Welcome to your Sustainability Week newsletter
Posted on 25 February 2025
Sustainability Week - Monday 3 to Friday 7 March
Welcome to this special edition Sustainability Newsletter packed full of info about the upcoming Sustainability Week running from Monday 3 to Friday 7 March.
Taking place for the eleventh year, Sustainability Week is a wonderful celebration of the positive actions, research and teachings around sustainability which are happening now at the university. It’s also an opportunity to encourage anyone to take action and develop more sustainable behaviours that are beneficial both short and long term.
Staff and students from across the University will deliver educational, wellbeing and creative activities and events, that cover a range of sustainability topics. We hope everyone can find something to connect with. Why not kick start the week with our 30 min sustainability lunch & learn webinar (Monday 12.30-1pm). Hear about the current activities and actions which are happening across the university community.
Book your place now
The timetable of events is now LIVE on the website and activities are open for bookings. Following feedback from last year, we have expanded the range of events taking place over lunchtime as well as hands on and practical events. So take a look, share with others and join in.
In this issue:
- Get Closer to Nature with walks and talks
- Energy in the spotlight
- Develop your sustainability knowledge
- Lunchtime Specials
- Get your game on!
- Roll up, roll up for the Anne Lister Green Fair!
Get closer to nature with walks and talks
We aim to support our staff and students to benefit from a healthy mind and body; through interacting with our wellbeing programmes, natural grounds initiatives, and buildings designed for the health and wellbeing of occupants. As we look towards spring, why not join one of the nature themed indoor or outdoor events this sustainability week:
- York Cares are offering two ‘Nurturing Nature’ events. Get hands on and help maintain either the mini orchard at Constantine College (Wednesday 10am-12pm) or the mini forest on campus east (Thursday 10am-12pm)
- Slow down and discover how we can use soundscaping, biodiversity citizen science and nature-journaling to learn more about places we may overlook. Join Dr Smriti Safaya on Wednesday 12.30-1.30 for this immersive and brilliant multi sensory nature walk
- Want to explore the campus with an incredibly knowledgeable guide? Sign up for the Nature Walk Thursday 12.30 - 2pm and see what wildlife you can spot
- Curious to know more about the spectacular wildlife which comes to Yorkshire? Join the Tuesday lunchtime talk by all-round nature enthusiast Robin Perutz and discover what our region has to offer!
Energy in the spotlight
The university has embarked on a journey to revolutionise how we use energy across the university community. Our goal? To drive meaningful strides in energy conservation and to save money.
We've set ourselves an ambitious target: £1 million in savings, over 12 months. That's the equivalent of saving 1,586 TCO2e (Tonnes (t) of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent (e)). To put that into perspective, it would take approximately 264 acres, or around 230 football fields, of forest to absorb 1,586 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
We have many current and future University initiatives to help us reach our energy saving target, but achieving it isn't a solo endeavour. It's going to take every one of us - from individuals to teams, colleges and departments - working together to make real changes.
- Find out more at one of the Energy Savings drop in sessions - chat to the team on Monday 3-4pm and Thursday 12-2pm at the Sustainability Clinic, next to Nisa Market Square, or Tuesday 11am-4pm at the Anne Lister Green Fair
Develop your personal knowledge
We want our community to feel knowledgeable and empowered to make a real positive difference to the environment and our future. Throughout the year we offer opportunities including free Carbon Literacy training and Climate Fresk workshops for staff and students, and there are also opportunities for this during SW25.
- Join the Climate Fresk on Tuesday 9.30am-12.30pm
- Sign up for Carbon Literacy training on Friday 7 March and 14 March (you must attend both sessions) or express your interest in a joining future training session using the same form.
- Discover the Biodiversity Collage workshop on Wednesday - a visual, interactive, and accessible workshop that aims to raise awareness around the ecological crisis
- Students - want to gain skills, make an impact and think differently? a sustainability YIM could be the perfect addition to your studies next year. The ESAY team will be at the Anne Lister Fair on Tuesday to discuss the opportunities available
- Discover the unique project work undertaken by last year’s Green Impact teams.
Lunch time specials
Take a break over your lunchtime to tuck into an event:
Monday - Sustainability Plan webinar, Cocoa sustainability challenge
Tuesday - Sewing repair workshop, Spectacular Wildlife comes to Yorkshire talk, Anne Lister Green Fair (campus east - accessible free via First Bus within the campus)
Wednesday - multi-sensory nature walk
Thursday - Energy saving drop in, Bug Hotel Building, Campus Nature Walk
Find out how you can eat more sustainably on campus, help tackle food waste and raise money for local charities with Shop, save and sustain.
Get your game on!
Environmental crises like climate change, chemical pollution, and biodiversity loss can feel overwhelming and induce eco-anxiety. However, games offer a unique and enjoyable way to explore these challenges, envision futures, and connect with others. By engaging with games, we can investigate responses to planetary crises on multiple levels—from systemic political decisions to individual lifestyle choices.
The Play for the Planet Network is a collaborative initiative based at the University, bringing together game designers, researchers, and educators who are passionate about addressing planetary crises through the power of play. During Sustainability Week they are offering two sessions for anyone to come and try a game:
- Cocoa Sustainability Challenge, Monday 12-2pm
- Future Factory, Friday 1-3pm
Roll up, roll up for the Anne Lister Green Fair!
The Anne Lister Green Fair is back and bigger than ever for 2025! Everyone is invited to head over to the Anne Lister College Hub on Campus East for a day packed with eco-awesomeness, featuring over 40 stalls showcasing the best in sustainable living. Have a chat with national and locally based charities, discover how student groups are making a difference, and meet the local heroes with green solutions - they will all be in attendance.
Tuesday 4 March, 11am to 4pm. The Hub is easily accessible by foot, bike or the bus (tap on and off for free travel between the campuses).
Fancy something a bit different?
The University's most significant positive impact on sustainability and the climate results from teaching students about sustainability, shaping their future lives and careers, and advancing environmental research projects. Delve into some of the current topics engaging our academics:
- Wednesday 5.30 - 7pm join an in person lecture for an insightful exploration of the Psychology of (Not) Eating Meat with Dr Thomas Davies (Lecturer in Psychology) and Dr Emily Nicholls (Lecturer in Sociology).
- Thursday 6 March 7-8pm Hope for the future: sustainability network panel discussion. Join a one hour online panel discussion event on the climate 'silver linings' which give us hope.
- Friday 7 March 3-4pm join an online event An Exploration of Women Living Deliciously - an interactive Book Club Session to discover Florence Given's book "Women Living Deliciously". Topics may include: Beauty Sickness, The Surveyed Female, Fear of Success and the "Perfect Feminist" Myth.
Short on time, but keen to do something meaningful?
Head to the Science Park on Thursday lunchtime and help fill the newly constructed bug hotel so it’s ready for guests! (Thursday 12.30pm)
Help the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s marine restoration team to make seagrass “seed bombs” in a 30 minute workshop (Tuesday, sessions are timed between 2pm to 4pm).
Thank you!
We would like to extend a huge thank you to all staff, students and other teams who are delivering events this Sustainability Week. Each one has been aligned to one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which we have set our objectives against in the Sustainability Plan: quality education; climate action; sustainable cities and communities; responsible production and consumption; and good health and wellbeing, with an overarching theme of sustainable research. Discover more about those here.
Links and further information
Don’t forget to follow UoY sustainability on social media.
You can also check out UoY Sustainability on our wordpress blog, or click the links below to find out more!
- UoY Sustainability pages
- Our Sustainability Plan 2021-2030
- Staff can join the Green Impact slack channel: #green-impact.
- Green Impact toolkit (registration code: 40238)
- Green Impact google site
- SOS-UK webinar series