Sustainability Newsletter - May 2024
Our Sustainability Newsletter is brought to you by UEL's sustainability team. It aims to keep staff and students updated with the latest sustainability news, events and tips!
We hope the contents of the newsletters are useful and engaging. Have you got a sustainability story, campaign, or idea that you want to be included in the newsletter? Fill out this form and we will be in touch!
UEL donates 1,681 pieces of furniture to charity worth £106,533 and saving 112 tonnes of carbon emissions!
In 2023, UEL's Projects and Estates Development (PED) Team donated 1,681 pieces of furniture:
- The value of these items was £106,533
- This saved 39,801 kg of waste from landfill
- This saved 112 tonnes of carbon emissions - compared to the associated carbon footprint of the organisations buying new items
A special thanks to Lais Amorim Souza, our Assistant Project Manager (Space Management) for delivering this project. Lais also won the Estates & Facilities VC&P award In Outstanding Contribution for her work on this project.
For further information, contact Lais via email.
UEL's Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability (RDCS) Shortlisted for International Award!
We're thrilled to announce that UEL's RDCS has been shortlisted for the prestigious PIEoneer Sustainability International Impact Award!
This award recognises organisations within the global education sector that are actively making a positive difference in the fight against climate change.
As Robert De Jong, Director Of The RDCS says, "The RDCS's shortlisting for the Sustainability International Impact Award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire UEL and RDCS community.
We are incredibly proud of the progress we've made in advancing sustainability initiatives and look forward to continuing our efforts".
Repair cafe and clothes swap event feedback
Thank you to everyone who attended our Repair Café and Clothing Swap event during the Sustainability Festival.
We are very grateful for your participation and feedback. We have some very interesting figures from the event highlighted below:
| Category | Outcome |
|---|---|
| The number of people who attended | 0-80 people (around 60% was UEL staff/students and the rest from the local community) |
| Number of items repaired | 35 |
| Number of items swapped | 88 |
| Waste Prevented | 79.20kg |
| CO2 emissions prevented (kg) | 777kg |
- 100% of the event respondents felt ‘confident’ about the event and said they would attend another repair café and clothes swap again.
- 73% of respondents attended the clothes swap because they ‘…care for the environment and want to reduce [their] environmental impact'
- 100% of respondents would recommend attending a clothes swap and repair cafe to a friend.
- 75% of respondents said the event has changed their opinion on shopping second-hand and getting things repaired rather than buying new.
Sustainability research at UEL
Reimagining Our Rivers: A Call for Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation
“While recent floods in cities around the world have raised the profile of the ‘sponge city’ concept, looking ahead perhaps the whole future of rivers should receive more attention. As with other natural features, the overwhelming approach of contemporary ‘development’ up to now has been to emphasise hydropower, flood-control and navigation, while the value of biodiversity and the natural features of rivers such as meanders have traditionally been neglected.”
Read the full article, published by the Sustainability Research Institute (SRI), UEL's centre of excellence for environmental research and development.
Sustainability #TopTip of the month - Sustainable Cooling for Summer
Stay cool in summer sustainably! Summer often leads to increased energy consumption due to cooling needs, which can strain the power grid and increase greenhouse gas emissions. Implementing sustainable cooling methods can help reduce energy usage, lower utility bills, and minimize your environmental footprint.
- Maximise natural ventilation and use curtains to block afternoon heat.
- Limit the use of ovens and unplug electronics as they give off heat.
- Plant greens on your windows or porches to create natural shade and cooling.
- Wear light-coloured clothing and keep hydrated.
Sustainability #TopTip of the month - Sustainable Cooling for Summer
Internal events
UEL Innovation and Enterprise Summer Festival - Wednesday 12 June, 3-8 pm, Stratford campus
Sustainability-themed events include: (Bookings closed)
- Make a monster plushie (booking required)
- Design your own sneakers (booking required)
- Relove your clothes (booking required)
- Not so humble anymore! (creative workshop exploring how to up-cycle the humble household plastic bag) (booking required)
- Make your own feather bracelets and necklaces (booking required)
- Animal magical puppets (booking required)
External events
World Environment Day - 5 June 2024
World Environment Day is the United Nations Day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment.
Since 1973, World Environment Day has been held annually on 5 June. It brings together millions of people from across the globe, engaging them in the effort to protect and restore the Earth.
“We cannot turn back time, but we can grow forests, revive water sources, and bring back soils. We are the generation that can make peace with land.”
Read more about World Environment Day 2024
How can you get involved?
Have you got a sustainability story, campaign, or idea that you want to be included in the newsletter? Fill out this form and we will be in touch!
Have you got any ideas for sustainability on campus? Let us know in our Sustainable Suggestion Box.
If you have any questions or ideas, email us at sustainability@uel.ac.uk