It is therefore essential we avoid food waste where we can, and that where food waste can’t be avoided, we process it in the best way possible.
Food waste at Newcastle University
In March 2025, the Simpler Recycling legislation came into force, meaning that all UK businesses with 10 or more employees must have food waste segregation and collections in place. While Newcastle University has had food waste caddies and collections for several years on campus, this was expanded to all University-owned accommodation in January 2025.
All food waste is taken by Biffa to a local anaerobic digestion (AD) facility. Here, food waste is processed into fertiliser, as well as a methane-rich ‘biogas’ which is fed back into the national grid.
Newcastle University is highly aware of the issues surrounding food waste and has also implemented several initiatives to combat them, such as:
Giving excess food to local food banks and to our new Student Pantry.
Catered events are advised to order an amount of food which is less than the amount of people visiting so there is less waste.
Ingredients which are left over are used to make other meals if possible.
If one food outlet closes earlier than another, the food is transported to another that is open later.
How to reduce food waste
Want to save some money and produce less food waste? Check out these top tips from Love Food Hate Waste…
Think before you shop
Take a few moments to consider what you need before you hit the shop. Check what you actually need in your fridge, freezer, and cupboards, and plan to use up anything that’s going to expire soon. And don’t forget to take your shopping list with you to keep you on track!
Plan your meals
Create a realistic flexible meal plan, and leave space for a ‘use up fridge food’ meal. Planning for what you’ll eat during the week reduces buying any ‘just in case’ food, saving you money and reducing the possibility of wasting food.
Don’t throw your leftovers
If you have food leftover from a meal, put it in the fridge or freezer. This means you can eat it at a later date, and it doesn’t get wasted!
Top tip: Make sure to label your food with a date so you know how long it has been there to ensure its safe to eat.
Store your food right
Putting your food away in the right places will help keep it fresher for longer. This guide created by Love Food Hate Waste has some great tips about how to best store different food items, and the visual guide below shows what should go where in the fridge.
Get more value and nourishment from your food by eating and using all the edible parts and reduce what goes in the bin. One example would be to save yourself some time by not peeling carrots or potatoes – less food waste and time saved is surely a win-win situation!
Try a food waste app
If you know you won’t use your item and it is still within its use-by date, list it on a food waste app like Olio. This way, you can get rid of items you won’t use and somebody in your community can benefit from a free food donation!
For more good food habits, recipe information and more, visit Love Food Hate Waste.
The City Nature Challenge is a global event that takes place every year at the end of April, it consists of two parts:
Recording – cities partake in a global bioblitz and take photos and recordings of the wild nature (plants and animals) they find during the four-day period
Identifying – cities upload their observations to iNaturalist and add identifications to the recordings
Part breakdown
Dates for the 20206 City Nature Challenge
Recording
24 – 27 April 2026
Identifying
28 April – 10 May 2026
The North East of England is registered to partake in the 2026 City Nature Challenge, and our project has been set up on iNaturalist.
Below is an overview of how you can get involved and a guide on how to use iNaturalist to partake in the City Nature Challenge.
Find wildlife anywhere within the North East project boundary and take a photo or make a sound recording of what you find as evidence and note when and where you found it
a. Wildlife includes any organism that has not been planted or looked after by humans. Focus on finding bugs, birds and weeds instead of planted flowers and trees or animals that are looked after by humans.
Search through the results and find an observation you may be able to add in identification too, click the image and use the ‘Add ID’ button, type in what you think it may be – this can be broad. Save your identification
a. Add identifications to the taxonomic level that you are confident of, use the evidence provided in the observation.
b. You can use different sources to help you if you are not sure, such as all the images uploaded in the observation, identification sheets, ID books and apps such as Merlin ID to help
How to make an observation for the City Nature Challenge
An observation records an encounter with an organism in a particular time and location. Observations can be uploaded via the mobile app or the webpage.
Making an observation with the app
Making an observation on the website
Open the iNaturalist Classic app and tap “Observe.”
Log in at iNaturalist and click the green “Upload” button in the header.
Add one or more photos or sounds as evidence
Drag in one or more photos or use the “Add” button to manually create observation cards.
Choose what you saw – either from suggested species or by searching. If you are unsure, you can keep the label as simple as “plant” or “insect.”
Choose what you saw from suggestions or by searching. If unsure, leave it blank or use a broad category.
The date and location should be added automatically. If not, check your device’s location and privacy settings.
Use the calendar to record when the observation was made.
Does the plant look like it was planted or is looked after by a human? If yes, mark the finding as ‘captive/cultivated’ as this is not a wild observation.
Enter a location and adjust the map marker and accuracy circle as needed.
Tap “Save”, then “Upload” to share your observation.
Does the plant look like it was planted or is looked after by a human? If yes, mark the finding as ‘captive/cultivated’ as this is not a wild observation.
Once uploaded, others in the iNaturalist community can help refine the identification.
Once all details are added, click “Submit.”
Please note: Non-wild observations need to be marked as captive/cultivated on iNaturalist.
Additional guidance
iNaturalist have shared a slideshow that contains helpful tips about how to make a good observation. The key principles are:
Take clear, close-up photos
Focus on wild organisms
Document the location
Add an identification
Image: How to upload an observation on the iNaturalist website (Source: iNaturalist, 2025).
Why are observations important?
iNaturalist is an important tool that helps connect people with the nature around them and build their knowledge of biodiversity. Through iNaturalist and the City Nature Challenge, your photos and identifications contribute valuable data that supports research, conservation, and our understanding of local biodiversity.
At Newcastle University, these records contribute to our Campus Biodiversity Network and help us establish our biodiversity baseline, allowing us to monitor species over time and better understand our campus biodiversity. Whether you’re recording or identifying, every contribution counts, so get involved in this year’s City Nature Challenge!
If you would like to find out more about other biodiversity initiatives on campus, check out our webpage. For any queries about iNaturalist or sustainability in general, please email us at sustainable-campus@newcasle.ac.uk.
On the last Friday in January, Newcastle University joined in with households, schools, and parks for the UK’s biggest citizen science survey, the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch.
Despite the wind, cold and the threat of rain, participants met in Drummond Quad. We were armed with layers, binoculars, bird ID sheets and patience. The Quad is one of our beloved green spaces on campus, the area is home to some of our biggest trees, some little saplings and even a small pond! Check out our Sustainable Campus map for the location of all our Green spaces.
In the first 60 seconds of arriving in Drummond Quad we spotted a Wren! It was hopping around the pond and surrounding bushes and, unbothered by our presence, continued to do so for the remainder of our watch. We made sure to check it was the same Wren throughout, as not to over or under count.
For nearly the entire time crows and seagulls flew and squabbled overhead and sometimes landed in the treetops of the Quad. When they landed, they got counted. Carrion Crow was our most spotted bird, counting 6 landing in the branches.
Amidst the noise from the crows and seagulls we were paid a visit by one Magpie and one Blackbird. The Blackbird was the 6th most spotted bird of the 2026 Birdwatch and 5th most spotted in 2025. So it seemed only right to add one to our count.
Lastly, one of the highlights of the watch was finding two Great Tits. They were spotted darting between the trees near Drummond Building. They are the 2nd most commonly spotted bird of the 2026 Birdwatch!
Overall, despite the weather, it was a success! Thank you to all who came along and helped us organise.
And even though the birdwatch is over, looking after our Biodiversity on campus definitely isn’t! If you ever see a bird, or some wildlife on campus feel free to record it on the INaturalist App. Make sure to join our Newcastle Project page too. If you’re new to the app, our beginners guide blog may be a useful starting point.
P.S. Check our events page to check a look out for more information coming up around our City Nature Challenge this April/ May.
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!
To celebrate, we hosted a vegan charity bake sale in our office. This year we raised over £100 for the West End Refugee Service, whilst enjoying some delicious vegan bakes.
Vegan charity bake sale.
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
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.
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, lentil bolognese 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
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. Dabbawal vegan starter (last) (they have a plant based menu!)
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.
We are pleased to share that Newcastle University has been awarded a Gold Cycle Friendly Employer Accreditation from Cycling UK.
The Cycle Friendly Employer (CFE) accreditation is an internationally recognised standard for promoting active travel in the workplace. Organisations are assessed and can achieve a Bronze, Silver or Gold accreditation – and we are proud to have achieved gold!
The assessment looks at everything from an organisation’s cycling facilities and infrastructure to workplace culture and policies, all focused on making it easier for colleagues to cycle to and from work.
Professor Jane Robinson, PVC of Business, Partnerships & Place and the Executive Board lead for sustainability said: “The Gold Cycle Friendly Employer accreditation recognises the progress we have made to date in enabling active travel at Newcastle University and supports our commitment to be sustainable in all that we do. As someone who regularly cycles to work, I know the difference this initiative has made and hope it will encourage more people to travel sustainably in the future.”
Some of our key initiatives that contributed to the gold accreditation include:
Dr Alistair Ford, Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering and member of the University’s Sustainability Committee and Bicycle User Group, said: “The Gold Cycle Friendly Employer accreditation is a recognition of the hard work that the University is doing to enable staff and students to travel sustainably to campus. The accreditation demonstrates great progress but importantly it also requires continual improvement to ensure more colleagues feel able to cycle in the future. We will continue to work on our own campus, and in partnership with the City Council and with organisations in Newcastle, to enable more people to get to work, study, or visit by bike.”
Find out more!
If you would like to learn more about sustainable travel at Newcastle University, you can have a read of the Sustainable Campus website, email us or give our brand new LinkedIn a follow at NCL_SustainableCampus.
We look forward to continuing to work with Cycle Friendly Employer so we can learn from the organisation and expand our support for active travel commuters!
I don’t know how much you’ve heard about COP30. The annual Conference of the Parties is the birthplace of many landmark climate treaties. And on the 10-year anniversary of the Paris Agreement this year’s negotiations were set to take place in the city of Belém, coined the “The Gateway to the Amazon River”. The location alone has commanded a lot of media attention. It’s hard to miss the symbolic nature of negotiations occurring in the same region as the world’s largest rainforest.
However, trying to keep track of 2 weeks of negotiations, across 78 pavilions, involving over 50,000 delegates is no easy task. Thankfully, 3 of those delegates were representatives from Newcastle University. I had the privilege of hearing the first-hand experiences and contemplations of Amy Neild, Professor David Manning and Dr Kristina Wolf. A priceless window into understanding what really happened at the COP of implementation” and “truth”.
What was Belém like?
None of our delegates had previously visited Belém, and it was immediately clear they were worlds away from a Newcastle November. Amy and Kistina were greeted by the kind of hot humid weather you could only expect from the “City of Mango Trees”. David even experienced a longer flight as the plane circled, waiting for a gap in the heavy rainfall. Heavy rain that was soon understood as a feature (not exception) of the afternoons.
The city, as expected, was alive with activity. Visits to the traditional Ver-O-Peso Market, historic centre, and the riverside restaurants and live music of the Ilha do Combú were standouts. With the aid of translation apps, local guidance and kindness were the beautiful backdrop to the city’s warm welcome.
The genuine care of the host city was clearly exemplified in the “Green Zone”. This part of the Conference was open to all and packed with participants. The space was bustling with stalls representing the interests of indigenous peoples and selling souvenirs.
What were your initial impressions of your first COP?
“I was immediately struck by the sheer size of the conference centre” Amy shared, 500,000 square metres of Blue and Green Pavillion truly made it the “Glastonbury of Conferences”. Kristina noted the overwhelming nature of stepping into a “conversation already in full flow, conducted in a new language of acronyms, abbreviations and technical terms”. “Resources like “Decoding UNFCC language” were extremely
helpful”. It was also the first time a COP had featured dedicated respective “Transport” and “Planetary Science” Pavilions.
Did you attend any formal negotiations, and could you contribute as an observer?
The resounding response was a mixed one. You could attend negotiation sessions but access for observers varied Kristina explained. “Some sessions were completely closed… others had only a handful of observer seats… as few as nine.” “Observers sit in the backrows and primarily listen”. This access to negotiation meetings became more limited the longer the conference went on. Long queues formed outside popular agenda item sessions, sometimes even surpassing the person limit of the overflow room. Amy described it as “eye-opening” to witness the COP presidency cut off the speeches of “delegations that overran their allotted time”, an abrupt but necessary tactic to ensure “all voices had a chance to be heard”. David came the closest to attending a negotiating meeting up close. His host had a status that permitted him to bring David into a typically non-observer space, as even Blue Zone security clearance wasn’t an “access all areas” card. Unfortunately, this entry point into a negotiation space was cut off by the Pavillion fire that made the headlines. Thankfully evacuations were well executed by the organisers, and our observers made it safely outside.
What about the many side events?
Each observer opted for the side events most relevant to their area of expertise. These sessions were noted as far more interactive, taking the form of panel discussions, presentations, storytelling and even some informal consultations. David spent a lot of time in the CDR30 pavilion. He “spoke at a panel in this pavilion, on the challenge of scaling CO2 removal by enhancing rock weathering”. Kristina noted the recurring theme of data challenges and the necessity of multi-level stakeholder engagement that empowers communities that were present in many of the events attended.
With over 50,000 participants, how was the networking?
In many ways the gold of the conference seemed to be found in the networking. “It was one of the most vibrant networking spaces I have ever experienced” Amy shared, recounting how networking opportunities kicked off in Rio de Janeiro before boarding the flight to Belém! David stated “I was able to meet people I wanted to meet, and many others by accident” the random nature of the networking seems to be part and parcel of a meeting that size. Nevertheless, it was a chance to start conversations with Makerere University in Uganda, alongside new contacts in Malawi and the USA as well as Brazil. Kristina noted the Higher Education Pavillion, lunch tables, queuing lines, WhatsApp groups, LinkedIn networks and informal discussions after side events all became
particularly useful meeting points for networking. “These conversations allowed me to share Newcastle’s work, including the DARe project and the data resources available through the Urban Observatory”.
After 3 decades of COP’s, some commentators have noted the conference may no longer be fit for purpose. What do you think having seen it up close? What needs changed?
There’s a “lively debate” around this Kristina agreed. “A lot depends on the chair or facilitator” they can “significantly shape the tone of the session and the way countries interact”. Amy added, “at times, negotiations were deliberately slowed down by delegations using strategic tactics”. David noted “processes are slow… frustrating given the urgency of the need to make change happen.” The president had to “navigate a difficult path to achieve a consensus”. Even a consensus that disappointed many due to the “inability to agree a roadmap leading to the end of fossil fuels”.
However, our observers unanimously agreed there was still much value in the conference. Kristina explained “COP remains unique: there is no other forum where almost every nation, plus observers, scientists and civil society, meet under one roof and negotiate climate action. That alone is enormously valuable”. David reiterated “if we didn’t have it, we’d go backwards”.
In terms of practical change, Kristina cited the need to improve inclusion and balance for smaller delegations, indigenous peoples and frontline communities to participate meaningfully, not just symbolically. Strengthening the role of science through regular and structured briefings would help negotiators navigate policy pathways. And lastly conflicts of interest need to be addressed, namely the influx of influence from fossil-fuel lobbyists.
Knowing what you know now is there anything you’d do differently?
David was in no doubt, “do more homework in advance!”. Amy agreed “I would plan my entire week ahead of the conference”. She noted “some last-minute searching will still be necessary” for those events released only the day before. Kristina found the best way to accommodate these last-minute event announcements and forward plan was to build in flexibility. “Sessions may run over time, speakers may arrive late, power cuts may occur, and room changes may happen unexpectedly… the walking distance between meeting rooms may be long”. Keeping an eye on the real-time updates and leaving space to be adaptable to the host country seemed like sage advice.
How can the University best utilise its status as a UNFCCC observer organisation?
“Early planning, strong coordination and visible engagement” shared Kristina. Early planning was the consensus of all our observers. This would enable the University to coordinate with other universities, observer groups, NGOs, and other sizeable UK institution delegations. It was noted that early engagement with the Higher Education for Climate Action Pavilion may create the path to co-host sessions, contribute speakers and/ or shape thematic events.
Amy also noted hosted pre and post COP events for students, colleagues and delegates would create a space to prepare for the specific language and processes of the negotiations and to share that knowledge and first-hand insight on return.
Post COP, how optimistic are you?
“50:50” David decided. “If it is left up to our governments the chances are zero… the burden falls on communities of committed individuals and organisations”. Amy landed on “More hopeful”. Of course there were concerns raised, many of them focused on climate finance, but the hearing about initiatives across the globe was a brilliant way to be encouraged by the action that is happening. Kristina surmised her view as “a mixture of cautious optimism and realism”. “I met an extraordinary number of committed people”, she shared. But “many delegates asked the same question: if science has been unambiguous for so long, why has action been so slow?”. Strengthening collective responsibility would aid this conditional optimism. David concluded: “universities have a vital role to play in helping our students to learn about climate change, about COP, and about how they can play their part in challenging the status quo and secure our global future”.
On Thursday 28th November the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences (SNES) hosted SpudFest, transforming the Boiler House into potato heaven. From research posters and company stalls to a potato-printing art station, the event brought together students, colleagues and local partners for a fun and informative day.
Why?
As part of their research, SNES has collaborated with NU Farms to drive innovation in plant and crop science. Every year, University farms Cockle Park Farm and Nafferton Farm grow tonnes of potatoes for research. When harvest season ends, rather than letting the produce go to waste, SNES shares the potatoes with the University community through SpudFest.
Over 1000 people attended the event this year, and over two tonnes of potatoes were given away!
Eat@Newcastle
One of the highlights of the day was the complimentary food samples, courtesy of Eat@Newcastle. The wedges and potato soup were fan favourites, drawing long queues of students and colleagues throughout the day.
Sustainability
Our team had a stand at the event to talk all things sustainability. Alongside us, Annita from Biffa highlighted the environmental impact of food waste with some eye-opening statistics:
Food waste contributes to 8% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
UK households throw away 4.4 million fresh potatoes every day.
Every day, 20 million slices of bread are thrown away. This is equivalent to a million loaves wasted daily!
Top Tips: To keep your potatoes fresher for longer, store them somewhere cool, dry, dark – and away from onions. If they’re starting to look a little old, boil them for five minutes and freeze them. They’re perfect for roasting later! Also:
If you are a student in university owned accommodation, make sure to use your food waste bins
Men’s Pie Club
North east charity Men’s Pie Club joined the event to raise awareness of their mission to bring local men together over good food and friendly conversation.
‘It’s all about making pies, having a laugh, and getting to know a great bunch of lads in a relaxed, no-fuss environment.’ – Men’s Pie Club
There was also a table to donate food items to the local foodbank! A great way to give back to the community.
SpudFest 2025 brought together research, sustainability, wellbeing and community spirit in one brilliant event. Huge thanks to SNES and Katy Sawyer for organising the event.
We are already looking forward to next year’s celebration of all thing’s potato!
On the 15th of November 2025, a crowd of 68 Newcastle University students gathered by Dove Marine Laboratory, litter pickers and bin bags at the ready!
This group represented an ambitious and momentous cross-club/ society event, with members from 8 different student groups contributing to the pick.
The effort was also joined by some Women in Ocean Science and Northumberland Wildlife Trust ambassadors. The collective broke the participants record for Newcastle University society’s litter pick history.
Along the trail starting in Cullercoats at Dove Marine, across Longsands, and finishing at King Edwards Bay, Tynemouth these litter pickers collected a hefty 56kg of litter! The second to best for weight collected in the society’s history.
Really good turn out and we got the beaches looking spotless! – Lucy and Freya (Newcastle University Marine Society)
The Environment and Earth Society concurred the event was an undoubted success:
“Very rewarding and a fun challenge to try and pick up the most litter”
“A lovely afternoon spending time outdoors and doing something actively positive for nature”
“Exciting to be with such a big group of likeminded people!”
The Beach Cleaning Society were overwhelmed with the turnout and support:
“It was a great way to contribute to keeping our local beaches clean, and collaborating across multiple societies gave everyone an opportunity to connect with likeminded people- was a very enjoyable afternoon despite the cold!”
“It was an amazing event, and we were very proud with the turnout so a huge thank you to everyone who came to help clean our coastline!”
A huge congratulations and kudos to the students involved for the impressive positive impact created. Can’t wait to see what you do next!
On a snowy November lunchtime, in icy air, colleagues from across the University joined the Sustainability team at Kings Gate stairs for a tour of the trees. Despite the unfavourable conditions the group remained undeterred, donning layers to shield the cold and a particularly brilliant array of hats. Once participants had a chance to download the iNaturalist app and join the Newcastle University Campus Biodiversity Network, we were off!
Our loop around campus took us past the Arches, Quadrangle, entrance to the Courtyard Cafe, Claremont Quad and across Claremont Road into Drummond Quad before returning to Kings Gate. If you want to check out some of these Green Spaces have a look at our Sustainable Campus Map!
In total 39 new observations were recorded on our Campus Project Page across the Winter Wander. This comprised of 32 different species: 1 bird, 1 insect, 2 fungi, and 28 different plants (of course plenty of trees).
Here are some highlights (top 3 trees and 2 special mentions):
1. Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica)
Arguably one of the most iconic trees on campus, it’s the weeping willow that sways over the Fine Art entrance beside the Arches.
Captured on campus by iNaturalist user smah1Reference image from iNaturalist website
2. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
Also known as the “maidenhair tree” it is found in the Quadrangle. Native to East-Asia it was historically known as “silver fruit” or “white fruit” in Chinese. Due to a centuries old transcription error, it got the name “Gingko”.
Captured on campus by iNaturalist user steph50665 Reference image from iNaturalist website
3. Common Yew (Taxus baccata)
This festive looking tree, adorned with striking red berries is not to be messed with. This old-world species of evergreen tree is completely poisonous, apart from the red flesh of the berries (although the seed inside is).
Captured on campus by iNaturalist user olivia_______ Reference image from iNaturalist website
4. Jelly Ear Fungi (Auricularia auricula-judae)
These gelatinous looking fungi were spotted on a branch in the Quadrangle.
Captured on campus by iNaturalist user carys2030Reference image from iNaturalist website
5. Dunnock (Prunella Modularis)– carys2030
Photographing any bird is tricky! But one walker managed to snap a photo of this little Dunnock hiding out under the bench outside the Old Library.
Captured on campus by iNaturalist user carys2030 Reference image from iNaturalist website
Thank you to all who joined us and contributed to the observations, laughs and impromptu litter pick! We look forward to seeing more iNaturalist spots over the Winter months.
The Winter Break 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 Winter break.
Why is the Winter Break Switch Off important?
By turning off everything that can be turned off, we will reduce our energy consumption across the campus. The Winter Break Switch Off campaign has been run for a number of years to minimise energy wastage and contribute to our carbon reduction targets.
We also hope that the Winter Break Switch Off will encourage positive behaviour change more widely and remind colleagues and students to minimise their energy wastage by remembering to switch off what they can every day.
Who participates in the Switch Off?
We would like everyone at the university to participate if they are able to, that includes staff and students across labs, offices, and accommodation. The advice on what to turn off will vary for each location – guidance on what should be switched off is in this blog post.
When switching off your work area, it can be helpful to organise a switch off team that can check each area after most people have left for the term to ensure everything that can be switched off, has been.
Here are some examples of items that could be switched in various area across campus:
Staff working in offices: Lighting, computers, monitors, printers and photocopiers, kettles and fridges (after they have been emptied and cleaned). Also, it is important to make sure that all windows have been properly closed.
Labs and medical buildings: All the above can be applied in addition to drying cupboards, fume cupboards and fridges/freezers that will not be in use over the break (please do not turn off equipment that is in use).
Many students leave their accommodation over the Winter break, meaning their accommodation will be empty over the holidays. If you are going away over the winter break, there are a few things that you could do before you leave:
Clean out and defrost your fridges and freezers the day before you leave by turning them off at the wall and popping a towel underneath to soak up the melted ice.
Turn off your kettles and toasters at the wall.
If there is a wall switch for your oven this is also a good thing to turn off easily, as well as lights and plug sockets.
