Green Libraries

At the 2023 Green Fayre 66 students made 'green pledges' to do 'something' for the environment.

Here's a selection of their and our ideas for simple ways we can all have a positive return for the environment and save money too.

Consumerism has a huge impact on the environment. There are many simple steps we can all take to change shopping habits that can have a real positive effect.

Reduce - thinking carefully about what you actually need can reduce demand and consumption of raw materials.  The growing demand for Fast Fashion, that is the quick turnover of fashion trends and mass-produced clothing, has been cited as a contributor to climate change. In the house, turn off lights and unused electrical appliances.

Reuse - can an item be repaired or sourced 'pre-loved' from a charity shop or via a 'swap' scheme? Think about simply 'borrowing' things from friends or neighbours, for example, electrical appliances that might be used only occasionally. Pass on unwanted items to someone else who can use them or donate to a charitable cause. On campus, donation points supporting the British Heart Foundation can be found at Woodlands and Parkside East halls of residence. The annual Festival of Thrift has superb ideas for swapping, mending and re-using all sorts of items.    

Recycle - once we're done with something, recycle it carefully, whether that's a coffee-cup in the Library, an electrical appliance, glass bottles or scrap paper. Local authorities all have advice for recycling good practice, for example here in Middlesbrough. Discarded unwanted electricals are the fastest growing waste stream in the world. Electrical items, cables and batteries contain valuable resources, especially copper, that can easily be recycled. To find out where you can easily dispose of your unwanted electrics here. 

Give wildlife a home - create a bird box, hedgehog house or bug hotel. There's lots of information here for easily making bird boxes. If you have garden, try to leave a 'wild area' and garden sustainability by using wildlife friendly methods such as home composting, planting wildlife attracting plants and trees, avoid using pesticides and think about creating a garden pond. 

Transport -  consider your transport options and whether you can use public transport, cycle or walk more to your destinations. All of these options reduce pollution, improve air quality and are better for your health and fitness. The University offers safe and secure cycle parking facilities

Get involved - volunteer with an environmental organisation or form your own group to carry out proactive conservation work - tree planting, litter picking, supporting visitors, surveying...it all has a visible impact.   

Support an environmental organisation - membership supports real 'green impact' work, this might include habitat management, protecting vulnerable species, education, public awareness or advocating for better environmental legislation. 

WWF Footprint Calculator

How big is your environmental footprint?
Our world is in crisis - from climate change to the pollution in our oceans and devastation of our forests. It's up to all of us to fix it. Take your first step with our UK based environmental footprint calculator.