Environmental tip of the week #144 – Help support cycling and walking

We all have an opportunity to make investment in walking and cycling UK-wide a reality! Sustrans Connect2 project is the only UK-wide project competing in the People’s £50 Million Lottery Giveaway and have been shortlisted alonside three other environmental projects. If successful, Connect2 will use the money to revitalise walking and cycling in 79 communities across the UK. The implications of this project for climate change are enormous 

The winner will be decided by the number of votes, so please take a few moments to vote at www.thepeoples50million.org.uk 

 There are three opportunities to vote – online now, and by landline and mobile from 07 December – visit the Connect2 webpage for more info on how to vote for their project.  All voting concludes at midday 10 December!  www.sustransconnect2.org.uk http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=7228890807www.thepeoples50million.org.uk

 

Environmental tip of the week #143 – Less bulbs

Many offices have lights by windows that are switched on unnecessarily every day.  You can easily save energy by removing some of the bulbs, replacing them with new dummy versions or by labelling or colour coding light switches so that they are not switched on in the first place.  http://www.egeneration.co.uk/centre/modules/green_office/3_lighting.asp

 

Environmental tip of the week #142 – Nice rice

 

Although everyone thinks of Carbon Dioxide as the global warming gas, methane is also responsible and is twenty-one times more effective at trapping the suns heat. Methane is produced when something decomposes in water. Did you know that rice production is one of the biggest sources of methane?  So from a climate change perspective it is much better to eat potatoes rather than rice  

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/05/asian_rice_a_source.php

Environmental tip of the week #141 – IT equipment

Did you know that the IT industry responsible for the same CO2 emissions as the airline industry? Or that a fridge takes 2 x its weight in resources to make compared to a computer which uses 200 times? 

Here’s how you can reduce your IT footprint:

1.      Modern flat screen monitors only use 40% of the energy of old-style CRT monitors.

2.      It is best practice to switch your monitor off if you are away from your desk for ten minutes or more, and switch the PC off if you are away for more than an hour

3.      For offices, new cool threads servers use 90% less energy and does not need air conditioning to cool. 

http://www.bris.ac.uk/environment/energy/saveenergy.html

http://savingenergy.wordpress.com/2006/11/21/saving-energy-one-monitor-at-a-time/

http://www.sun.com/servers/coolthreads/overview/

The Journey to become National Treasurer

I hold the distinction of becomming the first Company Chair of NUS Services not to be National Treasurer at the same time, but at NUS National Conference I was elected National Treasurer, with the Board Directors asking me to return as Company Chair for 2007/8.

Many thanks.

You have made me very happy. For as much as National Conference needs to change your decision to elect me National Treasurer was both informed and inspired! The individuals who made the greatest impact upon my election and development from a disengaged student to a member of the NEC will have their chance in the spotlight in my farewell speech, but I wanted to begin my NEC blogs giving a unspecific thanks to the student officers and students who made my election possible. Without your input, commitment and votes I would not be writing this today; I find it really hard asking people for help and their nomination but the ease at which people were willing to support me to become National Treasurer was fantastic, my Gran is very excited about the new role.

More at officeronline.co.uk…

Environmental tip of the week #140 – Today is World Environment Day!!

05 June is the UN’s World Environment Day! Visit http://www.unep.org/wed/2007/english/Information_Material/index.asp to download:

·         Factsheet on Climate Change   ·         International Polar Year – A Statement by the United Nations Environment Programme   ·         Do’s and Don’ts to help the planet   ·         WED Alphabet – 77 Ways to Celebrate  ·         Inspiring Examples  ·         World Environment Day 2007 booklet

 http://www.unep.org/wed/2007/english/

Environmental tip of the week #139 – Three ways to reduce office paper consumption

A government funded report says that office paper consumption is rising by 20% per year!  

1.      Only print what you really have to.

2.      Remember to print double sided if you can

3.      Why not add the slogan “Think before you Print” to your email signature? 

Managers could consider investing in Print Manager Plus – a bit of software for networks that allows you to monitor how many copies each employee is making, and allows you to set quotas by department 

http://www.printmanagerplus.com/  http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefing_notes/50_climate_top_tips.pdf

Sound Impact Awards 2007

Now we are nearing the end of this first year of NUS Services’ Sound Impact Awards, it is my pleasure as Ethical & Environmental Committee Chair 06-07 to report back on the awards and publish our winners for 2007.

The Sound Impact Awards are an awards scheme with a dual function; one, as a formal environmental accreditation designed specifically for student’s unions, and two as an off-the shelf action plan to measure and reduce unions’ environmental impact. Launched in August 2006, 51 unions signed up in this first year, and after months of hard work we celebrated all those who participated at April’s Annual Convention. The event, presented by environmental champion Ray Mears, was a great success and a fitting tribute to all the unions that worked so hard to be leaders in CSR.

We’d like to extend our warmest congratulations to all who participated in the scheme, but in particular our Gold and Silver Award winners;

 

GOLD AWARD WINNERS:

Loughborough Students’ Union

Queen Mary Students’ Union, University of London

Goldsmiths Students’ Union

 

SILVER AWARD WINNERS:

University of Central Lancashire Students’ Union

University of York Students’ Union

Northumbria Students’ Union

Edinburgh University Students’ Association

Union of UEA Students

 

But the scheme isn’t over yet! Central to the awards is the idea of sharing best practice, and to this end we are producing a booklet that compiles all the best ideas and practice from those who participated. Watch www.nussl.co.uk for details of how to get your copy.

Many thanks to Anna Heywood, founder of the scheme, Jamie Agombar for managing and delivering the project, and NUS Services for their commitment to the awards from the very beginning. Our thanks also to our partners; NUS, People & Planet, EAUC, HEEPI and The Ecologist magazine, and our sponsors; The Co-operative Group and Office Depot, whichout whom the awards simply would not have been possible.

Finally, thanks again to all those who took part in the scheme, and we hope you shall join us again next year! The awards are here to encourage continuous improvement, so as an incentive for all participating unions to re-enter next year, we are offering entry onto the scheme at a discounted rate. You can register right now, so please check out www.nussl.co.uk for details.

Chris Johnston
Ethical & Environmental Chair 06-07

Environmental tip of the week #138 – Carbon diet

Did you know that farmed animals produce more greenhouse gas emissions (18%) than the world’s entire transport system (13.5%)?

Plants however take carbon out of the atmosphere and turn it into greenery through photosynthesis.

So you can help reduce global warming by reducing the amount of meat you eat / eating a higher proportion of fruit and veggies, and what better time to try than National Vegetarian Week, 21-27 May 2007

www.vegsoc.org

Environmental tip of the week #137 – Be a smarter driver

The DTI has just launched a new website to help you save fuel when motoring. The following six tips could help you travel 10% further on a tank of fuel. There is a savings calculator to see how much cash you could save too 

·         Pump up tyres to cut carbon 

·         Less clutter in your car means less CO2   

·         Driving at an appropriate speed reduces CO2 

·         Less stopping and starting means less CO2  

·         Over revving accelerates emissions    

·         Idling is wasting fuel www.dft.gov.uk/ActOnCO2/