Monthly goings on.....

Hey Everybody!
Here's what has been keeping me more than busy up to November; any comments or questions more than welcome.....
Thanks for visiting this page! However pretty soon there shall be a link here to a new webpage that the Guild shall be providing all officers with.....hopefully by end of next week I have been told.
Til soon....
Jenny.

Ethics and Environmental Officer Monthly Update:

Over the last month (and during summer and end of last year) I have been investigating the feasibility of using corn starch, non oil-derived, fully compostable take-away packaging for use predominantly in The Underground. I have emailed Steve Pickup and Geraint Edwards with the prices and shown them examples in the flesh and provided them with the website link: http://www.vegware.co.uk/products.html

There is no immediate rush as Steve does not expect to reorder anything before Christmas.

At the fresher’s’ societies fayre I held a stall raising awareness that the position exists, collecting emails of those interested in maybe helping out with anything, informing students of what I hope to achieve and what the university already does and displaying eco-friendly gadgets/products.

I researched good value organic and fair trade hoodies/t-shirts that societies and sport clubs could use for their club garments. At fresher’s fayres I spoke to every society, trying to encourage them to do so, using the information I provided them with from a company I had found. I have copied the lists of society and club contacts from the Sports and BOS Officers and shall email them to find out any progress on this.

I have distributed leaflets to encourage people to buy from the Fair Trade section of the union shop.

I have participated in a short recycling documentary for a group of Media students for use in their studies.

I have participated in a small press release with Arthur Davis, Alan Stephens and a member of staff from the county council regarding the Lilac Bag scheme.

I have attended meetings such as the Water and Energy Management Subgroup and the Waste and Recycling Subgroup, as well as smaller meetings with members of staff such as Glyndwr Humphreys and Nigel Owen from the Estates Office. Also with Angela Jones about the catering department; learning more about it, where their products are sourced from, investigating how much vegetarian/vegan options there are and about where sustainable packaging could be used for example coffee cups. I also asked about having an organic meal option available; I was told it had been tried in the past and was not bought.

I met with Organic Centre Wales to hear their side of the story to the past when an organic meal option was sold. They are supporting me in my aim….even if not in an organic meal option…..just more organic products/single ingredients. I am waiting to hear back from Jim Wallace for a meeting with him and a representative form Organic Centre Wales.

I have worked with Nigel Owen on the Waste-wise website and organised to work together for the launch of the Waste-wise Initiative and for a student travel survey to commence in December.

I have provided Steve Pickup with Fair Trade leaflets, which he has agreed to put into the bar menus.

I have been organising the Greenest Flat competition with the Halls Officers and the BOS Officer. We have begun to do ‘clinics’ at each halls of residence, where we ring on a flat’s door, introduce ourselves, advertise the competition, give them a lilac bag (if they are not in then we slip a leaflet advertising the competition under the door). We have done the Seafront so far. The results are to be released as part of a hopeful combined event with the Ethnic and Environment Officer in February as part of a Go Green week (Feb 16^th to 24^th).

I am working with Phil MacDonald on the Go Green campaign of People and Planet. We have a meeting with the VC on Monday.

I have begun research on how ethical the university’s investments are; I have just received the results of a Freedom of Information Request and shall take if further in due course……making sure to leave the results with the next Environment and Ethics Officer as there was a complaint that they get the same question each year.

I have done lots of research into the feasibility of having some form of student composting available. There are many legal restrictions to individual ones in each flat due to Foot and Mouth. It looks promising though that students (as well as catering outlets) will be able to use the soon-to-be-constructed ‘Rocket Composter’. Alan Stephens has kindly invited me to be involved with the introduction of the rocket composter as well as the new bike shelters that area appearing around campus.

I have got replies from many departments regarding whether they use recycled paper or paper form a sustainable source in their ‘behind the scenes’ printers for staff. None have come back positive. I have got prices and information from one company and shall investigate further in due course. Some departments would like some free samples to see if their printers can cope with the paper. This will be arranged.

I wrote a motion for the GM but then was informed that a similar thing is happening next year anyway.

I have emailed many lecturers, asking if they’d be willing to display a ‘Go Green’ or ‘Fair Trade’ advertisement power-point slide before their lecture slides as students are entering the lecture theatre. I received about 13 positives and have sent them the slides.

I have organised the Environment part of Fair Trade and Environment Day.

I have created my webpage and helped out at as part of Headway.

I have distributed just under 2500 free energy saving light bulbs!