Please ensure you have switched of PC, Laptops and. Monitors before you leave the .... 50% from its peak load since the
March 2017
November 2016
It’s Better OFF @ Easter Easter already, where has the time gone? With the Easter break fast approaching please don’t forget its Better OFF, to be OFF for Easter! Please ensure you have switched of PC, Laptops and Monitors before you leave the office for the break. Also remember if you have control of lighting in your office to switch that off too. The MFD’s will power themselves off so there is no need to touch them. Remember to check before switching any research equipment off, and if research is running over the Easter break remember to try be as efficient as possible, and consolidate equipment where feasible to. If you have any energy wasters you would like us to take a look at please let us know. We always appreciate your assistance. Have a lovely Easter Break
Sustainability Team Seasonal fruit and veg Generally, fruits and vegetables are more widely available when they are in season. In March vegetables including leeks, celery, beetroot, parsnips, and sweet potatoes are all in season. Fruits like apple, orange, grapefruit, and kiwi are all in season too. A full guide can be found here: http://bit.ly/1qrGQhs. Seasonal fruit and veg can both taste better and be cheaper!
Don’t forget to check out our Easter competitions on our social media pages Fb – LoughboroughUniversitySustainability Twitter - @SustainLboro
Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle Easter is the most over packaged seasonal event there is, Easter eggs packaged with foil, plastics and boxes, plastic and foil wrapped sweets, they may look lovely and your egg my arrive perfectly formed, but what is the impact of all this waste? Over the past few years many things have improved, very few eggs are packaged with plastics, now mainly card or foil, both which are recyclable, so when choosing your Easter gifts for family and friends consider more environmentally and ethically friendly alternatives… Think… Less Packaging – choose an egg packaged in the most environmentally friendly packaging i.e. just foil or just that can be recycled. Ethical gifts,- Choose Fair Trade chocolate or treats. Be different –choose a handmade gift from sustainable materials, i.e. knitted/crocheted gifts or have a day out at a farm park instead of chocolate.
Rubbishing the Recycling Myths It has come to light there is a myth that the polystyrene food packaging used in many of our catered halls can be recycled. I’m afraid this is a myth, this packaging can’t be recycled and does need to be disposed of in general waste bins. We are looking at cost effective, more environmentally friendly alternatives for the future, but in the meantime, please ensure if you do encounter any of this packaging it is placed in a general waste bin to avoid contaminating any of our recycling bins.
Gardens Update On a snowy day in February, five members of the gardens team went to Homefield College in Sileby to an Autism Awareness workshop. We have been welcoming young adults with autism from Homefield for over nine years and have a different student working on one of the teams on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
A report released by the Royal Horticultural Society in 2010 stated; teaching gardening to special needs children and young people is especially conducive to their development. Gardening is practical and process-orientated, suiting the visual and learning-through-doing needs of this group perfectly. This statement was keenly endorsed by the staff at Homefield who said their students not only enjoy their days with us but also benefit from the many positive aspects working outside brings.
The students get involved with as many aspects of gardening as possible. They rarely miss a week and Owen said he even enjoys weeding. Owen helped on the Fruit Routes with the October harvest errands, Vikram Singh has worked for many years in various areas of the campus, and Kyle Busby was recently interviewed and filmed for the Loughborough University Annual Review video. They have become valued members of the Gardens Team and the staff enjoy the positivity and enthusiasm they bring.
Photo 1
Photo 2
This spring we have a further three students joining us for work experience from Maplewell Hall and TwentyTwenty Loughborough.
Photos 1&2 Owen Piggon working with full time gardener Jonny Cole Photo 3 Vikram working in the Garden of Remembrance
Photo 3
How to put Fairtrade in your break When we reach for our favourite food and drink each day without thinking about where it comes from, we may be feeding exploitation. We become part of the problem. But you can choose to be part of the solution: Your morning brew: Whether it’s a English Breakfast tea or a skinny latte, always look for the Fairtrade Mark on the packet. You’ll find a Fairtrade choice in most supermarkets. Commuter coffee: Before you pop into your usual high street coffee shop, double check to see if their coffee is Fairtrade certified. If you aren’t sure, then ask the barista or tweet the store. Remember, you have the power to make companies source sustainably through your choices. A little pick-me-up: Whether you are going healthy with a banana or sharing out a block of chocolate around the office, your choice can make the difference. Look for the Fairtrade Mark, and if your local shop doesn’t stock what you want, ask them to do so. If I knew you were coming…: If you’re the baking type, then you can use Fairtrade ingredients in plenty of recipes. There’s a Fairtrade choice for everything from cocoa to sugar paste, from vanilla to icing sugar. So whatever style of cake you create you can make sure it does good as well as tastes good. For more information visit https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Get-Involved/Current-campaigns/Fairtrade-Fortnight
Earth Hour Earth Hour 2018 falls on Saturday 24th March and is an opportunity for you, along with the rest of the planet to take an hour out of your day to focus on our planet. Between 8:30pm – 9:30pm people across the globe will the celebrating Earth Hour by switching off to show support to our planet. Across the globe famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben and the Sydney Opera House will all be switching off their lights in support. So why not get involved in your household, maybe have a candlelit tea or a games night by torchlight. Or simply switch off and take an evening stroll. The possibilities are endless. Remember to share your Earth Hour pictures on social media via the Earth Hour / WWF pages. https://twitter.com/earthhour https://www.facebook.com/earthhour
Conservation Event It may have been a chilly afternoon, but a big thank you to those who came to join us on the 21st February for the conservation event. The Volunteers assisted with coppicing trees, building nature habitants and natural fences. If you would like to get involved in future events please follow our social media or become a Champion or Enthusiast to receive notification through to your inbox.
Tree Coppice
Habitat building
Energy Update For many who use the East park sports facilities on a regular basis you may have notices a few little changes. The Facilities Services Team has been busy at work replacing lighting with LED equivalents in a number of sports facilities. So far changes have been made in • Powerbase • Gymnastics • David Wallace Sports hall • HIPAC • LTA Tennis Centre Overall the reductions seen have been very impressive; for example, the graph shows the LTA Tennis Centre. This has seen a reduction of 50% from its peak load since the new lighting was installed. (Peak load before 52kWh, Peak load now 26kWh, a saving of 26kWh per hour (£2.60 per hour). The other benefits to LEDs are that they will need fewer lamp changes and reduce maintenance costs. The photo shows the before and after in the David Wallace Sports hall. This change has reduced the lighting load by nearly 15kW per hour (around £1.50 per hour)
