Green Impact 2013
Blackpool and The Fylde College
Chance to get involved and make a difference W
elcome back to the start of a new academic year and the second year of the Green Impact scheme. This year is your chance to get involved in a national project that empowers you to make a real difference to environmental issues. We are welcoming new and returning teams to join us in our campaign for change. Green Impact not only helps the environment and contributes to the College’s sustainability projects; it also encourages team bonding and a chance to give something back to the community. Some of the workbook tasks may seem more difficult to achieve than the bronze criteria but there are plenty of other ways of gaining points, making a difference to the College and the community and having fun with your team. Don’t forget, we’re not just making a difference in Blackpool. Green Impact is a national initiative and you’ll be part of a community of colleges and universities making a real effort to be green. To help teams along the way this year, a budget of £100 will be available to implement any projects and actions in the Green Impact workbook so you can be even more inventive.
1. Boost Biodiversity Tree planting
The Estates Team have applied for a number of free tree saplings through the Woodland Trust and, if successful, we will need volunteers to plant them. Could your team give 30-60 minutes of your time to enhance local biodiversity? How does this help? Did you know that trees are good for bees? Without bees, around a third of the food we eat would not be available. By planting these trees, you will be helping these fascinating creatures thrive.
Homemade insect or bird boxes
You and your team could make homemade insect boxes and use them at College – or why not work with construction students to make bird boxes which could be sold to fund larger projects?
How does this help? Insects are a vital component of our eco-system; they are instrumental to the pollination of our plants and are also helpful decomposers and recyclers. Without them, we would be surrounded by a world of dead trees and animals. Insect boxes provide a haven for reproduction and shelter during winter. Go to www.gardenersworld.com/howto/projects/wildlife-gardening/ how-to-make-a-bug-box/166.html
COULD YOU Be ‘The Next Big Green Thing’? Many existing Green Impact teams will be working towards the silver award this year but in addition, teams can take part in “The Next Big Green Thing” – a specific project over the year which challenges you to raise the profile for sustainability in your area
or even across the College! This can include initiatives such as Fairtrade, Biodiversity or even launching a project that promotes a particular charity or cause. In this newsletter are a just a few ideas to get you thinking about innovative
projects – feel free to come up with other idea in your Green Impact teams or why not try out one of these? If you have an idea for a project that requires a budget of £100 or more, please contact pam.reynolds@blackpool.ac.uk
For further information, go to www.blackpool.ac.uk/greenimpact
Can you change your mindset? 2. Focus on Fairtrade
ORGANISE A BAKE-OFF
Together with your team, you could contribute towards and promote the Fairtrade cause. Think about what small changes you could make to encourage better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and fair terms of trade for workers in the developing world. It’s not just about food and drink either… Does your department wear uniforms? If so, are they ethical or is there anything you can do to make sure they are? You could empower your team to make
changes to their work lifestyle to help the developing world. How about organising a fundraiser for organisations such as Traidcraft, who work with farmers in developing countries to help them to improve their business? You could hold a Fairtrade ‘bake-off’ or get your colleagues to sponsor you to cut out all non-Fairtrade goods for a month… It’s about changing the mindsets of you and your colleagues. You could use this opportunity to start a campaign to help raise the awareness among staff and students.
3. Get Creative with Recycling We all know how important recycling is in this age of excessive waste. Recycling is one way of making your department ‘greener’. Does your department know the benefits of food waste recycling, or how the College diverts 98% of its waste away from landfill? You and your team could organise a range of events or initiatives which help to promote recycling in the College. Have a look at the following websites: www.lovefoodhatewaste.com or http://foodcycle.org.uk/ It doesn’t have to just be about ‘thinking before you print’ and separating plastics from paper. Why not use your old tins to make plant pots for the office or staff room? Or how about organising a competition with your work colleagues for who can up-cycle the craziest item into something useful! How about using old spoons to create a wind chime or make a boot into a bird’s nest? Think outside of the box… You could also use creative skills to make and sell recycled gifts and use the money towards other green initiatives. This is also a great idea for your office’s ‘Secret Santa’ – why not make gifts for your colleagues instead of buying them?
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!
4. Hit your Energy Peak Green Impact is big on encouraging us to think about saving energy. Previously, the NUS created a campaign to encourage staff to wear weatherappropriate clothing so that less energy was wasted through excessive heating and cooling. You could start a similar campaign with your team during the winter months. Another idea could be to start an ‘energy reduction competition’ with your colleagues. You could have a leaderboard which shows how efficient team members have been and name and shame those who have left their monitors on or forgotten to turn a light off!
Everest Challenge
GET IN STEP!
Staff are challenged to save energy by avoiding lifts and using the stairs instead in a bid to climb to the ultimate Everest peak. Over a four-week period, staff from your team or department would log their steps. Compete with colleagues and with the project
funding money available, a prize could be offered for the best mountaineer. Completing the challenge would give staff a sense of achievement, burn calories and help B&FC reduce its carbon footprint by reducing demand for the lifts.
Get hands-on in the community 5. Volunteer yourself If you and your team want to get stuck into a more hands on project in your community, you could contact a local organisation and ask how you can get involved. Here are a few to get you started:
The Conservation Volunteers (TVC)
Become a community green hero and volunteer with the TVC. They organise green and conservation projects which benefit the environment and communities and offer ideal team building opportunities. Please contact the Corporate Partnerships Team at corporate-enquiries@tcv.org.uk to find out more.
Blackpool Volunteer Centre
Anyone can volunteer at the Volunteer Centre Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde. They may have an upcoming green project which benefits the community or may be able to organise a team volunteer day. Contact them on 01253 301004.
A CHARITY NEEDS YOU!
The British Heart Foundation
Volunteers play a vital role in making events a success, whether it’s by handing out medals, forming a cheer squad, or promoting events locally. There are more than 50 bike rides, hikes, swims and runs all over the UK, so find out what’s available nearby by www.bhf.org.uk
Frequently asked questions... I don’t have any training on sustainability and green initiatives – can I still get involved? Yes, of course. We want as many as people as possible to get involved and make a contribution towards making our College ‘greener’. However, if you think you or your team could benefit from a bit of sustainability training, there is an interactive online introduction to sustainability training package available through the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC). Points on the workbook will be available for teams who complete the training. This online module is excellent for offering ideas for the Green Impact scheme and projects and gives a real insight into the importance of sustainability at the College and in our everyday lives. Can students get involved in the project? Absolutely. Student involvement will mean greater improvement to our environment and it also looks great on their CV. How do I get involved? To join Green Impact, please contact Pam Reynolds on pam.reynolds@blackpool.ac.uk. If you would like further information, please go to www.blackpool.ac.uk/ greenimpact or alternatively www.green-impact.org.uk. Are there any other ways of promoting Sustainability at B&FC? We have a sustainability committee and we’re keen to hear your ideas and suggestions. If any of your team have any questions or concerns about current sustainability practices at the College, would you be willing to attend the next College Sustainable Development Committee meeting or put a business case forward to really make a change, contact pam.reynolds@blackpool.ac.uk
6. Travel Green Cycle to work
There are so many benefits to cycling to work, not only to the environment, but also increased health benefits. To get you motivated, why not enter a sponsored cycle and see how many miles you can cycle over the course of the term. Is there a member of staff in your department who would like to feel safer cycling on the roads and would benefit from free cycle training? This can be arranged, contact pam.reynolds@ blackpool.ac.uk
Car Sharing
Perhaps the team could arrange a car-sharing day once a month for the department. If the number of car share journeys is recorded, you could calculate the total cost and carbon emissions saved over the year.
Events Calendar
SO MANY BENEFITS!
Last year many Green Impact members requested regular forums to discuss the workbook, events and activities. The first forum will be held on the 24th October from noon to 1pm at Bispham in room T110b/T110c. A buffet lunch will be available to everyone who attends. This is an excellent opportunity to share ideas, tackle issues, suggest improvements or receive help about specific questions or points in the workbook. Make sure you add the following dates to your diaries!
2013 October 24th Green Impact Forum November 11th – 15th Car Share Week Competition December 16th – 20th Switch Off Week December 16th – 20th The Christmas Jumper Competition 2014 January 9th Green Impact Forum January (any week) Breadline Challenge February 24th – March 7th Fairtrade Fortnight/ Green Week March 28th Workbook Submission Deadline April (TBC) Workbook Audit