Dear Friends,

First of all, a Very Happy New Year to all of you. May all of us continue to work with the same zeal & passion to support, protect and heal our ailing Mother Earth.

Through this report, I would like to share with you various initiatives, practices and systems in place at our University of Birmingham (UoB) through which it is trying to reduce its carbon footprint.

Sustainable Travel-University of Birmingham

Our University encourages staff and students to be sustainable through a number of ways to travel sustainably to improve the impact it has on the environment. 

Rail

The University has its own train station - simply called University - right on the main Edgbaston campus. From here it is only two stops on the cross-city line to Birmingham New Street for the city centre and rail links to Wales, Scotland, and locations across England including direct links to London and Birmingham International Airport. This makes train travel a popular option both for local students who commute, as well as students from further afield travelling home.

Free Shuttle Bus

A free shuttle bus service is provided for students and staff between various campuses and across the university.

Cycling

University encourages cycling and offers a range of services and benefits for cyclists including:

Student hire bike scheme

Discounted D Locks available from Urban Cycles and University Security

A variety of covered and secure cycle parking options across campus

Urban Cycles are open 5 days a week offering basic free basic bike checks, as well as selling bikes, accessories and a wide range of servicing packages.

Walking

To appreciate and encourage Walking, there are dedicated footpaths on all routes from residential halls to university.  The dedicated footpath provides an easy route away from traffic.

Sustainable travel resources

There is a wide range of initiatives, guidance and information outlined within the 'University's Sustainable Travel Action Plan' and 'Smartmover Sustainable Travel Guide'.  to help staff & students to travel sustainably.

University website has detailed information on sustainable transport resources under the caption 'A to Z of sustainable transport resources'

Green Community at UoB

We have a green community living space on campus. UoB has teamed up with Groundwork's Project UP to help students live a more sustainable lifestyle. The Green Community features solar panels, living walls, upcycled furniture, an orchard and wildflower areas.

We are one of the first universities to pilot student-led sustainable living accommodation on this size and scale. The Green Community is an exciting new living option, available to 184 students that share a passion for sustainability.

One doesn't need to be studying for a degree in recycling to live here just the enthusiasm to get involved and support initiatives that promote sustainable practice and raise awareness within the local community.

By living with 184 like-minded people and as a resident of the Green Community one gets the opportunity to volunteer for a charity, track and monitor one's energy usage, organise your own sustainability events or leave a legacy by developing new ideas for future students.

 Better still, there is no additional cost to living here and you will receive the same high quality accommodation facilities as other parts of Tennis Court. 

The aim of the residences is to raise environmental awareness, promote behavioural change and empower residents to be more community driven.

Green innovations unveiled 

UoB family has been busy working to develop features and innovations that inspire everyone to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Here are a few examples of some of the things done:

Installed more than 272 solar panels on the roofs – promoting renewable energy.

Created a safe and secure bike area, with space for more than 80 bikes – promoting sustainable travel.

Added insect homes and bird boxes to enhance the biodiversity of the area.

Arranged several interactive workshops, such as 'Upcycling with ProjectUp' and 'Love Food, Hate Waste' .

Planted 12 apple trees in January 2016 to form a mini orchard.

Implemented stylish 'upcycled' furniture throughout several of the communal areas.

Developed a large open space, including the planting of wild flowers and a dedicated BBQ area.

Created a social room - promoting the shared values and culture of the community.

Issued every flat with ShowerBoB timers, helping to save water, energy and money every time one takes a shower by providing a visual reminder of the impact of your shower.

Conservation Volunteers (Student group/society)

The Conservation Society meets every Sunday morning, every week of term. We then make our way to a Park, Nature Reserve or Green Space in Birmingham where we help the rangers or 'Friends' of the parks and nature reserves with their Conservation work, which can include: tree-planting, coppicing, removal of invasive species, fence making, gardening, stream work and much more!

Green Impact

The Guild (students' union) recognises that it has global responsibilities with regards to ethical and environmental issues, on a local, national and global scale and will encourage, and, where possible, support students to live in a way that is environmentally sustainable.

The Guild has made changes in order to be more environmentally friendly. Students and staff alike have been encouraged to switch off unnecessary lights, plug sockets, and recycle wherever possible.

• Ethical, Environmental & Procurement Policy
• Guild's Environmental Action Plan

To support the University's Carbon Management implementation strategy and reduce the impact the Guild has on the environment it has also developed an action plan to reduce our carbon footprint. For example 'Carbon Management Plan', 'Greening the Curriculum', 'Junkbusters', 'Snap it Off', 'Stop Climate Chaos', 'Student Switch Off', Guild Foodbank

Junkbusters: waste collection scheme that raises money for the British Heart Foundation

Fossil Free:  a student led campaign to decrease the University's investment in fossil fuel

Go Green Week: a week of activities to raise awareness of environmental issues

Green Micro volunteering: e.g. making bird feeders

UoB has a number of Green & Environmental Societies for students like 'Conservation Volunteers', 'EnviroSoc', 'People & Planet'.

Conservation Volunteers work on a variety of conservation projects around Birmingham, doing activities such as woodland managements, fence making and pond de-silting. BUCV gives students the opportunity to get out in the fresh air and enjoy the countryside, interspersed with drinking in country pubs and the occasional mud fight! 

People & Planet is one of the most active student campaign groups in the country. They are committed to ending world poverty, defending human rights and protecting the environment.

University of Birmingham scoops award for best recycling scheme

Junkbusters, a pioneering recycling scheme run jointly by the University of Birmingham and Guild of Students, won the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management Award for the Best Recycling Scheme. The award aimed to recognise and reward successful initiatives designed to reduce environmental impact and improve efficiency.

Director of Residential and Environmental Services at the University of Birmingham, rightly said: 'This is fantastic recognition for the great work that both Environmental Services and the Guild do in recycling students'unwanted items and raising money for the British Heart Foundation.'

Junkbusters, which is now in its sixth year, allows students to donate unwanted clothes, books, kitchenware, and small electrical items to charity. Community Wardens deliver and collect donation bags, riding on an environmentally friendly mild float named ECO-1. The scheme is particularly helpful to those vacating their student accommodation at the end of term and has so far raised more than 𧵎,000 for the British Heart Foundation.

Knowledge, competence and professionalism are critical to maintain progress on waste and resource management. University of Birmingham has been setting an example to other professionals in the sector by making a significant contribution to improving understanding and developing solutions to a range of waste and resource management challenges.

The University of Birmingham(UoB) is committed to improving sustainability on campus and has a range of initiatives in place. For example, it runs one of the most sustainable fleets of vehicles in the country with 20% fully electric it is one of a very few Universities to have a permanent Dr Bike Service on campus for the past five years it has been a 'Zero waste to Landfill' University, with all of the general waste sent to a waste incinerator. It is set to exceed a target of a 20% reduction in its carbon footprint over the next five years.Bottom of Form

Sustainability is of high importance to our University and sustainable practice continues to be further enhanced and implemented into university living.

References

https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/has/sustainable-travel/index.aspx

http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/latest/2015/11/best-recycling-scheme.aspx

http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/study/accommodation/Essential-Information/Sustainability/Green-Community.aspx

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conservation_Volunteers

https://www.guildofstudents.com/about/your-union/greenimpact/