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Environmental sustainability
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do as an organisation.
Operationally, the Estates department has prime responsibility for delivering the objectives of the Environment Policy and the Estates Plan specifically sets out how we will achieve these objectives.
For more information on all aspects of environmental management at the University please follow the links below.
Green impact
The Green Impact project offers departments at the University of Kent a practical opportunity to embed good environmental and ethical practices in their everyday work. Green Impact recognises the great influence that both academic and non-academic departments have in the university environment, and that any changes made here will go a long way!
In addition to departments and schools there are also schemes for catering outlets, labs, grounds maintenance and cleaning staff. This means that everyone across the whole University can now take part.
How does it work?
Departments sign up to the scheme and receive a workbook detailing a number of criteria. Each criterion is an action that can be implemented in the typical work place, such as paper recycling and collecting postage stamps to send to charity. Departments gradually implement criteria, aiming to achieve either Bronze, Silver or Gold awards dependant on the number of points accrued..
We're aiming for all departments at Kent to achieve Bronze, but departments are encouraged to take Green Impact as far as possible! At the end of this process departments receive a simple audit, carried out by trained volunteer students. An awards ceremony later in the year will commend all actions taken by participating departments and also a number of special awards will be presented.
2014/2015 project timescale
The Green Impact Project has officially finished for the 2014/15 academic year
We welcomed team members to our launch in November, and had a great turnout, with lots of teams interested in this years workbook. The timescale for 2014/2015 is as follows:
Launch - 21st November 2014
First Workbook Workshop - 9th January 2015
Second Workbook Workshop (Event Organisation) - 30th January 2015
Workbook Submission - 20th February 2015
Auditor Training and audits - 4th March 2015 - 9.30am to 5pm (lunch provided)
Awards Ceremony - 2nd April 2015 - 12pm - Sports Pavilion- Everyone Welcome!
What support is available for teams?
Project staff - In addition to the Environmental Adviser (Catherine Morris, Estates Department), the University also employs a Sustainable Behaviours Assistant part-time from Autumn to Spring to run the project - for the 2014/2015 project cycle, the SBA is Laura Heintz.
GIPAs - Green Impact Project Assistants are student volunteers who can be matched with your Green Impact Team to provide general support, enthusiasm and ideas. We recommend that GIPAs be available to their team for an hour a week, but this can be decided by the student and their team depending on their own circumstances. All student volunteers will earn volunteering points. If your team has not been matched with a GIPA yet - contact us at greenimpact@kent.ac.uk
Resources - We have a number of downloadable resources for teams including how to guides, printable posters, energy audit templates and links to other useful information. if you require any resources please email greenimpact@kent.ac.uk
Events - Throughout the project cycle, a number of events including workshops, meetings and open surgeries are planned. Keep an eye out for the regular communications sent be the Green Impact team for more information.
Communications - The Green Impact team circulates a regular newsletter packed full of hints, tips, news and other information to help your team complete the criteria. There is a mailing list that you can sign up to for up-to-date information (just email greenimpact@kent.ac.uk to join) and a Twitter feed @UniKentSustain
Previous Winners
This year's award ceremony was held in the Sports Pavilion on the 2nd April 2015 and was attended by Dr Johnathon Friday who presented the awards to this year's winners, who were as follows:
| Award | Recipient |
|---|---|
| Champions of Champions | Lynne Regan and Medway Student Service |
| Champions of Champions (runner-up) | Clare Delf and Enrolment Management Services |
| Gold (Departments with Excellence) | Design and Print ('Ecotastic'), Development Office, Estates Emeralds, Enrolment Management Services, Kent Enterprise Hub, Medway Student Services, Estates Project Office, SHE Unit, UELT, |
| Gold (Schools with Excellence) | Green Politics, |
| Gold (Other with Excellence) | Grounds Maintenance, Estates - Chasing the paper, Estates - Recycling your waste, Estates - Cleaning and Waste Green Team |
| Gold (Departments) | Estates Finance ('Green Harem'), International Development, |
| Gold (Schools) | SMSAS ('Green Horizons) |
| Gold (Catering) | Rutherford Catering |
| Gold (Labs) | SPS ('Science Rangers') |
| Silver (with Excellence) | Finance, Gulbenkian Support |
| Silver (Departments) | Kent Sport |
| Silver (Schools) | SSPSSR Students ('Easy Greens') |
| Silver (Catering) | Darwin Kitchen, Dolche Vita, Gulbenkian Catering |
| Bronze (Departments) | Planning and Business Information Office |
| Bronze (Catering) | Flying Squad, Origins, Cargo Bar |
| Best Team | SSPSSR Students ('Easy Greens') |
| Best Team (runner-up) | Estates - Cleaning and Waste Green Team |
| Environmental Hero | Sophie Everett (Development Office) |
| Environmental Hero (runner-up) | Tim prior (Estates) |
Teams can sign up online at www.greenimpact.org.uk/kent