Get involved

We’re committed to our university being truly sustainable. We’re already doing a lot, but now’s the time to really step it up.

Whether you're a student or member of staff, you can make a difference. Even the smallest actions add up to big impact, like walking instead of driving, or avoiding single use plastics. Every sustainable change we make takes us closer to our goal.

Change is possible when we all work together.

There are many ways staff and students can get involved in creating a leading green university and lessen our collective and environmental impacts.

Not sure where to start? Read our Sustainable Living Guide for tips on lessening your environmental impact whilst at uni.
Sign up for Green Rewards and get rewarded with prizes for your sustainable actions
Find a more sustainable way to commute with a Personalised Travel Plan
Help the university to save energy and carbon with go! Switch Off
Save money and reduce single-use plastics with the Latte Levy and use your own cups in campus cafes
Choose to eat less meat and dairy - find out where to buy vegetarian and vegan food on campus or see the carbon impact of your food choices
Read our list of energy-saving top tips and put them into action
Share your #beastsofUoN photos with us on social media
Document the wildlife you see on campus with UoN on iNaturalist
Take part in conservation activities on campus to improve biodiversity
Read our list of waste reduction tips
Look out for the annual university Sustainability Action Week and host an event
Make the most of the university's membership of the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges
Have a great idea for a sustainability project? Get in touch to make it happen
Visit the Sutton Bonington Farmers' Market, run by students
Visit SUstainable, the university zero waste shop for some sustainable shopping
Take part in Climate Fresk Training or Carbon Literacy Training to learn more about climate change and the impacts of human activity. There is also the opportunity to become a training facilitator yourself.

Like us on Facebook

Find us on Instagram

Watch on YouTube

Get Green Rewards

Read the Sustainable Nottingham blog

For staff

Working in a lab? Sign up to the Lab Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) and read the Sustainable Labs Guide
Incorporate sustainability into your teaching programmes
Visit the Sustainability Knowledge Hub SharePoint to learn more about climate change and our impact on the planet
Discover different ways of commuting with the Personalised Travel Plan
Take advantage of the staff travel schemes – Cycle to Work, discounted travel passes and car share scheme
Volunteer as an Environmental Champion for your School or Professional Service
Before purchasing new furniture, check to see if any is available on WARPit - our furniture and equipment reuse portal
Develop links with local communities by participating in community projects
Consider using campus as a living lab

Sustainability inductions for new staff

All new starters at UoN have access to the university’s Introduction to Environmental Sustainability e-learning module. This covers:

the impact human activity is having on the planet,
the university's strategy, commitment and actions on environmental sustainability,
areas in our lives where the most impactful changes can be made.

There is also supplementary information in our Knowledge Hub sharepoint page that all staff can access at any time.

Access induction resources (UoN login required)

Estates staff

New starters in the Estates and Facilities department undergo mandatory in-person training on sustainability which is more focussed on operational environmental issues specific to the types of roles in the department.

Academic staff

Academic staff have a toolkit for embedding sustainability and the UN SDG’s into the curriculum.

Visit the Education for Sustainable Development Sharepoint

For students

If you're in university catered halls, you can get involved with Go! Greener, the energy and waste competition
Join the Environment and Social Justice Network and relevant student societies
Get growing – there’s an allotment at Sutton Bonington and a campus community garden on University Park
Become a student sustainability ambassador
Check out opportunities available through the Nottingham Advantage Award and Careers & Employability Service
Get further ideas from two short films created by Nottingham students: A day in the life of a green student or Sustainability at Nottingham

See more student opportunities

Student sustainabiity inductions

Sustainability is part of every student’s induction. Information and resources are provided at varies stages; before students arrive, during Welcome week and into Term 1. Here are some examples:

Pre-arrival information. Sustainability is part of the information emailed to students before they arrive. This includes the Student Living Guide, sustainability video, sustainability strategies and policies.
Student Living induction. The university’s main Student Living webpages includes articles on sustainability.
Student academic induction resources. Sustainability information is provided to academic departments to include in their course inductions.
Welcome events. The Sustainability Team attend various events during the first weeks of the academic year. This includes having stands at the SU Freshers Fair, the university’s Welcome Village and Student Living fair to promote sustainability at UoN and speak to students directly. The Sustainability Team also arrange activities such as environmental talks, second-hand bike sales, tree planting events and Climate Fresk training in collaboration with other departments and student societies. These events then continue throughout the year.
In-person inductions. During 2023/2024, a new eco-induction programme was piloted in the School of Geography and Nottingham Business School. The intention is for this to be rolled out across the university.

Sustainability Team

Estate Office, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD

Email: sustainability@nottingham.ac.uk