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.

Sustainable Living Guide

Living sustainably is not only good for the planet, it can be good for your pocket and your health too! But it can be difficult and overwhelming knowing where to start. The Sustainable Living Guide is here to make things a little easier. It has handy tips on how to reduce your environmental footprint, maximise your impact and save money whilst at UoN. Covering themes:

Green Rewards

Green Rewards is a platform that rewards you for taking action to reduce your environmental impact. The more you do, the more points you earn and there are monthly vouchers up for grabs for local and national shops. You can also calculate your carbon footprint and find out the most effective actions to reduce it.

Wilding campuses project

Help improve our campuses for wildlife and reconnect with nature and tackle the ecological crisis through practical skills sessions, and engagement and wellbeing activities.

See the current list of events and activites.
Document the wildlife you see on campus with UoN on iNaturalist
Share your #beastsofUoN photos with us on social media

Find us on Instagram

What else can staff do?

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
Become an Environmental Champion for your School or Professional Service to improve sustainability at UoN
Get free university membership of the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges
Before purchasing new furniture, check to see if any is available on WARPit - our furniture and equipment reuse portal

Sustainability training for staff

All staff 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)

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

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.

If you are a new starter in another department or area, check with you manager what local environmental training and inductions might exist.

What else can students do?

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 campus community gardens on University and Jubilee
Have a great idea for a sustainability project? Get in touch to make it happen
Get free university membership of the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges
Check out opportunities available through the Nottingham Advantage Award and Careers & Employability Service
Visit the Sutton Bonington Farmers' Market, run by students
Look out for the annual university Sustainability Action Week and host an event

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. A new eco-induction programme has bene running in the School of Geography and Nottingham Business School. This is a one hour session on sustainability at UoN and the actions we can all take. 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