Earth Day celebrations at Oxford Brookes

Students and staff at Oxford Brookes University have marked Earth Day by taking part in a host of green activities which will help them to be more environmentally friendly and to take their own personal action against climate change.

Michele Morley, Head of Environmental Sustainability at Oxford Brookes said: “It’s great to have everyone back on campus as we raise awareness of how we can all do our bit to reduce our emissions and live greener lives.”

Green campus initiatives ranged from hedgehog surveys to advice on cutting energy consumption and e-bike and e-scooter demos.

Tips to reduce the carbon footprint of food were explored with demonstrations of easy sustainable plant-based cookery from chef and pulse enthusiast Jenny Chandler. Sessions also provided advice on how to reduce food waste as well as highlighting the carbon impact of different foods and how to use local seasonal produce to reduce food miles.

For students who may not have lived away from home before and are unused to recycling, Oxford Direct Services gave tips on what can be recycled and how to sort waste. Oxford Brookes student Christoph Kurzman showcased a furniture upcycling project, reusing old bed frames from student accommodation and turning them into other products like stools.

Like everyone across the UK, many students are facing increased household energy bills so advice was available on what legal responsibilities private landlords have to make properties green as well as how to reduce energy consumption using smart meters and green energy suppliers.

Oxford Brookes has academics researching various aspects of sustainability and climate change including into How carbon labels can aid shoppers in the fight against climate change and how buildings can be retrofitted to reduce energy bills.

Oxford Brookes is committed to a range of ambitious sustainability targets. Last year, the University declared a climate emergency and set out ambitious sustainability targets with an intention to become a net-zero organisation by 2040. Oxford Brookes has also signed up to the Zero Carbon Oxford Charter pledge to achieve net zero carbon emissions as a city by 2040.