Author Archives: Charlotte

Small sustainable swaps for your bathroom

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 then you should check out the post below for some eco-conscious swaps if you would like to try something new.

Hair care

Why not try out solid shampoo and conditioning bars instead of instead of liquid in a plastic bottle? We recommend Ethique, Lush or Gruum. You could also try out products from the Body Shop, who offer a refill service where you buy a metal bottle and pump and take it into their shops with a refill station when you need products such as shampoo or conditioner. Our Body Shop in Eldon Square is one of these!

An additional swap would involve swapping single-use plastic razors for a razor that you can change the head or blades on instead of buying a new handle. You could also get a recycle bag from Gillette to post all your old blades and heads in for them to be recycled.

Deodorant

You could swap out your single-use deodorant for a case and refill deodorant system, such as the one provided by Wild. We have been using Wild for two years and really love the product. You can order the refills online and change scents every time (look out for their incredible seasonal limited editions) and they arrive through the post-box in recyclable and biodegradable packing.  Or, you can head to Boots in Eldon Square and pick up the product in-store, the only disadvantage here is that they have less scents to choose from!

Menstrual products

Many menstrual products such as mainstream pads can contain up to 90% of plastic (Action Aid) so there is a need for moving towards more sustainable alternatives. There are a wide range of sustainable alternatives available, we have listed some below:  

Menstrual cups (Mooncup or TOTM)
Menstrual underwear by brands such as WUKA and Thinx
Re-usable pads (Wear ‘Em Out or Bloom and Nora available in Holland and Barrett)
Alternatively, you could try non-reusable products that are made from cotton instead of plastic (TOTM)

As most of these products are all reusable you can save money overall as you no longer need to buy the products you need every month. However, they do require a larger cost upfront.

Makeup removal

People often use makeup wipes to remove their makeup. Whilst these are more commonly biodegradable now, not all are, as they may still contain some plastic and they are also not reusable. We have listed an alternative method below.

Switch to make up remover in a bar form (the Superstar bar by Ethique is recommended) instead of makeup removing wipes.
You can also use washable cotton rounds to cleanse and remove makeup or a flannel, both of which can go in the wash and be used repeatedly.

Toothbrushes and toothpaste

Finally, when it comes to a toothbrush there are a few options you can choose from.

The first is investing in an electric toothbrush where you swap out the heads instead of the entire toothbrush.
The second option is to buy a bamboo toothbrush, which reduces your use of plastic.
Toothpaste tubes are non-recyclable, but there are some other options available. The first is toothpaste tablets that you can chew and come in a glass container. The second is a paste-like product that also comes in a glass jar instead of a plastic tube. Both these products are available at refill shops around Newcastle like Replenish by the Bay.

Sustainable events in November:

We are hosting an energy bills workshop which will focus on budgeting and managing bills with The Green Doctor on the 30th of November. If you are a student who is under 25 and curious or worried about energy bills you can join us to learn some tips and tools to help you and your household.

There is also a festive pop-up market taking place on the 24th of November in the Boiler House which will feature ethical and sustainable businesses.

Keep an eye out for a follow up blog on alternative swaps for your kitchen!

What does net-zero carbon emissions mean to Newcastle University?

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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 term ‘net zero’ can be a complex and multi-faceted term, this blog post aims to outline what the term means to Newcastle University and why it is important when discussing all things climate change and carbon related.

Definition of net zero

“Achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gases produced and those taken out of the atmosphere. This should be achieved through a rapid reduction in carbon emissions, but where zero carbon is not possible, offsetting through carbon credits or sequestration through technological or nature-based solutions needs to be utilised” ¹.

With this definition, emphasis is placed on attempts to reduce carbon emissions opposed to focusing on offsetting initiatives. Multiple institutions across Newcastle city centre are working towards net-zero carbon emissions including Newcastle University, so they became a member of Newcastle City’s Net Zero Task Force (NZTF) in 2019.

If you are wondering what Newcastle University is doing regarding climate change then we would recommend that you check out the Climate Action Plan. Within the Climate Action Plan there are phases outlined which explain how the university aims to address the goal of being net-zero for carbon emissions by 2030. The plan addresses the various ways that carbon emissions are produced across the university which are categorised into scopes, so it is easier to address the forms of direct and indirect emissions.

What is a scope?

The term scope in this context originates from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol that was released in 2001. Scopes can be described as categories that institutions, organisations, and corporations can use to examine the variety of their greenhouse gas emissions and set targets for reduction.

How many scopes are involved in achieving net zero at Newcastle University?

There are three scopes identified within the University’s Climate Action Plan. Our net zero target applies to Scopes 1 and 2, and we have ambitious targets for reducing Scope 3 emissions.

Scope 1 covers direct emissions from combustion or generation by university-owned or controlled sources. This includes the burning of fuels directly by activities such as using university-owned vehicles and the burning of fuels to heat and refrigerate across campus. Meanwhile, Scope 2 covers indirect sources of consumption and purchase of energy from outside the University which can includes electricity purchased from the grid but is used by the campus.

Scope 3 includes emissions that that the University is indirectly responsible for across their entire value chain, and is often the most difficult scope to monitor and account for. Whilst Scope 3 emissions are not currently covered within our net-zero carbon target, we are implementing a similar, phased carbon budget approach in order to better monitor our progress.

Climate Action Event

By now you may have heard that an event is taking place during enrichment week on the 10^th of November, the event is called Climate Action at Newcastle University.

During this event, staff and students will be coming together to discuss phase 2 of Newcastle University’s Climate Action Plan. The Climate Action event is being held to assess the progress Newcastle University has made in phase 1 of the plan and to help shape the next steps in phase 2.

Our travel better session and nature positivity sessions still have places if you would like to join. Below are links to the sign-up form and program for the event if you would like some more information.

Program: Programme Poster2.pdf (ncl.ac.uk)

Thanks for reading, keep an eye out for the next blog post next week!

Introduction to Sustainability at Newcastle University

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Newcastle University aims to be net zero by 2030. Wondering how? Meet the team behind the plan…  

Ten years ago, Newcastle University’s Sustainability Team was created with just two employees looking after the University’s entire energy system. Today, we are a team of nine, responsible for environmental and energy management and driving improvement.

Net zero by 2030

The focus of most of our activity, at the moment, is net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. This target, among others, is in the University’s Climate Action Plan.

The Climate Action Plan was created to address the climate crisis and our impact on it. The plan summarises the work carried out before publication, in 2021, and the targets we set out in a 10-point plan. We have been working on the 10-point plan (see below image) and are coming to the end of Phase 1.

Importance of sustainability at Newcastle University

 “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” – Robert Swan OBE

Sustainability is the ability to ‘meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’.¹ In other words, it is the prominent need to cut resource exploitation to ensure there are sufficient supplies for generations to come.

Sustainability must be a holistic approach, taking into account environmental, social and economic aspects.

Adopting a more sustainable way of life is not only essential to the protection of our ecosystems but also to economic growth and social wellbeing. Environmental issues such as climate change, plastic pollution and biodiversity loss have global effects, and most often affect people who are the most vulnerable, the most seriously.

We know that we have to play our part in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. Our Climate Action Plan outlines the action we want to take to reduce our negative impacts and increase our positive impacts locally and internationally.

Upcoming event

Interested in learning more about the Climate Action Plan? Why not attend our upcoming event?

As we work on creating Phase 2 of the plan, we aim to look back on the previous phase and share our progress with the wider university community. Furthermore, we want to use the University community’s input to shape upcoming targets and goals. It is not something to be missed!

And watch this space for next week’s blog post!

References:

United Nations Brundtland Commission (1987). Available at: Sustainability – United Nations. (Accessed: 26th October 2022).