Fashion Revolution is an organisation that formed in 2013, following the Rana Plaza factory disaster. Since then, it has grown to become the world’s largest fashion activism movement, reaching over 80 countries worldwide. The movement challenges the fashion industry’s exploitative systems and pushes for a future that prioritises people and the planet. Through campaigns, education… Read more: Think Globally, Act Locally: How Newcastle is Joining the Fashion Revolution

As a world-leading institution, Newcastle University has always recognised its responsibility to protect the natural environment – whether through large-scale sustainability initiatives like the Climate Action Plan, or through trailblazing research on marine biomes, extreme weather, and more… The Sustainability Team at Newcastle University was launched in 2006, and the team’s remit has grown ever… Read more: What is Newcastle University doing to achieve Net-Zero?

To celebrate the start of spring and the launch of our new Sustainable Campus Map, we’re highlighting the best green spaces on campus. Our interactive map showcases sustainability hotspots across Newcastle University, from research hubs and renewable energy centres to green roofs and sustainable food spots. At Newcastle University, we are fortunate to have a… Read more: Celebrating Spring: Top 5 Green Spaces on Campus

Last week, on Monday the 10th of March, the inaugural Women in Sustainability Careers Exploration Workshop took place, in partnership with the official Women in Sustainability Network. Over 35 students were able to reflect, learn and be inspired to explore careers in sustainability-related roles, coached by experts in the field. At Newcastle University, we support… Read more: Reflecting on the Women in Sustainability Careers Exploration Workshop

World Water Day is a United Nations Observance held on the 22nd of March every year, aiming to raise awareness on the importance of freshwater. Water is a crucial resource that is central to natural ecosystems, agriculture, sanitation, industry, heating, transport, and, of course, keeping us hydrated! Less than 1% of the world’s water is… Read more: Celebrating World Water Day 2025: Saving Every Drop

Cristina and Charlotte have been our Sustainability Communications Placements this year and have just hit the six-month mark of their time with us. Over the past few months, they’ve contributed to various projects and learned a great deal along the way. We sat down with them to reflect on their experiences in the role so… Read more: Sustainability Communications Placement: Interviewing Charlotte and Cristina

Simpler Recycling is a new policy introduced in 2023 by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). It aims to “make bin day easier” by standardising and reducing the number of recycling containers used across the UK. With new legislation coming into effect on 31st March 2025, here is your guide to understanding… Read more: Simpler Recycling: What It Means for You and the Future of Waste Management

Newcastle University is home to a cacophony of museums, galleries, and collections, all open to the public and free to enjoy.   This February marks the unveiling of 3 exhibitions across campus, all with something to add to the sustainability conversation. Not sure which to carve into your calendar? Don’t worry! We’ve spoken to the curators… Read more: Art for the Earth: How Newcastle University Galleries and Museums are speaking into the sustainability conversation  

Veganuary is a global movement that encourages people to commit to a vegan diet for 31 days in January. Started in 2014 by the UK charity Veganuary, people from over 228 countries have participated in the challenge over the last ten years, and over three-quarters of people in the UK have heard of Veganuary. This… Read more: Veganuary 2025: All You Need to Know Before it’s Over

A disposable vape is a pre-filled, electronic cigarette designed for one-time use. They have become a convenient alternative to cigarettes in recent years due to their affordability and availability. It is now predicted that over 360 million disposable vapes are thrown away in the UK every year, but only 17% of users recycle them in… Read more: Disposing of Disposable Vapes: Environmental Impact and Responsible Solutions

Food waste is a major driver of climate change, contributing to 8% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Starting this January, Newcastle University will be introducing food waste bins in every university-owned accommodation kitchen. Look out for a small green caddy in your kitchen, along with a roll of bin bags to get you… Read more: Food Waste Bins Are Coming to Your Kitchen!

On Thursday 28th November, the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences (SNES) hosted SpudFest. With over 1000 visitors, many have labelled it the “best event of the year.” From mini games to research stalls, the Boiler House was transformed into a potato haven. Read on to learn more about the event, its successes and its… Read more: SpudFest 2024: Celebrating Potatoes, Innovation and Community Impact

On Friday the 25th of October, 14 colleagues from Estates and Facilities took a trip to Seaton Delaval Hall to work as volunteer gardeners for the day under Newcastle University’s colleague volunteering scheme. It was a really rewarding experience, so read on to hear more about our day! Seaton Delaval Hall is a National Trust… Read more: Colleague Volunteering: National Trust Gardeners for the Day

Well it’s come around again – what some claim is the most wonderful time of the year! But amongst the lights, sparkles and glad tidings there is a less merry reality to our festive celebrations… the waste they create. So why not shake it up this year and start a new sustainable tradition? Take a… Read more: Second Hand Santa: and other sustainable swaps for your office

This month, it is Nothing New November. Nothing New November is a campaign founded by Keep Britain Tidy to combat the issue of impulse buying, especially during Black Friday. The challenge encourages people to buy nothing new for a month, excluding essentials like food and medication. So, sign-up to the challenge, give it a go,… Read more: 3 Ways to Upcycle and Update your Wardrobe this November 

Could you buy nothing new for just one month? Nothing New November is a UK wide challenge that calls the public to fight overconsumption and impulse purchases by buying nothing new for one month (excluding essentials like food etc). The aim is to waste less, make the most of the stuff we already own, and… Read more: Reuse, Refill, Recycle

What is the Christmas Switch Off? The Christmas Switch Off is a University-wide campaign where we encourage staff and students to turn off any electrical items that can be switched off instead of leaving them on standby over the Christmas break. Why is the Christmas Switch Off important?   By turning off everything that can… Read more: The 2024 Christmas Switch Off at Newcastle University

At Newcastle University, we recognise that the climate crisis must be addressed communally, and we cannot meet the sustainability targets set out in our Climate Action Plan without the efforts of all our colleagues and students. Green Impact and LEAF are two amazing programmes available for our colleagues at the university, with the opportunity for… Read more: Green Impact Launch and LEAF update!

The 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as the 29th Conference of the Parties, or COP 29, is set to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan from the 11th – 22nd of November. Conference discussions are expected to centre on themes of climate finance, carbon markets and new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC’s) – the… Read more: COP 29: Apply to be a Virtual Delegate! 

Nature Positive is a term that refers to the reversing of nature loss and encourages ecosystem recovery. The Nature Positive Universities network is comprised of over 500 higher educational institutions worldwide who have all committed to protecting biodiversity by signing the Nature Positive Pledge. The network was jointly founded by the University of Oxford and… Read more: Nature Positive Student Ambassador Programme

Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) are key to building sustainable cities and countering the influence of urbanisation. These eco-friendly solutions maintain habitats, support natural cycles, and protect human communities. Since 2023, it is now a legal requirement for all new major developments to include SuDS in their planning. Newcastle University has great research infrastructure in this… Read more: Sustainable Drainage Systems: The Future of Flood and Water Management

Only 1.8% of UK homes meet the top energy efficiency ratings, making them some of some of the biggest energy-wasters in Europe. As the colder months approach and the East wind begins to bite, keeping your flat, house, or halls warm can become increasingly challenging. This guidance outlines some ways that you can tackle rising… Read more: Keep Cosy, Cut the Costs, and take Climate Action this Chilly Season

Evan has been our Sustainability Communications Placement this last year and he’s now leaving to continue his studies in London. Plenty has happened over the year and he’s been a part of lots of the work we’ve been doing, so we wanted to ask him about his experiences in the role and whether he’d have… Read more: Sustainability Communications Placement: interviewing Evan

Completed in June 2021, the _OME is the flagship research and showcasing facility of the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE), an innovative research partnership set up between Newcastle and Northumbria Universities. With funding from Research England, the HBBE combines expertise in biosciences, design, architecture, and engineering to advance cutting edge research on… Read more: Sustainable innovations: designing the homes of the future in the _OME

We in the Sustainability Team do a lot of work alongside colleagues across the University to maintain and improve the sustainability of both our beautiful Newcastle city centre campus and our additional, specialist facilities across the North East. Another vital aspect of our university’s operations, however, are our many international connections. These ties include not only… Read more: International Sustainability: how our university’s global operations are responding to global challenges

As works progress on redeveloping the University’s vast Castle Leazes student accommodation, sustainability is being considered at every step. Examples of this work include plans for Biodiversity Net Gain on the site and the decision to deconstruct the halls rather than demolishing them to reuse and recycle as many of the buildings’ materials as possible.… Read more: Redeveloping sustainably: supporting the community at Castle Leazes

Biodiversity is a complex term with a range of definitions and contestations and a powerful reach across environmental work, legislation, and popular culture (Callaway, 2020). Understandings of the concept include the variety of different species in an ecosystem, the nature and intensity of their interactions, and the roles each species plays. These understandings are complex… Read more: Supporting ecosystems: Biodiversity Net Gain at Newcastle University.

Heating and powering our campus is one of the University’s largest sources of carbon dioxide emissions and so work to improve the efficiency of these systems is very effective at reducing our institution’s impact on the environment. To this end, a major project the University is currently undertaking is the installation of a Combined Heat… Read more: Combining energy and sustainability: upgrading Newcastle University’s Merz Court Energy Centre

This Wednesday was World Environment Day – an initiative run by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) since 1973 to recognise the beauty and importance of the natural world and to fight for its preservation and restoration. The programme is important for its ability to raise awareness and bring together solutions for a range of… Read more: Celebrating World Environment Day at Newcastle Univeristy

Why is renewable energy important? As attested in UN Sustainable Development Goal 7, ensuring that our power is being generated renewably is a vital part of meeting climate goals, whether national, international, or across individual organisations (White, 2024). Here at Newcastle University, lighting accounts for around 20% of our energy use alone, but electricity is… Read more: Solar power on campus: Harnessing renewable energy to power our university.

This week is national Hedgehog Awareness Week – a celebration of the role these wonderful animals play in our endemic ecosystems, and a call to action to help protect them from the threats they face. According to the Mammal Society, the Western European Hedgehog has been vulnerable to extinction in Britain since 2020. The species’… Read more: Hedgehog Awareness Week at Newcastle University!

Agriculture is a vast and vital industry that provides livelihoods for hundreds of millions and food for billions across our planet. Similar to other sectors, however, agriculture’s expansion and industrialisation have increased its impact on the environment to unsustainable levels (Alam and Rukhsana, 2023), especially regarding greenhouse gas emissions and the biodiversity crisis. As a… Read more: The Seeds of Change: Innovating for Sustainable Agriculture

It goes without saying that money is an incredibly important resource: it organises economies the world over, facilitates vast global trade, and is used to buy all sorts of goods and services, from everyday items to the resources that keep our university running. How money is spent, therefore, is very important to the ways in… Read more: Investing in Sustainability

Running Monday through Friday last week, Newcastle University Student’s Union (NUSU) collaborated with a wide variety of groups and individuals (including us the Sustainability Team!) to organise an action-packed week of sustainability events. Read on to learn more about the range of engaging and thought provoking sessions put on! Monday 19 February Second-hand MarketTo kick… Read more: Sustainability Week: the highlights!

Green Impact is a UNESCO award-winning programme tailored towards promoting socially and environmentally sustainable practices across a wide range of organisations, including public sector bodies such as our university. The programme, run by SOS-UK, works with colleagues (organised into teams) to foster sustainable action in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and we… Read more: Green Impact: Grassroots sustainability at your university

2023 was a busy year for us in the Sustainability Team! We launched projects, ran events, helped the University to score highly in prestigious league tables, and welcomed new team members to continue and expand our work. Delivering a sustainable Newcastle University is complex and multi-faceted work and requires a great deal of coordination and… Read more: 2023: A year in sustainability

Student action is important!  2023 was once again a year of extreme weather conditions and events around the world, underscoring the importance of sustainability in major institutions such as our university. As the majority portion of our university community, students are a vital part of achieving crucial environmental targets such as net zero by 2030.… Read more: Engaging with impactful change at your University in 2024

As seen in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, sustainability is a major concern across all aspects of society due both to the far-reaching challenges of climate change and the impacts that modern life has on environment. Having said this, our attention can sometimes focus on certain aspects of society (such as the fossil fuel industry)… Read more: Sustainable Medicine: keeping our planet and ourselves healthy

What is Wind Power? Wind power is a renewable source of energy that harnesses the kinetic force of natural air flows. To do this, turbine blades are angled so that the passing winds push against them and transfer their energy into rotational movement. This movement then drives a generator that transforms the kinetic energy into… Read more: Catching the Tailwinds: Wind power and the green energy transition at Newcastle University

Bees provide a range of important services that help maintain the health and vibrancy of our natural environment in both rural and urban settings. In our beautiful city-centre campus, for instance, urban bees assist our Grounds Team in caring for greenery from the wildflower meadows in Claremont Court to the tulip beds outside King’s Gate.… Read more: Bees on Campus

The University’s lovely Planning Team are responsible for designing and delivering our campus’s impressive variety of beautiful and cutting-edge spaces, both indoor and outdoor. This work has a major role to play in the environmental commitments of our institution and so we decided to have a chat with our friends in Planning to see how… Read more: Planning sustainably at Newcastle University

SustainaWHAT?! is a multi-disciplinary, cross-faculty and now cross-institutional collaborative project which encourages PGRs to explore the relationship between the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and their research, with a focus on their professional and personal development. Building on the success of the 2021 event, in Spring 2023, PGRs from three institutions (Newcastle, Bournemouth and Cardiff)… Read more: PGRs explore how sustainability relates to research and professional development

Sustainability at Newcastle University   At Newcastle University, we work on large-scale projects to decrease our carbon dioxide emissions and other negative effects of our activities. As well as this, we encourage sustainable behaviour from our community, and we want to support you with this action.  Sustainability can be particularly tricky when you’re on the go,… Read more: Sustainability tips and tricks for individuals on the move

With the next academic year due to begin, it’s time to take a moment to reflect on the University’s sustainability activity. From buzzing eco-friendly events and collaborations to receiving exciting awards, this year has been packed with sustainable achievements.  We held some great events…  Climate Action at Newcastle University  On the 10th of November 2022,… Read more: Sustainability Highlights 22/23

Annabel has been in the Sustainability Team for just under a year. She has had the job of Sustainability Communications Placement Graduate (such a short and snappy job title, I know!). She has been one of two placement colleagues in the team hired for 12 months, and managed to get a sustainability engagement job in… Read more: Placements with the Sustainability Team: Interviewing Annabel

The need to transition away from the world’s reliance on plastic relates to the global environmental problem of plastic pollution. Plastic is a highly durable material, therefore it rarely completely disappears once out in the environment, it will instead take many years to break down into smaller pieces or microplastic.  “Approximately 7 billion of the… Read more: Plastic Free July 2023

On the 29th of June the Sustainability Team joined staff, students and members from Newcastle University’s Executive Board in King’s Hall to celebrate achievements and displays of sustainable excellence.  Recipients of the award were from various departments across the university, including teaching, research and Estates and Facilities. We hope this demonstrates how sustainable changes and… Read more: Environment Awards 2023

An Environmental Management System (EMS) assists businesses and organisations in improving their environmental performance and their operations that have an environmental impact. It is worth noting that an EMS can be implemented within any business or organisation, it is not dependant on the size or activity of the organisation/ business. An implemented EMS would be… Read more: What are environmental and energy management systems?

World Environment Day is an annual event that takes place on the 5th of June, this day was implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to raise awareness of global environmental problems. Each year a different theme is selected, and this year’s theme is #BeatPlasticPollution Plastic pollution is a global crisis that stems from… Read more: World Environment Day 2023

Biodiversity loss is advancing at a rapid rate, the Living Planet Report (2020) outlines five prominent threats to biodiversity: Newcastle University undertakes multiple actions to protect and enhance biodiversity on campus as part of its commitment to environmental sustainability. If you would like to learn more about Newcastle University’s commitment to biodiversity you can read… Read more: Actions Newcastle University takes to protect and enhance biodiversity

Over the past few years, there has been an increased awareness for the state of the planet and the need to take action to avoid further environmental crisis. Sustainability is becoming central to the way we live and, as a consequence, the number of jobs in the industry has rapidly grown. This blog post will… Read more: Green Careers: Why You Should Choose a Career in Sustainability

The Student Environment & Sustainability Committee (SESC) is a student-led group which looks to improve sustainability at the University. The group aims to gather feedback and understand student priorities regarding sustainability. The SESC is chaired by the Ethics and Environment Rep and is attended by Environment & Sustainability (E&S) Reps from many academic schools. Any student can… Read more: A Look Inside the SESC: How Newcastle University Students are Making a Difference

Reduce, reuse, and recycle are three strategies that can help us protect the environment. The ‘Three R’s’ were first publicised in the 1970s around the same time the universal logo for recycling was created, but do you know what they really mean? The ‘Three Rs’ are actually listed in order of importance. Reduce Reduce is… Read more: Rubbish Revelations

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a group of 17 interlinked targets created by the United Nations which aim to create a better and more sustainable global future. They address  challenges such as poverty, inequality and climate change. The goals recognise that in order to end poverty and other hardships, we must work towards improving health and… Read more: What are the Sustainable Development Goals and why are they important to Newcastle University?

The International Day of Zero Waste aims to promote zero-waste initiatives and approaches that will contribute toward the progression of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A move toward a zero-waste society is a necessary process due to overconsumption and excessive production across a large portion of the world. To reduce the amount of waste that… Read more: International Day of Zero Waste

There are many ways that energy is created across the world, and these are grouped into renewable and non-renewable energy sources. Non-renewable energy refers to natural sources that take thousands of years to form and produce harmful greenhouse gases when they are burned for energy. The most used non-renewable energy sources are coal, oil, and… Read more: What is solar energy?

Commuting at Newcastle University Commuting is a part of nearly everyone’s working or studying life at Newcastle University, which is why it is included within our Climate Action Plan. Staff and student commuting contributes to around 3% of the University’s scope 3 carbon emissions alongside other sources such as business travel and capital goods. For… Read more: Forms of commuting to get to Newcastle University

The terms ‘Energy Price Cap’ and ‘Energy Price Guarantee’ appear almost daily on the news and social media. They seem very important but, unfortunately, these phrases are not well explained, and many people don’t understand what they are and what this means for them. This blog will help clarify these terms, allowing you to better… Read more: What is the Energy Price Cap and what does it mean for you?

What is biodiversity?  Biodiversity is a term you may hear a lot, but what does it actually mean? A simple way to define it is that it describes the variety of plant and animal life in a given area. The more biodiverse an area is, the more ecosystem services it provides. When trying to imagine… Read more: An introduction to biodiversity

One of the largest industries on the planet is the travel industry. Every year, millions of people travel across the globe for business, to see friends and family or just for a holiday getaway. Unfortunately, this industry is accompanied by problematic environmental impacts. In fact, according to the International Council on Clean transport (2019), aviation… Read more: Travelling Sustainably

A Clean Air Zone (CAZ) has now been introduced for parts of Newcastle in order to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Confused about what this means for you? This blog post will hopefully answer your questions.  What is the CAZ and when does it start?  The CAZ is an area within Newcastle… Read more: The Newcastle Clean Air Zone: Your questions answered

Whilst some of these products may have properties that are more sustainable than other products that we are likely to use, the most sustainable option is to use what you currently have if it is in a good condition or you have plenty of it. However, should you run out of some kitchen essentials then… Read more: Small sustainable swaps for your kitchen

Veganuary  It is unlikely that you have not heard of Veganuary yet – the vegan challenge for the month of January, created and run by a non-profit organisation here in the UK. You might not have known that it was such an official campaign, and that, if you wanted to, you can sign up to… Read more: Tips for a ‘Planet Healthy’ Plate

The biodiversity conference occurs every two years and took place last month in Montreal, Canada. Within this summit an extremely important discussion surrounding a potential international biodiversity framework was the centre of goals and targets regarding biodiversity. The importance of thriving biodiversity and the significance of the biodiversity crisis has been summarised succinctly here:  “Nature… Read more: United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15)

Christmas is a time when a large amount of consumption, and often over-consumption, takes place.  This post is an introduction to some ideas and tips that could help to reduce the negative impacts that holidays, such as Christmas, can create on the environment.  We would like to think that these ideas are creative and fun,… Read more: Tips and tricks to introduce sustainability to your Christmas

Globally, it’s estimated that 1/3 of all food produced for human consumption goes to waste every year – that’s around 1.3 billion tons! This is a huge problem, especially as we have limited resources to feed an ever-growing population. It is therefore essential we work to avoid waste and make the most of what we… Read more: Food Waste at Newcastle University

In the past, clothes shopping used to be a special event. It was restricted to something we mostly did when we no longer fit in what we had, or the seasons changed. However, around 25 years ago, this trend changed.  Fast fashion is a business model which involves copying and mass-producing catwalk/fashion trends. This usually… Read more: Top 6 Sustainable Fashion Tips

What is the Christmas Switch Off?  The Christmas Switch Off is a University-wide campaign where we encourage staff and students to turn off any electrical items that can be switched off instead of leaving them on standby over the Christmas break.  Why is the Christmas Switch Off important?   By turning off everything that can be… Read more: The Christmas Switch Off at Newcastle University

COP27, Sharm El-Sheikh Over the last couple of weeks, the world has been watching leaders talk about the future of our climate at COP27. The event, which has been happening annually since 1992, brings politicians, diplomats and non-governmental organisations from around the world to discuss the effects of climate change and actions we can take… Read more: COP27 – What Went Well and What Needs Work

On the 10th November, 2022, we invited colleagues and students to join us at a conference-style, collaborative event on climate action. First, we would like to thank everyone who attended our event, Climate Action at Newcastle University. We had a wonderful day and are so grateful that we got to meet you all and discuss… Read more: Event recap: Climate Action at Newcastle University

Whilst some of these products may have properties that are more sustainable than other products that we are likely to use, the most sustainable option is to use what you have currently have if it is in a good condition or you have plenty of it. However, should you run out of some bathroom essentials… Read more: Small sustainable swaps for your bathroom

Introduction  Newcastle University has set a goal to be net-zero on carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. Initially this goal was set for 2040, however upon recognising the international urgency of many environmental issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss, Newcastle University took the brave decision to move this goal forward by ten years.   The… Read more: What does net-zero carbon emissions mean to Newcastle University?

Newcastle University aims to be net zero by 2030. Wondering how? Meet the team behind the plan…   The Sustainability Team are based in Newcastle University’s Estates and Facilities department, today, we are a team of eleven, and we are responsible for environmental and energy management whilst driving continual improvement. Our work also involves collaborating with colleagues… Read more: Introduction to Sustainability at Newcastle University

This spooky season, the scariest thing might not be a ghost or a ghoul! Every year, millions of Halloween costumes and party décor are bought only to be disposed of straight after the holiday. In fact, a 2019 report by the Fairyland Trust, found that 7 million costumes Halloween costumes are thrown away every year.… Read more: 5 Tips to have a Green Halloween