News

Sustainability Update Michaelmas Term 2024

Farm To Fork Gtc Order

Welcome to the latest sustainability update, bringing you termly updates on all things environmental that are happening in and around the college!

Operations Manager Elaine Huckson writes

Be energy friendly

You can play your part in reducing energy consumption by following the steps below. These ideas are not new, but they may not be front of mind; try and build them into your daily routine and wherever possible:

  • Lights off: turn off the lights if you’re the last one to leave the room
  • Boil less: only boil as much water as you need (this could save £3 per day per kettle)
  • Layer up: bring a jumper for comfort during the winter months
  • Switch off: turn off appliances at the socket when not in use, and keep electric heaters off for good (they consume up to £1 of energy per hour and can increase the risk of fires)
  • Power down: turn off your computer and screen at the end of the working day, and make sure your computer is set to ‘hibernate’ if you’re away from your desk. Find out more about how much energy this can save
  • Take shorter, warm showers: Reducing shower time saves both water and heating costs. This also has the benefit of not blocking communal bathrooms for ages.

Last year we introduced separate utility charging, giving students in self-contained flats and houses control over their usage. With your help we saw huge 20% reduction in gas consumption

through this initiative.

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Vision Zero Road Safety – making your journey safe and sustainable

When we leave our homes each day, we should all feel safe and confident about the journey ahead regardless of the mode of transport. Read more about travel safety

Looking for a new bike? 
BYKE can help you to buy, rent or sell a refurbished bike in Oxford (and Cambridge!)

Book and Podcast suggestions

  • The Ministry of the Future: This book is a climate fiction novel written by Kim Stanley Robinson. It is set in the near future where a global body advocates for the rights of future generations in the fight against climate change. The story primarily follows Mary Murphy, the head of the Ministry, and Frank May, a traumatized aid worker, while exploring the far-reaching impacts of climate change through multiple characters’ perspectives.
  • We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast: In this book Jonathan Safran Foer argues that small, personal choices—particularly reducing meat consumption—can have a significant impact on combating climate change. The book emphasizes the role of individual actions in addressing the environmental crisis, starting with daily habits like what we eat.

People Places Planet Podcast: The People Places Planet Podcast offers diverse perspectives on environmental issues from wetlands protection to animal rights. While its expert interviewees are from the legal and public policy fields, its focus is on the intersection of ordinary people and the environments they live in.

Resource of the Month: Share Oxford

Need a set of screwdrivers, a tent, or any additional bits-and-bobs that you’d rather not buy and use rarely/have sitting around taking up space? Share Oxford located in Jericho at 1 Aristotle Lane, has a Library of things where you can rent household items for days at a time at a very low cost! A great way to get what you might need without having to be wasteful or spend money!

Get involved

Created: 21 November 2024