Get involved in sustainability

UWE Bristol has over 30,000 students and 3,000 staff and together we can make change happen. With climate action becoming ever more urgent, we are working to make a truly sustainable university a reality.

Find out more about what you can do and how to get involved.

• Make your voice heard. Join others in The Students' Union Green Team for practical projects and campaigns. In 2022/23, these included sustainable food, fashion and period products, Just Stop Oil, and climate education.
• Sign up to our free online climate education course.
• If you are a member of a sports club, apply for a Greener Futures award.
• Work with staff and students to decolonise and decarbonise education at UWE Bristol and to develop understanding on how we can better include diverse cultures and knowledge systems in the curricula, as well as making the link between colonialism, the climate crisis and climate justice.
• Make your ideas a reality. Put forward an idea at Student Ideas and apply for up to £500 project funding (provided by the University and administered by the Student Union) from Change for Change.
• Learn how to grow your own vegetables on Frenchay Campus at the Community Garden. Join one of our fortnightly sessions advertised through the Student Union.
• Get involved in oversight of the University’s Carbon Management plan, its Ethical Investment Policy and Sustainability Plan for 2030. Contact sustainability@uwe.ac.uk for more information. For a recent example see the Divestment update (PDF) drafted by the Green Team and the Fossil Free Careers update (PDF).
• Join the Students' Union at UWE Sustainability Committee, and raise an issue you care about with the University Sustainability Board by emailing thegreenteam@uwe.ac.uk.
• Want more on sustainability in your course? Talk to your sustainability course reps and tutors direct and/or contact Associate Professor Georgina Gough at georgina.gough@uwe.ac.uk.
• Join in with UWE Bristol Green fortnight in November and our Fairtrade Fortnight in March.
• Take part in community projects such as GreenSpace and Green School ambassadors with UWE Bristol Volunteering.     
• Hold the university and the Students' Union to account: get involved as auditors in our NUS SOS-UK biannual Responsible Futures accreditation and our Fairtrade accreditation, our annual Green impact accreditation, and our ISO 14001 audit. This strong commitment for scrutiny by our students is monitored by the Sustainability Executive Committee. Email sustainability@uwe.ac.uk for more information.

Visit the Students' Union at UWE website for more ideas on getting involved

Staff orientation and input

All new staff are invited to the staff welcome fair at which there is a sustainability session, covering our strategy, how it translates into action and how you can get involved; this is supplemented by an online section of the induction training on the intranet.

Our new Climate Action Series training has also been launched offering the chance to increase your knowledge and understanding of climate change and what we can all do to make a difference. The series is available on the UWE ‘My Learning’ platform for staff and via Blackboard for students.

All staff are welcome to attend meetings of the Sustainability committee at which the sustainability strategy, carbon management plan and other relevant strategic areas of sustainable development are discussed and reported.

Union members can get involved through their unions which have representation at the sustainability board. For further information, email sustainability@uwe.ac.uk.

Teaching and research: KESE network

Academic staff are urged to explore how to embed and develop sustainability within their teaching and research. For support, contact Associate Professor Georgina Gough at georgina.gough@uwe.ac.uk who coordinates UWE Bristol's cross-institutional 'Knowledge Exchange for Sustainability Education', which has representation for every academic department in the University.

In addition, there are many formal and informal research clusters focussing on sustainability, for example, our Changing Climate Network which aims to draw together staff with interests in climate change, encourage cross-disciplinary collaborations and support funding bids for related research. For more information contact Lindsay Walker at lindsay.walker@uwe.ac.uk.

Taking positive action: Climate action cafés

Climate action cafés are informal sessions which focus on changes you can make in your work content and practice on campus and in your life at home. Relevant to academics and services staff alike the events provide an opportunity to focus on sustainability and are tailored to your team's needs. To request a session and contact us for an initial chat email sustainability@uwe.ac.uk. 

Our social media

Keep in touch with the Sustainability Team and The Students' Union at UWE via our general social media channels. We'd love to hear from you on our dedicated channels, too.

• The Green Team Facebook Group
• The Green Team Instagram

Around campus and at home

• Buy more plant-based food, eat less meat and dairy.
• Love food and hate waste, buy only what you need and use up leftovers.
• Travel lighter on the planet. Walk, cycle, go by bus/train or car share, and rethink your holidays.
• Save energy, water and money, put lids on pans, turn the tap off whilst cleaning teeth and washing hands, turn off radiators before opening windows, use sleep mode and turn off electronics when not in use.
• Prevent plastic pollution and support wildlife.
• Buy less cheap stuff - check out sustainable fashion at Hubbub and view their top tips for more ideas.
• And if you see energy or water being wasted on campus, contact the 222 Helpdesk or email the Energy Team at energyteam@uwe.ac.uk.

Swap shop

Visit our new swap shop for clothing, books, household, small electrical items and more. We're open three days a week.

The opening hours are:

• Tuesday 10:00 to 16:00
• Wednesday 10:00 to 16:00
• Thursday 10:00 to 16:00

Location: 1D011, next to the main information point on the ground floor.

If you have any queries, please email us at sustainability@uwe.ac.uk.

Fix my Crack

Fix my Crack are the on-campus student-run tech repair company. 

• Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 09.00 to 17.00.
• Location: 1D011