Go Green

The Union’s vision:
“We will be an exceptional ethically and environmentally focussed union”
What is the Union Doing?
1. Initial Environmental Review: We commissioned a thorough external review of our environmental performance. The final report was received in December 2011.
From this we know what our most significant environmental aspects and impacts are. They can be found here.
We are currently in the process of re-assessing our priorities in the light of the review. At present they are to reduce the consumption of heat, electricity and water in the Union’s premises and to decrease the amount of waste going to landfill. The IER has identified a number of key areas for improvement:
- SMART targets for environmental management
- Sub-metering for water in Union House
- Engaging students in a waste-saving campaign
- Recycling or reusing plastic drinks containers
- Reducing carbon dioxide emissions from Union transportation
- Recycled content in new build and refurbishment projects
- Energy awareness in staff and students
- Environmental emergency planning
A full list of areas for improvement can be found here.
2. Fairtrade: All the tea and coffee in our bars and vending machines is Fairtrade. We sell an extensive range of Fairtrade goods in our shops.
3. Recycling: We recycle used paper from the Union offices, glass bottles and cans from the Union bars, cardboard packaging from just about everywhere. There are recycling bins in the ‘public’ areas of Union House, and a set of bins for spectacles, ink cartridges, mobile phones and batteries in the Hive.
4. Green Impact: The National Union of Students runs an award scheme which assesses students’ unions’ environmental performance. For several years we have been awarded Silver standard. This year we are going for Gold.
What can you do?
1. Join one of the Union’s many ethical and environmental societies: You can find a list of all Union societies here
2. Take part in a national campaign such as:
•Snap It Off – http://snapitoff.nus.org.uk - pull the plug on wasteful energy use at UEA
•Student Switch Off – http://www.studentswitchoff.org – encouraging students to save energy in their halls of residence.
3. Come to meetings of the Union’s Ethical and Environmental Think Tank
-Contact Will Lacey the Union’s Environment Officer: union.environment@uea.ac.uk or
-Allanah Bayliss the Union’s Ethical Issues Officer: union.ethics@uea.ac.uk for details
4. Try some of the following tips to save energy
•Install energy-saving light bulbs wherever possible.
•Turn off those standby buttons on all electrical appliances when not in use.
•Turn lights off when you have finished in the room.
•When boiling the kettle only boil the amount you need,
•Take your phone charger out of the socket when not in use.
•Don’t run the tap when you clean your teeth
•Buy loose fruit and vegetables, rather than pre-packed options - you will pay less and at the same time reduce waste.
•Turn your heating thermostat down by 1 degree centigrade.
•Reuse carrier bags or buy a canvas bag for life for carrying those books to lectures, doing the shopping and for your gym kit.
•Use the stairs not the lift, it saves energy and keeps you fit!
