many months! Kay has left us to go back home to Nottingham. Ed- who looked after our EMS, was offered a graduate trainee scheme with Tesco- which is an opportunity he cold not turn down….
Ed second from Left and Kay- far right..have both left for pastures new
..and now James who was Ed’s “understudy” has been offered an amazing opportunity with Loughborough University- working on a 4 year Sustainable Construction EngD. This leaves us sad and a bit paranoid…only kidding, we know we are a great team to work with – it’s just we support and nurture our staff too well that they get headhunted!!!
James is leaving us after completing his MSc dissertation and helping steer us to EcoCampus gold standard.
This means we now have an opportunity for an Environmental Management Graduate Placement.
Newcastle University Sustainability Team is looking for a suitably experienced graduate for a 5 month student placement.
Salary is GBP 15,353 per annum pro rata
The graduate should have some experience in practical implementation of Environmental Management Systems.
The placement will mainly involve taking a leading role in the development of our EMS, EcoCampus (with guidance).
Please send a CV and covering letter outlining your experience in EMS implementation and why you are suitable for the role.
Please see below for the job description.
THE ROLE IS AVAILABLE TO FILL NOW. Closing date Friday Sept 30th
Please include mobile phone number in the application as interviews will be held at the start of October.
More info about the sustainability team and eco campus here: www.ncl.ac.uk/saveit
Job description
Eco campus Environmental Management System
Newcastle University
Student placement project (Platinum phase of Eco campus) EMS Officer
Main purpose
Support the function of the Estates Support Service by developing the EcoCampus Environmental Management System
Main duties and responsibilities
Implements the EMS, specifically the operating and checking phases (equivalent to phases 4 and 5 of BS8555)
Completes training plan for all staff.
Develops training delivery in conjunction with Staff Development Unit.
Develops operational control procedures in line with objectives and targets.
Communicates roles and responsibilities of EMS to staff.
Develops a procedure for documenting EMS procedures.
Develops a system to ID and respond to environmental communications and emergencies.
Completes the EMS Manual
Begins audit planning and developing monitoring procedures
Conducts internal EMS and operational audits
Attends weekly meetings to progress the EMS
Dimensions
Providing help and support to the Eco campus EMS implementation team.
Carry out desk based work, interviewing and external research and investigative work.
Attend external forums, networking groups and training sessions.
Knowledge skills and experience
Good working knowledge of Environmental Management Systems
Numerate and literate
Good working knowledge of MS office
Good interpersonal skills
Planning and Organisation
Weekly reporting to the EMS management team
Assisting in reporting to the EMS implementation team, including senior management
Manage own workload
Uses initiative and works well to deadlines
Internal and external relationships
Liaise with staff of all categories.
Attend workshops training and network events facilitated by Newcastle University and third parties.
Please contact:
Daniel O’Connor | Waste Manager
daniel.oconnor@ncl.ac.uk
T: 0191 2223963
M:07807070339
F: 0191 2226276
Exactly 11 months ago today, I started work as the Environmental Co-ordinator Support Officer in Newcastle University’s Sustainability Team. My role was to support the network of over 70 Environmental Co-ordinators (ECs) in meeting sustainability objectives, in accordance with our Environmental Management System (EMS), EcoCampus.
Throughout my employment, I have had the opportunity to work with a variety of staff and students, on a variety of sustainability issues, ranging from recycling and waste, to energy efficiency, to biodiversity. The one part of my role that provided the most enjoyable experiences is the communications – actively engaging staff, students, University stakeholders and the wider community in how Newcastle University is reducing the impact its operations has on the environment. Through pioneering campaigns, community outreach and targeted marketing, the last year has seen the profile of the work undertaken by the team and the ECs increase, and awareness of environmental sustainability issues, campus facilities and local achievements has risen.
I leave today a better person for spending my time in this role. I have learnt so much; from energy management, to waste legislation, to communication skills. I go away with a wealth of experience in project management, targeted communications and technical aspects of environmental sustainability issues and solutions.
Of course, my job would not have anywhere near as exciting were it not for my fabulous colleagues. Their continued support on new ideas, kindness on hard days, and wonderful personalities have made Newcastle University a lovely place to work. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Estate Support Service, and have made some excellent friends. I am proud to have worked alongside my team mates, and feel greatly appreciative of all they have taught me. I will miss them all and my days certainly will not be the same without them.
Today is my last day, and I have been treated like a queen – my lovely work colleagues have showered me with gifts (posh chocolate – they know me so well!) and my superb student intern, Siobhan, gave me an amazing bouquet of flowers. I am so lucky to have had such a cracking bunch of people to work with.
So a final thankyou to everyone at Newcastle University – I have truly loved my time here and am very sad to be leaving. I wish everyone in the Estate Support Service and all the ECs, the best of luck going forward – remember; be sustainable!
From our last post, you can see that the Sustainability Team are award winners on our own turf – but send us to the big smoke and you get a lot of very stiff competition!
When we entered the Business Green Leaders Awards 2011, we thought we’d be very lucky to even get through to the next stage – in a nationwide hunt for the Sustainability Team of the Year, it would be challenging for us to get noticed amongst large corporations. But the efforts of the team, the ECs, and all University stakeholders in reducing our environmental impacts impressed the judges, and we were shortlisted for the award.
It was such an honour to have been recognised as one of the top 6 Sustainability Teams in the UK. But now we had that thirst for glory – could we win?! We had very worthy competition in the form of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Archant, BAE Systems, E.ON UK, and RS Consulting.
The awards evening was held in London, and was an ideal opportunity for Newcastle University to network and promote their efforts, raising the University’s profile in the sustainability and environmental sectors.
As it was a team award, as many members of the 8 strong Sustainably Team attended the event. Off to the big smoke we went, five of us cramped into a car (car sharing – sustainable method of transport!). The black tie awards event was a great evening, hosted by Jeremy Hardy, from Radio 4, with a lovely three course meal.
Lucy Latham, Carbon Emissions Officer, and Kay Gregory, EC Support Officer, sit down to dinner, with the stage in the background.
With Daniel ‘Waste Manager’ O’Connor practicing his W sign (W for Winner! see pic below), how could we lose?! But, despite Lucy ‘Carbon Emissions Officer’ Latham’s pre-written acceptance speech, we were unsuccessful. We lost out on the award for Sustainability Team of the Year to Yorkshire Ambulance Service’s Carbon Management Team.
Many congratulations to all the winners. You can find out more about the other awards, at http://ev785.eventive.incisivecms.co.uk/static/shortlist
Kay, with Dan O’Connor, Waste Manager (making the W sign!), Hannah Munro, Sustainability Support Officer, and Matt Dunlop, Energy Manager.
Regardless of the evening’s outcomes, we’d like to thank all the University’s Environmental Co-ordinators, and all University staff and students for their continued efforts in assisting the Sustainability Team to reduce the impact of the University’s operations on the environment. To be shortlisted for the award means the University as a whole has been recognised as achieving success in its aim to become environmentally sustainable, and that achievement would not occur without the help and support of ECs and University staff / students.
Many thanks.
