Check out the UCLU Green Guide !
Students for Ethical Investment Campaign Week is coming: please check out this page for all the details!
UCL Communications filmed this video to launch UCL's 10:10 campaign, which aims to cut 10% of our emissions in 2010. You can film your response to this video on youtube, and enter a competition for the best video (judged for artistic merit but more importantly for the strength of their sustainability idea).
More info here.
_____________________
The next meeting of the Environment & Ethics Forum will take place as part of Go Green Week on Tuesday 2nd February, 6pm, South Wing Council Room, here's the facebook event
We had a sustainable procurement audit last week; check out the results here (some of the information is slightly inaccurate but on the whole it's really useful - come to the forum or email me for further info and to get involved in putting the audit into practice!)
Check out an example of our environmental policy with the Sustainable Development Policy. This bans domestic flights on union business, states that we can buy more expensive services if they are more sustainable, requires us to buy biodegradable and recycled materials where possible, and much else. We'll be improving this policy in the near future, but its not a bad start.
Ethical Investment: the investment list from 31.12.09 shows that UCL has finally sold its shared in Cobham PLC, an arms trader, after 3 years campaigning by disarmUCL, a union-backed campaign that demanded an end to UCL investing sectors such as the arms trade. Great news for student campaigning!!
The list of investments can be found here
To help take the ethical investment campaign further, get involved in the campaign week in March. There's more info here.
The website has lately had a few problems so this page hasn't been updated: but it will be soon, keep checking back!
*UCL Union now a 10:10 students union!*
sign up yourself to cut your carbon emissions by 10% in 2010
*UCU sustainability committee set up*
first meeting in late Janary (tbc). get elected onto this committee by attending the environment & ethics forum (18th January). Of course any student can come and attend the committee as an observer.
(the following updates are from the previous academic year)
24/04/09 - Sustainable Development Committee
A Special Resolution is going to the next council meeting (05/05/09) proposing a Sustainable Development Committee to oversee our continued sustainable development. I will keep you informed of its progress. Meanwhile if you want to have a look at the Resolution or the terms of reference of the committee, they should be available from the notice board:
http://www.uclunion.org/student-union/noticeboard/index.php
24/04/09 - New Recycle Bins arrived
New recycles bins have now arrived - you'll find more bottle and can bins, and a load of paper recycling bins. We've tried to put them in the key locations but if you feel that there is an area that could use a recycle bin (of either sort) that doesn't have one then let me know at cs.officer@ucl.ac.uk
20/03/09 - Green challenges
We now have Currently in the works are a series of Green Challenges posters, challenging you to do various things to help us keep our impact as low as possible. So keep an eye out for them - and do what they say!
20/03/09 - More recycle bins on the way!
We are in the process of identifying areas which are in need of more bottle/can recycle bins, and areas which could use paper recycling. As soon as we've done that we will be ordering a bunch more.
20/03/09 - Policy Passed
Apologies for the delay in this post, but we do have a sustainable development policy now and have done for the last month. It passed with 16 votes to 14 with a couple of abstentions. the ban on union funded domestic flights in particular proved to be controversial. Various parts of it are now well on the way to implementation.
You can read a copy of the full policy here
For an article written by member of staff at People and Planet about our policy go here:
http://peopleandplanet.org/navid7231
06/02/09 - Sustainable Development Policy
Next Tuesday (10th Feb) Union Council will be considering a motion to adopt a comprehensive Sustainable development policy for the first time in a long time, if not ever. You can view the motion and the policy on the notice board here: http://www.uclunion.org/student-union/noticeboard/index.php
Check back for info on Council's decision on Wednesday!
06/02/09 - Biodegradable Potato containers...
In response to anyone who has asked about the extra waste created by the containers the baked potatos are served in, they are 100% biodegradable - so you can throw them in the bin, with no worries about the environment. Oh and please don't throw them in the recycling bins when they appear! They are not recyclable!
16/12/08 - Sound Environmental Impact Awards
The NUS Sound Impact awards is an accreditation scheme for Student Unions. There are 192 different criteria (785 available marks). 22 of those criteria are necessary to obtain the Bronze Sound Impact Award, and a further 11 criteria essential for the Silver Award. The top 5 scoring Unions who receive Silver will obtain the Gold award. Currently UCLU has 'Working Towards' accreditation. We fully intend to ensure that by this academic year the Union meets the 22 criteria for the Bronze award ready for next year's application, as well as raising our overall score as high as practically possible. There will be more updates on progress as we go through the criteria.
16/12/08 - New Recycle Bins purchased for offices
The Union has purchased several new recycling bins for the offices to ensure as much as possible get recycled. Hopefully soon to follow will be a range of recycle bins for locations such as Gordon's Cafe, allowing proper segregation of cans, bottles and paper in the communal areas.
UCL have now doubled the number of bins in areas such as the Quad - when you're putting stuff in the bin check the colour of the bag! Black bags are for waste - white bags are for recycling (Paper, cans, bottles anything at all that can be recycled should go in the white bags)
16/12/08 - Lighting Survey
The current percentage of tungsten filament bulbs at UCLU is at approximately 6%, which is very close to the 5% threshold which the NUS Sound Impact Award Scheme demands. We have identified some TFLs which can be replaced with energy efficient bulbs imminently so soon we should be below that threshold.
16/12/08 - Fair Trade
The UCLU and College have now set up a Fair Trade steering group, which means that when UCL brings its products in line with the requirements we will be able to receive Fair Trade accreditation (UCLU has already met the requirements). This should hopefully happen sometime next term.
16/12/08 - Ethical Investment
College has created a working group to meet to discuss any issues anyone has with its investment policies.
If you have a problem with any of the investment policies talk to us and we can call a meeting of the working group to examine the issue.
For more info on how to do this or to see the terms of reference of the committee check out this link: www.ucl.ac.uk/academic-services/eirc
You have the power - UCL's Environmental blog.
If you want to keep up to speed with the goings on in UCL on the Environmental front check out their website: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/youhavethepower
Keep checking back for future updates!
Students for Ethical Investment Campaign Week is coming: please check out this page for all the details!
(Monday 8th -12th March)
UCL Communications filmed this video to launch UCL's 10:10 campaign, which aims to cut 10% of our emissions in 2010. You can film your response to this video on youtube, and enter a competition for the best video (judged for artistic merit but more importantly for the strength of their sustainability idea).
More info here.
_____________________
The next meeting of the Environment & Ethics Forum will take place as part of Go Green Week on Tuesday 2nd February, 6pm, South Wing Council Room, here's the facebook event
We had a sustainable procurement audit last week; check out the results here (some of the information is slightly inaccurate but on the whole it's really useful - come to the forum or email me for further info and to get involved in putting the audit into practice!)
Check out an example of our environmental policy with the Sustainable Development Policy. This bans domestic flights on union business, states that we can buy more expensive services if they are more sustainable, requires us to buy biodegradable and recycled materials where possible, and much else. We'll be improving this policy in the near future, but its not a bad start.
Ethical Investment: the investment list from 31.12.09 shows that UCL has finally sold its shared in Cobham PLC, an arms trader, after 3 years campaigning by disarmUCL, a union-backed campaign that demanded an end to UCL investing sectors such as the arms trade. Great news for student campaigning!!
The list of investments can be found here
To help take the ethical investment campaign further, get involved in the campaign week in March. There's more info here.
The website has lately had a few problems so this page hasn't been updated: but it will be soon, keep checking back!
*UCL Union now a 10:10 students union!*
sign up yourself to cut your carbon emissions by 10% in 2010
*UCU sustainability committee set up*
first meeting in late Janary (tbc). get elected onto this committee by attending the environment & ethics forum (18th January). Of course any student can come and attend the committee as an observer.
(the following updates are from the previous academic year)
24/04/09 - Sustainable Development Committee
A Special Resolution is going to the next council meeting (05/05/09) proposing a Sustainable Development Committee to oversee our continued sustainable development. I will keep you informed of its progress. Meanwhile if you want to have a look at the Resolution or the terms of reference of the committee, they should be available from the notice board:
http://www.uclunion.org/student-union/noticeboard/index.php
24/04/09 - New Recycle Bins arrived
New recycles bins have now arrived - you'll find more bottle and can bins, and a load of paper recycling bins. We've tried to put them in the key locations but if you feel that there is an area that could use a recycle bin (of either sort) that doesn't have one then let me know at cs.officer@ucl.ac.uk
20/03/09 - Green challenges
We now have Currently in the works are a series of Green Challenges posters, challenging you to do various things to help us keep our impact as low as possible. So keep an eye out for them - and do what they say!
20/03/09 - More recycle bins on the way!
We are in the process of identifying areas which are in need of more bottle/can recycle bins, and areas which could use paper recycling. As soon as we've done that we will be ordering a bunch more.
20/03/09 - Policy Passed
Apologies for the delay in this post, but we do have a sustainable development policy now and have done for the last month. It passed with 16 votes to 14 with a couple of abstentions. the ban on union funded domestic flights in particular proved to be controversial. Various parts of it are now well on the way to implementation.
You can read a copy of the full policy here
For an article written by member of staff at People and Planet about our policy go here:
http://peopleandplanet.org/navid7231
06/02/09 - Sustainable Development Policy
Next Tuesday (10th Feb) Union Council will be considering a motion to adopt a comprehensive Sustainable development policy for the first time in a long time, if not ever. You can view the motion and the policy on the notice board here: http://www.uclunion.org/student-union/noticeboard/index.php
Check back for info on Council's decision on Wednesday!
06/02/09 - Biodegradable Potato containers...
In response to anyone who has asked about the extra waste created by the containers the baked potatos are served in, they are 100% biodegradable - so you can throw them in the bin, with no worries about the environment. Oh and please don't throw them in the recycling bins when they appear! They are not recyclable!
16/12/08 - Sound Environmental Impact Awards
The NUS Sound Impact awards is an accreditation scheme for Student Unions. There are 192 different criteria (785 available marks). 22 of those criteria are necessary to obtain the Bronze Sound Impact Award, and a further 11 criteria essential for the Silver Award. The top 5 scoring Unions who receive Silver will obtain the Gold award. Currently UCLU has 'Working Towards' accreditation. We fully intend to ensure that by this academic year the Union meets the 22 criteria for the Bronze award ready for next year's application, as well as raising our overall score as high as practically possible. There will be more updates on progress as we go through the criteria.
16/12/08 - New Recycle Bins purchased for offices
The Union has purchased several new recycling bins for the offices to ensure as much as possible get recycled. Hopefully soon to follow will be a range of recycle bins for locations such as Gordon's Cafe, allowing proper segregation of cans, bottles and paper in the communal areas.
UCL have now doubled the number of bins in areas such as the Quad - when you're putting stuff in the bin check the colour of the bag! Black bags are for waste - white bags are for recycling (Paper, cans, bottles anything at all that can be recycled should go in the white bags)
16/12/08 - Lighting Survey
The current percentage of tungsten filament bulbs at UCLU is at approximately 6%, which is very close to the 5% threshold which the NUS Sound Impact Award Scheme demands. We have identified some TFLs which can be replaced with energy efficient bulbs imminently so soon we should be below that threshold.
16/12/08 - Fair Trade
The UCLU and College have now set up a Fair Trade steering group, which means that when UCL brings its products in line with the requirements we will be able to receive Fair Trade accreditation (UCLU has already met the requirements). This should hopefully happen sometime next term.
16/12/08 - Ethical Investment
College has created a working group to meet to discuss any issues anyone has with its investment policies.
If you have a problem with any of the investment policies talk to us and we can call a meeting of the working group to examine the issue.
For more info on how to do this or to see the terms of reference of the committee check out this link: www.ucl.ac.uk/academic-services/eirc
You have the power - UCL's Environmental blog.
If you want to keep up to speed with the goings on in UCL on the Environmental front check out their website: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/youhavethepower
Keep checking back for future updates!
