Category Archives: Lifestyle

Celebrating Spring: Top 5 Green Spaces on Campus

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 city campus rich in green spaces – from flower patches to tree clusters, to our perfectly preserved lawns. Besides their environmental benefits, these spaces are proven to enhance well-being and health! Whether you’re enjoying a wellbeing walk, catching up with friends, or simply taking a peaceful moment to yourself, our green spaces offer a refreshing escape in the heart of the city.

Read on to discover our top five campus green spaces, captured in stunning springtime images.

1. Philip Robinson Library Grass

As you exit the Philip Robinson library and turn left, you’ll find a luscious patch of grass – a popular spot among students. When the weather gets warmer make sure to grab a library picnic blanket and soak up the rays. Conveniently located next to a wildflower patch, the Library Grass is a must-visit in warmer months!

2. The Old Quadrangle

Nestled between the Armstrong and Architecture building you’ll find a shaded sanctuary. The central location and dispersed benches make the Old Quad a great place to rest and decompress between lecture or meetings.

3. Claremont Lawn

The Claremont Lawn is adjacent to Claremont Road, Merz Court and the Old Library Building. From towering trees to blooming daffodils, the recent sunshine has certainly brought the landscape to life. This tranquil space is the ideal spot for an afternoon book read or meditation session.

4. Drummond Quad

Between Kensington Terrace Accommodation and the Drummond Building lies an oasis of trees, bushes and flower patches, also known as the Drummond Quad. At 1900 metres squared, Drummond Quad is the largest green space on campus! Designated birdboxes, attract magpies and blackbirds, and further exploration will lead you to the pond and hidden hedgehog house. Around the pond you are sure to find snowdrops, tulips and daffodils.

5. Bonus Green Spaces

Apart from beautiful lawns, we are also proud of our campus green roofs, found on both buildings and bin stores. While these may not be available for picnics, they are a great example of how increased biodiversity can be incorporated on city campuses.

Some benefits of green roofs include:

Intercepting water and preventing flooding
Capturing carbon and improving air quality
Supporting wildlife
Preventing roofs from over-heating

Currently three campus bin stores have grassy roofs, and the Urban Sciences Building has a spacious green roof over the Atrium.

A big thank you to the Grounds Team, who work their hardest to keep our campus vibrant all year round. Check out our brand-new Sustainability Campus Map for a better idea of where green spaces are on campus. See the Biodiversity page to find out more about what we are doing at Sustainable Campus to protect nature. If you have any queries about green spaces or sustainability in general, do not hesitate to email us at sustainable-campus@ncl.ac.uk

Reflecting on the Women in Sustainability Careers Exploration Workshop

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Last week, on Monday the 10^th 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 the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – seeking peace and prosperity for all people and the planet now and in the future. The UN SDG group recognise that without the full participation and leadership of women and girls, the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals will be an impossible task (UNSDG website, 2025).

“Women and girls deserve a seat at every table, a voice in every decision, and an equal chance to shape what lies ahead.”
– Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General and Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group

Read on to explore the valuable advice shared by our panellists and to learn about the students’ thoughts and reflections on the event.

The Event

The event was opened by Charlotte and Cristina – two placement students from the Sustainability Team, before handing over to Jenny Davidson. Jenny is a Visiting Fellow at Newcastle University having previously been a Senior Lecturer in the Business School, Climate Change Fellow in School X and Chair of the University’s Sustainability Committee. Jenny chaired the panel session with four inspiring sustainability experts from a variety of fields.

The Panel:

The panellists discussed their passions, career backgrounds, and current topics they deemed most relevant in their roles. Here are some key takeaways from the panel session:

There is not one route into sustainability, and each of our experts studied a variety of subjects at university including languages, geology and environmental management. Working towards a more sustainable world is a group task, and people from all work fields need to get involved. Each panellist had a different interest within sustainability, from teaching and research to consulting.
Experience and perseverance are key! Hannah from AECOM shared that after graduating she had a variety of jobs before landing her graduate sustainability consultant job. Sometimes it’s easy to compare yourself to others, but everyone’s journey is different!
You don’t have to know exactly what you want to do at the start of your career. You can find your passions as you gain more experience in the field and find your speciality.

After the panel session, our experts each joined a breakout table of students, where conversation menus guided the discussions. This format created a relaxed and safe space for students to ask questions, share ideas and reflect on their own aspirations and attributes.

Hannah, a Sustainability Consultant at AECOM, shared valuable advice with the students: “Utilise all the additional (most of the time – free!) services that the university provides to you throughout your studies e.g. dissertation/essay writing services, and these often offer the opportunity for you to work on your thesis with an extra professional who may be a specialist in academic writing – I found this really useful when completing my master’s dissertation”.

Reflecting on the event, Meryl Batchelder, TeachSDGs Ambassador and United Nations-accredited Climate Change Teacher, said, ““It really was a fantastic gathering of young students. I loved talking with them about their hopes (and fears) for the future alongside sharing my lived experience.”

The students were also given a handy “earnings and action plan” sheet where they could record learnings, and tick off actions, such as ‘make one new LinkedIn connection’. The back of the sheet listed a variety of helpful websites and networks to search after the workshop.

The feedback from students has been glowing, highlighting the value of bringing experts from industry into students’ learning.

“I learnt much more than I anticipated. I learnt about so many different backgrounds and different career opportunities. It was amazing to hear such strong, smart women describing their experiences and careers and how they utilised their own failures and got where they are today. I came away feeling brave and strong being a female scientist.”

“I really enjoyed the whole event, and the environment was really friendly and open to discussion. [I learnt] there is no set route into the sustainability industry, but it is important to show your enthusiasm for the subject and follow a career that you feel rewarded in.”

“There’s no right or wrong route to working in sustainability. Say yes to as many opportunities as possible and don’t be afraid to stick to your principles.”

Thank you to Meryl Batchelder, Olivia Partington, Hannah Shepherd and Hayley Fowler for inspiring and talking to our students. A big thank you to Toby Price for putting the event together, and Jenny Davidson for chairing.

References

Unsdg | A World for All Women and Girls

Celebrating World Water Day 2025: Saving Every Drop

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World Water Day is a United Nations Observance held on the 22^nd 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 available for human use, sourced from rivers, lakes, groundwater and even rainwater (Murcott, 2022). A recent study warns that the UK is increasingly vulnerable to water insecurity in the future, due to its limited renewable water sources, high consumption and leakage rates, and its insufficient funding for water management (Loveday, 2024). While water scarcity may seem like a distant concern, it’s crucial to understand how we can reduce our usage and take action now.

To mark World Water Day 2025, this blog will explore how we in the Sustainability Team ensure that the University’s water system is efficient, safe, and abides by all environmental regulations, plus we’ll add in some tips of how you can save water at home too!

Image: Drone shot of the Tyne River, with the Gateshead Millennium Bridge and Tyne Bridge in the background. Source: Elemental Photography.

The University’s water

The University’s water is managed in accordance with our Environmental Management System and we have Operational Control Procedures in place that control significant environmental aspects such as water reduction and trade effluence. These are audited internally and externally annually. To further support our water management, we work with building users, technicians, and our external monitoring partners Demeter to ensure that water is being used responsibly and any leaks are identified and repaired efficiently. Some examples of recent leaks that were rapidly detected and promptly repaired include a broken fitting on a main pipe at our Bowsden Court student accommodation, a burst pipe in the Henry Daysh basement and a flood inside Herschel Building over the Christmas shutdown period.

In addition to this work to quickly remedy faults in the system, we’re being proactive in saving water across our facilities in a number of ways, including:

Installing Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) software across the University. This system is capable of logging water consumption data every 15 minutes, allowing us to assess and monitor the University’s water usage data accurately.
Developing a water strategy. Our strategy will help us to holistically review our water monitoring and management processes.
Identifying any issues with fixtures and fittings in our buildings. We ask staff and students to report problems such as broken taps and toilets when they find them so they can be fixed quickly. We also use the AMR data to help us with this as the frequent data logging enables us to identify trends and any anomalies where problems may be occurring.
Installing push taps to reduce water consumption.
Including water systems in our Sustainable Construction Framework. New systems designed for capital projects have specific sustainability requirements to meet, including specification around water systems.
Monitoring our water consumption daily with specialist support. Our partners Demeter send us information every day about building water consumption to help us stop leaks and identify areas where usage is higher than it should be.

Image: Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. Source: UN SDGs.

How can I save water at home?

There are plenty of easy ways you can save water around the house and these actions will help lower your water bill as a bonus!

Use a shower timer to help reduce water use in the shower – timers are typically set to four minutes.
Only use a dishwasher on a full load and avoid pre-rinse settings.
Fill the kettle with only as much water as you need, saving energy as well as water.
Use any leftover cooking water on houseplants.
When purchasing a new toilet, look for a dual flush option.
Fit tap aerators onto your taps and look into aerated shower heads to easily reduce water consumption.

Is there anything I can do on campus?

You can report any water defect, whether it’s a dripping tap, overfilling toilet, leaking pipe or water which is too hot. Simply fill out this Planon form and select the “auto log-in” option or sign in with your University details. The form should be filled-in with as much detail as possible.

Always make sure taps, hoses, and cooling systems are turned off after use. Additionally, if you manage or work in labs you can reduce water use by:

Using recirculating cooling systems to save energy and water and reducing the water supply to water-cooled equipment to the minimum required.
Avoiding using water vacuum pumps where possible as they use large quantities of water.
Specifying what levels of water purity are necessary for various applications and not using distilled water when it is not necessary.
Only running washers when they are full and ensuring the lab has correctly sized equipment for its common usage to prevent inefficient washing of oversized items.
Joining the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF)!

Thank you so much for reading this blog. If you want to explore more information on water at our university, take a look at our dedicated webpage, or email us at sustainable-campus@ncl.ac.uk

Reference list:

Loveday, K. (2024) UK faces a high level of water security challenge, BSI Reports, The UK Water Report. Available at: https://www.thewaterreport.co.uk/single-post/uk-faces-a-high-level-of-water-security-challenge-bsi-reports (Accessed: 12 March 2025).

Murcott, S. (2022) Freshwater and climate change, MIT Climate Portal. Available at: https://climate.mit.edu/explainers/freshwater-and-climate-change (Accessed: 12 March 2025).

Sustainability Communications Placement: Interviewing Charlotte and Cristina

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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 far, to hear about the skills they’ve developed, and to find out what they’ve enjoyed most about working with the team.

So, tell me a bit about your journey that led you to apply to this role?

Charlotte Epton (CE): I came to Newcastle University to study Environmental Science and then stayed to finish my masters in Clean Technology. Whilst my degree was sustainability focused, I didn’t have much work experience outside the lab and wanted to get some more practical experience in the sector. I also loved Newcastle as a city and my time at university, so this placement seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to learn more about sustainability in a large organisation.

Cristina Latuff (CL): Ihad just finished my first two years of undergraduate Geography at Loughborough University and was in search of a placement that combined my passion for sustainability, with my long-standing hobby of media production. This job is just that! I previously worked in content creation and social media management, so I have some experience in designing eye-catching graphics and creating student-facing videos.

Since joining the team, has there been any aspects have you enjoyed the most?

CE: I really enjoy how much variety the role has, we have worked on projects relating to energy, water, waste, and biodiversity, so no two days are the same! I also have particularly enjoyed developing promotional materials for the teams’ events and initiatives, from posters, to videos, and web editing. This is not something I had much experience in before, so it has been a challenge to get a bit more creative. I have also really enjoyed learning about the renewable energy projects on campus and going up on the roofs to see the solar panels was a highlight.

CL: One of my favourite aspects of the job so far has been learning about the energy management side of the University. It has been fascinating to get an overview of how the building management system works, seeing how each building has its own complex network of heating and ventilation units. I also loved the opportunity to plan and produce the Estates and Facilities contractor induction video and the promotional videos we made for Internal Communications – the perfect excuse to use Adobe Premiere Pro and jump in front of a camera!

Have you been able to hone any new skills this year? And do you feel like this role has introduced you to the sustainability sector?

CE: Absolutely! I feel like I have learnt a lot since joining the team. We have received specialist training in a variety of skills, one example being web page editing which we have used to re-design the University’s Travel pages, making them more accessible and engaging. We have also received training in energy management and BMS, skills we utilise to complete the monthly recharges and room heating extensions. Additionally, I believe working in the team has improved my overall confidence and my ability to collaborate with others, which has been useful in advertising content across the university.

CL: One of the main skills Charlotte and I have homed in on is networking with the University community. We are constantly interacting with students at career fairs, like Planet Connect, getting an insight on their interesting research projects and opinions on sustainability topics. We’ve also worked with an array of colleague teams including Capital, Staff Wellbeing, Internal Communications, Central Social Media, ResLife, Catering and the Student Union. It’s great to see so many colleagues are keen on promoting our work, and collaborating, e.g. the Staff Wellbeing Team giving us our own Sustainability spotlight on the monthly newsletter.

How have you found working for the University, and in Estates and Facilities especially?

CE: Everyone in the office is so friendly, and the open plan office means we can chat and get to know colleagues across Estates and Facilities. The sustainability team are very welcoming and It’s great to work with like-minded people who are passionate about sustainability.

CL: Working in Estates has been a great environment, especially for my first office job ever. The rotating seating plan has been a great way to chat to different people and learn some Geordie slang. Everyone is so friendly and is quick to give me restaurant recommendations, and weekend plan ideas. Estates were also very supportive of our bake sale to raise money for the National Hedgehog Preservation Society. Many people brought delicious bakes and helped us raise over £200 for the cause!

What are you looking forward to doing in the role in the upcoming few months?

CE: I’m excited about the opportunity to shadow different colleagues during the auditing season in April. It will be a great chance to learn more about the internal audit process and develop new skills. I’m also looking forward to creating content around green spaces on campus and across Newcastle, especially with the weather getting nicer and the sun starting to come out more!

CL: I’m really looking forward to the month of May, with events like National Hedgehog Awareness Week and World Bee Day. Seeing campus flourish with wildflowers and wildlife will be great for promoting biodiversity initiatives. We’re planning on making some exciting nature video content so watch this space!

What do you hope the future holds for you both?

CE: I would love to stay in the sustainability and environmental sector, as I’ve really enjoyed working with people who are just as passionate as me. In my spare time, I’m working with some academics within the University on publishing my thesis research on carbon capture, so hopefully that project will be finished this year!

CL: Well, I have to go finish University first of course! I’m currently planning my dissertation for final year, looking at redesigning sportswear to fit a circular economy model. I’ve always been interested in garment construction, having been sewing since the age of four. Although it may sound niche, I would love to pursue a career in sustainable textile manufacturing and am looking at the possibility of doing a Masters in London around this.

Thank you to everyone in the Sustainability Team who have made these last six months so enjoyable and educational for us both! We’re excited for what’s still to come and can’t wait to continue working with the team as we help drive sustainability initiatives forward. Thanks for following along, and we look forward to sharing more with you soon! If you have any questions about the work we do, email us at sustainable-campus@ncl.ac.uk.

Thanks for reading!

Simpler Recycling: What It Means for You and the Future of Waste Management

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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 31^st March 2025, here is your guide to understanding what it means for you…

What is Simpler Recycling?

Under the new requirement, households and workplaces across England will only use four containers for waste:

General waste (non-recyclable materials)

Food waste (collected separately or mixed with garden waste where appropriate)

All other dry recyclable materials (including plastic, metal, and paper)

Glass

This move is designed to simplify waste collection and increase recycling efficiency.

Source: Biffa, 2024.

Who is affected?

The policy will apply to businesses, households, and relevant non-domestic premises (such as universities). Councils and waste collectors will still have flexibility to adjust to local needs.

Additionally, Simpler Recycling will eliminate the “’postcode lottery” of recycling collection in England, where different councils have historically collected different materials. This change is expected to boost recycling rates, which have flatlined at around 44% – 45% since 2015 (Gov UK, 2024).

What are the benefits?

Saves valuable resources from going to waste and supports the circular economy.

Increases recycling rates, helping England move beyond its recycling plateau.

Simplifies waste collection, making recycling easier for households and businesses.

Standardises recycling practices across the nation, making people recycle correctly no matter where they are in England.

Simpler Recycling Timeline

31^st March 2025: Businesses with >10 employees and non-domestic premises (such as Newcastle University) in England must arrange for the collection of core recyclable waste streams (glass, metal, plastic, paper, card, and food waste, except for garden waste).

31^st March 2026: Local authorities must collect core recyclable waste streams from all households in England, including weekly food waste collections for most homes.

31^st March 2027: Micro-businesses (fewer than 10 full-time employees) must arrange for the recycling of core waste streams.

31^st March 2027: Introduction of kerbside plastic film collections for households, businesses, and non-domestic premises.

Source: GOV UK, 2024.

Simpler Recycling is a significant step toward a more efficient and consistent waste management system across England. We hope that the initiative will reduce waste, conserve resources and support a more sustainable future!

If you would like more information on the Simpler Recycling legislation, click here. If you want to know what Newcastle University is doing to manage waste, check out our Waste and Recycling page. Finally, if you do not have access to the main four waste streams on campus, reach out to us at sustainable-campus@newcastle.ac.uk

Reference list:

Art for the Earth: How Newcastle University Galleries and Museums are speaking into the sustainability conversation

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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 responsible to give you a taste of what these displays have to say.

“Sustainable Clay” (Hatton Gallery)

A short chat with Matthew Jarret (the mind behind “Sustainable Clay”) and it was clear to see this display distils the accumulated wisdom of history, alongside many years of conversation, and shifts in the ceramics-sphere.

Combining Newcastle’s ceramics reputation and the growing environmental concerns of artists, Matthew has sculpted together an insightful exhibition. It tells the tale of the plethora of ways these 12 artists (all linked to Newcastle) are seeking to break from tradition by minimising their planetary impact.

The videos that accompany each work are the top glaze of the show. Filmmaker Jason Thompson affords each visitor unique access to sit in the artist’s studio and hear their thought process first hand.

“Everybody owns ceramics… everybody’s got a teapot or a cup or some plates… But we rarely think of where this stuff was mined from, how it was produced, if it was mass produced and the whole environmental footprint” ~ Matthew Jarret

Growing ecological concern is not unique to artists, let alone ceramicists. This exhibition aims to help us all meaningfully confront one arena of overconsumption which, in doing so, enable us to mould a new pattern of consumption that turns down the temperature on our planetary kiln.

Hatton Gallery Sustainable Clay, photo taken by Colin Davison

“Eco-Brutalism” as part of “Concrete Dreams” (Farrell Centre)

Bumping into Owen Hopkins, director of the Farrell Centre, and architect of “Concrete Dreams,” it was impossible to not be intrigued by the network of intersected ideas and concepts that seemed to naturally bubble over in our brief conversation. The exhibition (and its associated talks) creatively articulate these intersectional ties between the built environment, past social imaginaries, and the future narrative of the cityscape.

One talk, juxtaposingly entitled “Eco-Brutalism” seeks to unpack how buildings that starkly embody masses of carbon, could be creatively adapted to mitigate environmental impact. And how the boldness that first conceptualised them could be harnessed to imagine “new brutalisms.”

“New brutalisms… architectures that celebrate low carbon materials and techniques with the same vigour that Brutalism celebrated concrete.” ~ Owen Hopkins

Beyond the planned lectures the exhibition itself offers plenty to spark curiosity, including a city model, built to envision the future of the city. This piece is a favourite, as Owen explains, it “embodies a kind of long-term thinking – and belief in the roles of architecture and planning to reshape the world in positive ways.”

When it comes to joining the sustainability conversation, the Farrell Centre are crystal clear that climate is too all encompassing to relegate to an optional theme. Instead, they look to weave it into every exhibition, inviting visitors to engage with the built environment as a key to reimaging societal change on a large scale.

“SHOAL” (Great North Museum)

The work of Mandy Barker, shown from the 21^st of February, is a short series of images, but nonetheless powerful in their ability to cultivate an atmosphere of reflection.

12 images featuring marine plastic debris collected from trawls, net samples, and shoreline between Japan and Hawaii after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami provoke viewers to contemplate the tragedy of environmental disaster, the impact on humanity, and the human propensity to prevent and contribute towards them.

This work is indicative of the programme at Great North Museum. Led by innovative research, no matter the scale of installation, they seek to engage both the team and their guests with the conversations that are cornerstone to building a sustainable future.

Veganuary 2025: All You Need to Know Before it’s Over

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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 blog explores the environmental benefits of a vegan diet and shares some helpful resources, recipes, and our favourite local vegan spots to try!

Environmental Benefits of a Vegan Diet

Cutting down our intake of animal products is crucial for reducing the environmental impact of the agricultural industry (Viroli et al, 2023). Researchers at the University of Oxford found that moving from current diets to a diet that excludes animal products would deliver a 28% reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions (Poore and Nemecek, 2018).

“Converting grass into (meat) is like converting coal to energy. It comes with an immense cost in emissions.” –Joseph Poore

Agriculture uses nearly 40% of land, 70% of freshwater and is responsible for up to 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions (Willett, 2019). Moreover, land conversion for food production is the largest driver of global biodiversity loss (ibid). Dairy and meat products have an especially high environmental impact in comparison to other food groups. This because the process of raising animals is overall much more carbon intensive than harvesting plants. Animal-based food production involves clearing forests for animal pasture, making millions of tons of animal feed and large amounts of waste generated from farm animals. It is therefore important that we re-examine what we eat and move towards an eco-friendlier diet.

Photo:
Tractors at Newcastle University’s Cockle Park Farm by Matt Horne

A recent report by the EAT-Lancet Commission (2019) describes a ‘planetary health plate’. This consists of mostly ‘vegetables and fruits, with the rest made up with whole grains, plant protein sources, unsaturated plant oils, and, occasionally, small amounts of meat or fish.’ Considering this, we have put together some resources to help you reduce your meat consumption.

Top Tips

Enjoy inadvertently plant-based foods

Some of your favourite foods might be totally vegan, you have just not realised or known it!

In almost every global cuisine, there are inadvertently vegan dishes which remain at the heart of every meal. From Indian favourites such as dhal or bhajis/pakoras to Arab plates like falafel and hummus, there is ‘vegan’ food everywhere! Tofu is great example of a naturally plant-based signature ingredient. In South-East Asian meals, it has been used for many years to create delicious dishes.

Reinvent what you know

A great way to start incorporating more plant-based meals into your diet is to reinvent dishes you know and love. Try swapping some of the meat/dairy ingredients for plant-based alternatives. You might even find you like the vegan alternative better than the original! Check out these recipes for a plant-based chilli, pizza and macaroni cheese.

Try a non-dairy milk

Plant-based milks have grown hugely in popularity in recent years due to their environmental credentials. From oat to soya to almond, there is plenty of choice when it comes to milk alternatives! Take your time to try a few different alternatives ‘til you find which one suits you.

Make small switches

There are plenty of small switches you can make in your kitchen which can help you make a smooth transition to a more plant-based lifestyle. Trying using oil instead of butter when you cook or maple/golden syrup instead of honey. These changes shouldn’t alter the flavour of your dish too much and puts you well on your way to a more sustainable diet.

Popular Vegan Spots in Newcastle:

Supernatural Café – the first completely plant-based restaurant in the city
Veganatomy – vegan Sushi and Banh Mi Bar in Heaton
Earthlings – a vegan café
SnackWallah – vegan Indian street food
Chicken Shack – menu includes a vegan burger. Located in the Students Union
The Ship Inn – a pub in Ouseburn with a fully vegan food menu
A little Piece of Sky – vegetarian “fish” and chip shop takeaway on Friday Evenings, as well as vegan sweet treats and “sausage” rolls. Located in Heaton
Fat Hippo – vegan menu with vegan burgers. Located in Jesmond and the city centre
Vegano – vegan burgers, pizzas, pastas, and kebabs. Located in the city centre

Photo: Roast Chicken Seitan at Supernatural Cafe (left) credit: supernaturalnewcastle.com. Food from Veganatomy (right) credit: veganatomy.co.uk

Vegan Recipes:

References

Nemecek, T., 2018. Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science, 360(6392), pp.987-992.

Viroli, G., Kalmpourtzidou, A. and Cena, H., 2023. Exploring benefits and barriers of plant-based diets: Health, environmental impact, food accessibility and acceptability. Nutrients, 15(22), p.4723.

Willett, W. et al. (2019) “Food in the Anthropocene: The EAT–lancet commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems,” The Lancet, 393(10170), pp. 447–492. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(18)31788-4.

Disposing of Disposable Vapes: Environmental Impact and Responsible Solutions

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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 the correct recycling bins (Material Focus, 2023). This blog will explore the environmental dangers posed by these devices, while providing guidance on how to correctly dispose of them.

Image: Disposable vapes are often encased in colourful plastics, contributing to their detrimental impact on the environment (Source: Waste Managed, 2024).

Why are disposable vapes an environmental problem?

From the 1^st of June 2025, the sale of disposable vapes will be banned in the UK to protect children’s health as they have become increasingly popular among young people. But why are these devices so bad for the environment? Let’s explore the key reasons…

They’re made of plastic

Disposable vapes contribute significantly to the growing problem of plastic waste. Vapes left on the street are likely to break down into microplastics that flow into drains and pollute water systems (Truth Initiative, 2021). They’re also very difficult to recycle as they are made of many different parts including batteries and circuit boards, as well as plastic – components that must be separated. Moreover, plastic takes hundreds of years to breakdown, meaning that your vape will most likely outlive you!

They contain harmful chemicals

Vapes are made of plastic casing, lithium batteries, copper wire and other components. Separating these materials during the recycling process is both labour-intensive and expensive. Additionally, the toxic compounds in vapes, are also prone to leach into soil and water systems, contaminating animal habitats.

Both lithium and copper are finite resources. They are necessary for infrastructure, electric vehicle batteries and charging stations (Sky News, 2024). Using these elements in vape production wastes valuable materials that are essential for advancing green technologies.

They can cause battery-related fires

When vapes are crushed, their lithium can overheat and ignite fires. The London Fire Brigade has responded to more than 200 fires caused by lithium batteries in the last two years (BBC News, 2024). If disposable vapes are disposed of in the general waste bin, they are more prone to being crushed and compressed, and therefore more likely to cause fires on waste vehicles and in waste facilities, potentially endangering waste workers and causing unnecessary damage.

How to dispose of vapes responsibly?

Up to 80% of a disposable vape can be recycled, and there are two main ways you can dispose of your vapes responsibly: organising a collection, or taking your vape to an electronics recycling station.

See below for some key recycling points in Newcastle. As shown, most Tesco Express stores have electronic recycling points. Many points are also near the University campus, making it extra convenient for disposal!

Image: Some key locations around Newcastle that contain bins for electronic devices, e.g. vapes.

A second option for disposal is arranging a Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) collection to your house. These are free for all Newcastle City Council residents who have their own front door access on the ground floor. Simply book a day online, and leave your vape(s) on your doorstep inside a plastic bag the night before. Your items will be collected and disposed of safely.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, while purchasing a disposable vape may seem convenient, its disposal is far from simple. As their banning date becomes imminent, it is essential to ensure that any remaining devices are disposed of responsibly. An item that may only last you a week, could be harming the planet for decades!

For more information on recycling items on campus, check out our Waste A-Z. If you would like to search for your nearest electronic recycling point, use the handy Recycle Your Electricals search engine. To book a WEEE collection, visit the Newcastle City Council booking page.

Reference List:

BBC News. (2024). The environmental impact of disposable vapes. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy943vpr7vgo

Material Focus. (2023.). Disposable single-use vapes thrown away have quadrupled to 5 million per week. https://www.materialfocus.org.uk/press-releases/disposable-single-use-vapes-thrown-away-have-quadrupled-to-5-million-per-week/#:~:text=Material%20Focus%20has%20found%20that%20UK%20adults%20report,could%20instead%20be%20powering%20nearly%205%2C000%20electric%20vehicles

Sky News. (2023). Why are disposable vapes bad for the environment? https://news.sky.com/story/why-are-disposable-vapes-bad-for-the-environment-13059299

Truth Initiative. (2021). The toxic plastic problem: E-cigarette waste and the environment. https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/harmful-effects-tobacco/toxic-plastic-problem-e-cigarette-waste-and-environment

Waste Managed. (2024). How to dispose of vapes: Are they recyclable? https://www.wastemanaged.co.uk/our-news/recycling/how-to-dispose-of-vapes-are-they-recyclable/

Food Waste Bins Are Coming to Your Kitchen!

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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 started. Here’s everything you need to know…

Image: The new food waste caddies. The left bin has a capacity of 7.5 litres, while the right bin holds 5 litres.

What Can Go in the Food Waste Caddy?

You can put almost any type of food waste into the bin, whether it’s cooked or raw. Here are some examples:

Grains, pulses, and vegetables
Meats, pastries, and eggs
Bones and small teabags

What Should Stay Out?

There are a few items that should never go in the caddy:

Packaging of any kind (even if it’s food-stained or says its biodegradable)
Tinfoil or glass
Liquids (these can make a mess!)

Using the Bin Liners

We’ll provide you with bin liners for your food caddy, which are removed during processing. If you run out of liners, please ask at your reception for a refill.

Taking Out Your Food Waste

When your caddy is full, follow these steps:

Tie the bag tightly to prevent spills.
Head to your accommodation’s rubbish site.
Look for the red wheelie bin marked “FOOD WASTE” near the recycling stations and place your bag inside

Where Does Your Food Waste Go?

Once collected, your food waste is transported by our waste contractor, Biffa, to GAP Organics in Gateshead. There, it’s transformed through an anaerobic digestion (AD) process into fertiliser and green energy, contributing to a more sustainable planet.

Image: The different CO2 impacts of food waste disposal via landfill, composting and anaerobic digestion. Source: Biffa.

This is the life cycle of your food waste! Keep an eye out for your new green caddies and remember to follow the guidelines. Let’s work together to reduce waste and make a positive environmental impact.

If you have any questions about the caddies, or waste, check out our Waste A-Z or contact us at sustainable-campus@newcastle.ac.uk.

Happy New Year!

Colleague Volunteering: National Trust Gardeners for the Day

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On Friday the 25^th 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 grade 1 listed building in Northumberland, with stunning formal gardens and relaxed, biodiverse woodlands. The property was designed in 1718 for Admiral George Delaval.

Our role

The lovely team of gardeners briefed us on our role for the day – to assist with digging, weeding and pathway edging in the Oval. The Oval Garden was once the location for the notorious Delaval parties, but today it is a perfect space for a peaceful walk or picnic. We made our way around the perimeter of The Oval using shovels, lawn edging tools and leaf rakes to create a border between the lawn and the hedge. Volunteering provided a great opportunity to spend some time outside and we also spotted a variety of wildlife including pheasants, a 22-spot yellow ladybird, and a lot of worms! It was great to get stuck in, and (especially as a new member of the team), get to know everyone a bit better in a relaxed setting.

After a coffee and lunch break at the on-site Brewhouse Café, we got back to work and finished off the job. As a thank you for our help, Senior Gardener Sarah Peilow gave us a tour of the grade 2 listed Seaton Delaval Hall gardens, where we got to see the Halloween decorations around the hall, and the vibrant garden.

Benefits of Volunteering

It is a fulfilling way to spend the day!
You can chat to new people and gain valuable skills.
It can make a positive difference to our local community.
It can strengthen your teamwork abilities!
It can enhance your mental and physical wellbeing.
If you partake in volunteering outdoors, it can provide opportunities for colleagues to build a connection with the environment and local wildlife.

Thank you so much to the team at Seaton Delaval Hall for being so welcoming and supportive throughout the day, and for the work they do to keep the site so beautiful. Also, thank you to James Adshead for organising the day! I would highly recommend for other colleagues at the university to take advantage of the volunteer scheme which offers two paid volunteering days with a charity each year. More information on the colleague volunteer scheme can be found here, and find out how you can volunteer at Seaton Delaval Hall here.

References

National Trust, 2023. Seaton Delaval Hall. Available at: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/seaton-delaval-hall?awc=3795_1730111269_89f2fe73ec40fc50fb7dc0077ab113f5&campid=Affiliates_Central_Mem_AWIN_Standard&aff=271445&dclid=CIKW-NzusIkDFe9GHQkdq8su6w (Accessed 4 Nov, 2024).