Unions launch historic environmental initiative

UCU today joined forces with the Communications Workers Union (CWU), the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), the National Union of Teachers (NUT), and the Climate Outreach and Information Network to launch the 'Climate Solidarity' project.
The project will train hundreds of activists on how to encourage their co-workers and employers to reduce their carbon footprint. The project aims to set up over a thousand action groups that will provide lessons on how to cut back on electricity and how to better insulate homes and workplaces. There will also be guides on switching to renewable energy and buying more food from local suppliers. UCU head of further education, Barry Lovejoy, said: 'UCU takes its environmental responsibilities seriously and it is really important that all trade unions communicate with their members and the employers on how they can reduce their carbon footprint. The stakes are simply too high to sit idly by and I think it is great that we are looking to establish action groups within the community so that we can get this important message out there.
'We need the next generation of trade union members to place the environment at the heart of their work and I really think this scheme can make that difference.'

Business students take oath to behave ethically

Business graduates from around the world are signing up to a pledge mirroring the Hippocratic Oath taken by medics. Launched for MBA graduates at the Harvard Business School the voluntary oath began with the modest expectation of persuading around 100 of the 900 students from the class of 2009 to sign up. But it has spread virally, with over half of the class taking the oath and hundreds of others from universities around the world also signing up online.
http://mbaoath.org/

Top 10 Myths about Sustainability

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=top-10-myths-about-sustainability

National Recycling Week - Will this make you compost?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBzriA2UANg

Resource efficiency 'key to sustainable business'

See: http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?src=nl&id=16566

Useful Carbon Calculator

http://actonco2.direct.gov.uk/index.html

A short video

Mark talks about environmental action at the OU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ksy8ANZcpXg

EU adaptation to climate change

The European Union’s recently-unveiled White Paper on adaptation to climate change is available, alongside a host of supporting documentation, at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/adaptation/index_en.htm.

Free - Green Office Guide

Green Office for Dummies - completely free download

http://www.avery.co.uk/avery/en_gb/Projects-%26-Ideas/Ideas-for-Work/Helpful-hints-on-becoming-environmentally-friendly-in-the-office.htm?Ns

ITC & The Enviro

Useful report from Global Action Plan

http://www.globalactionplan.org.uk/upload/resource/Full-report.pdf

What does a sustainable university look like?

Energy reduction, recycling, food sourcing, reusable cups, staff transport, free bikes... and what's next?

A sustainable campus community acts upon its local and global responsibilities to protect and enhance the health and well being of humans and ecosystems. It actively engages the knowledge of the university community to address the ecological and social challenges that we face now and in the future. Lindsay Cole (2003)

From the Chronicle of HE http://chronicle.com/indepth/sustainable/

Embedding Behaviour Change - Envirowise Tool

Useful training tool with video clips

http://www.envirowise.gov.uk/change/index.html#0

Wind turbine for Somerset school

A Somerset school has installed a wind turbine and taken steps to tackle its energy efficiency in the hopes of inspiring its students to become better stewards of the planet in the future. Chew Valley Comprehensive School wanted to lower its carbon footprint while educating a future generation about the benefits of renewable energy. Rather than opt for subtle-but-effective measures to cut its emissions, the school opted for its own wind turbine to make a visual statement at the same time as providing electricity. Mark Mallett, the headteacher said: "The wind turbine has become both a physical and metaphorical landmark for the school. "Visitors always comment on it. But much more important is what it symbolizes for our young people - that our resources are finite and the environment in jeopardy. "Chew Valley pupils are learning how important it is that we reduce our carbon footprint." The school secured 25% grant funding under the Low Carbon Building Programme - funding available for all public sector buildings looking to reduce their emissions. The school forecasts that the turbine will earn around £400 per year through ROCs which will be ploughed back into further environmental measures.

Emissions of climate-changing greenhouse gases fell for the third consecutive year

Emissions of climate-changing greenhouse gases fell for the third consecutive year in 2007, according to the European Environment Agency. However, the EEA, which announced the figures last week, also said much of the reduction was down to a combination of warmer weather and more expensive power bills - rather than a move towards greener living. But, as a result the majority of households across the continent showed a drop in emissions, with German homes showing the biggest fall. Overall domestic emissions were 9.3% below 1990 levels, which was a drop of 1.2% or 59m tonnes of CO2 equivalent compared to 2006. Professor Jacqueline McGlade, EEA executive director, said: "The economic stimulus packages that governments are currently adopting represent a crucial opportunity to address the climate crisis and the financial crisis simultaneously. "A strong Copenhagen agreement later this year would drive forward investments vital to our future prosperity." The report also revealed all 15 EU States, except Spain and Greece, reduced emissions.

New Standard for Sustainable Events

BS8901 is the British Standard for sustainable event management. It offers a framework for all events, from a car boot sale to the Olympics, and allows event managers to track their sustainability and benchmark their progress.

Could we use this ourselves to make the conferences & events we organise more sustainable?

UCU today joined forces with the Communications Workers Union (CWU), the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), the National Union of Teachers (NUT), and the Climate Outreach and Information Network to launch the 'Climate Solidarity' project.

The project will train hundreds of activists on how to encourage their co-workers and employers to reduce their carbon footprint. The project aims to set up over a thousand action groups that will provide lessons on how to cut back on electricity and how to better insulate homes and workplaces. There will also be guides on switching to renewable energy and buying more food from local suppliers. UCU head of further education, Barry Lovejoy, said: 'UCU takes its environmental responsibilities seriously and it is really important that all trade unions communicate with their members and the employers on how they can reduce their carbon footprint. The stakes are simply too high to sit idly by and I think it is great that we are looking to establish action groups within the community so that we can get this important message out there. 'We need the next generation of trade union members to place the environment at the heart of their work and I really think this scheme can make that difference.'

Bottled Water - Who Needs It?

http://podcast.open.ac.uk/oulearn/environment-development-and-international-studies/podcast-u116-bottled-water