Sustainability Week is here!

Posted on: 26 February 2024 in Issue 7

Sustainability Week returns to the University today, with a week-long programme of sustainability events and opportunities for staff and students to get involved in.

As part of Feel Good February and in collaboration with Liverpool Guild of students, the week aims to engage and empower staff and students to take action by engaging in a variety of educational, wellbeing and creative activities that cover a range of sustainability topics, such as climate science, sustainable travel and food waste.

Across the University, staff and students are championing sustainability, whether it be in the office, in teaching and learning, or in daily habits. We want you to get involved this week and try something new, so that as a university we can work together to take action against climate change and the ecological crisis.

New opportunities and resources for staff

This week, we are launching new staff initiatives to celebrate the University’s commitment to sustainability. We want staff to have the skills, knowledge and resources needed to take collective action in creating a more sustainable environment both at work and at home.

Sustainable Event Guidance

You asked, we listened! As part of our commitment to engage and embed sustainability into all activities and processes across the University, and by request of staff, the Sustainability team have launched a new Sustainable Event Guidance to support staff in making sustainable decisions when planning and running events of all sizes. To find out more about how you can implement sustainable principles into your event, read our guidance here, or for a quick way to check your event, use our handy checklist.

Development opportunities

A key action from the University’s Climate Plan was to offer further provisions for staff to increase knowledge and skills on sustainability issues and actions so that all staff are equipped with the tools to create an environmentally conscious, and socially responsible workplace. The sustainability team have developed the staff training offer, with the help of the Academy, so that all staff can have a basic understanding of what sustainability is, and how it relates to them and their roles at the University. View our Staff Development Opportunities page for more information on training, inductions, and guidance.

Get involved in Sustainability Week events

Meet the Sustainability team at one of our Sustainability Roadshow venues, within faculties, departments, and the Guild. The team are available to chat about what we are doing to make the University more sustainable, and how you can get involved. View our full list of venues, and test your carbon literacy with the ‘How Bad are Bananas?’ game to be in with a chance to win some sustainable goodies.

Join Karl Whittle, Professor of Zero Carbon and Nuclear Energy, and Ric Williams, Professor of Ocean and Climate Science, as they discuss the science of climate change at the Science of Climate Change and COP28 Briefing.

From reducing single use plastics to advice on how to save energy and water, the Sustainable Laboratories presentation and Q&A will provide an update on the Laboratory Efficiency and Assessment Framework (LEAF), plus tips for laboratory users on how to improve the sustainability of laboratories and technical workspaces. There are also guided tours of the LEAF accredited laboratories at Life Sciences, Central Teaching labs, and Materials Innovation Factory.

If you need a clothing clear out, or want to refresh your wardrobe, do it sustainably with the Guilds famous Swap Shop event on Tuesday 27th. Be sure to Drop off your unwanted clothes, shoes, accessories and dressing up costumes to the Guild Reception before the event and convert old items into coupons to spend on the day.

Our Partners at Peloton Coop are running a City Bike Ride to take you round the highlights of the city. Don’t have a bike? They’ve got you covered! Just sign up via the link and meet them 15 minutes before the ride to get fitted with a bike.

Celebrate the transition to a circular economy with our waste combatting range of events. In the lineup is a Crosby Beach Litter Pick, helping Leave Liverpool Tidy, a Love Food Hate Waste event with the food pantry, UoL Circular Economy Project, and a crafternoon filled with Upcycling unused t-shirts, totes or tin cans.

The Spine Building is one of the worlds healthiest buildings, designed with environmental sustainability in mind from concept to use. Learn about the details that go into making our buildings sustainable, from optimising space, sustainable building materials and BREEAM standard accreditation, at the Spine Building Tour on Friday 1st March.

This week is filled with events, so view our event page to find the full suite of events available to staff and students so that you can play your part in becoming more sustainable this week.

Find out more

If you have any questions about any of the activities and events this week, please contact the Sustainability team at sustainability@liverpool.ac.uk, or pop by to one of our Roadshow venues to chat to us in person. Keep up to date on all the Sustainability Week activities by following @livunisustainability on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Visit the dedicated Sustainability Week webpages for more details. We also recommend you download the My Liverpool App for quick and easy access to the programme and registration information anytime, anywhere, with more events being added daily, so get booking!

If you enjoy an event, be sure to let us know by…

Please note, there will be a photographer on site taking pictures at our events. If you do NOT want your photograph to be used in future marketing materials, please contact us at sustainability@liverpool.ac.uk. You may withdraw your consent at any stage in the future, however this will not apply retrospectively to material already in circulation.