Good afternoon KU, and happy sustainability week!
Over the course of the week, KU’s Student Union has been raising awareness with its own programme of events, promoting all things climate change, sustainability and saving the planet.
Today we’ll be covering these events, as well as offering our own tips.
Stay tuned for updates.
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Goodbye from The River team
That’s it for today. A big thank you for spending your afternoon with us, following along with our sustainability live blog. We hope you learned some new tips and tricks on how to make your everyday life more sustainable.
See you soon!
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What are KU students doing to be more sustainable?
Credit: Nora Marie Vatland and Jadyn Dsouza What are Kingston students doing to be more sustainable in their everyday life?
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Sustainability – Are fashion companies doing enough?
Molly-Mae showcasing her new collection at the Londener Hotel Photo: David Fisher/Shutterstock The Molly-Mae X Pretty Little Thing fashion show last week was a hit. Running their first catwalk show, they were praised for the diverseness of the models on the runway.
However, it almost feels as if this was a ploy to take our attention away from the real issues here: that PLT is one of the most unethical and unstainable brands at the moment.
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KUHoglets ‘Going for Gold’ in the Hedgehog Friendly Campus Initiative
KUHoglets have been trying to make KU campuses more hedgehog friendly. Credit: Sierra NiCole Narvaeth/Unplash KUHoglets have announced that they are aiming for a Gold Accreditation in the Hedgehog Friendly Campus scheme.The KUHoglets team, who are part of the wider Kingston Biodiversity Network, achieved a Silver Accreditation earlier this month for their efforts to make KU campuses more hedgehog friendly. -
Kingston committing to a sustainable future
In her introduction to the roadmap, Helen Laville of Provost said:”The ways our students and graduates make
their mark on the world is our most significant
contribution to our local, national and global
communities.” Photo: Pauline Loroy/UnsplashAccording to the latest data published in the People and Planet university league, KU is currently ranked 73rd of all UK universities, achieving a score of 44.8 per cent.
Kingston has been passed by universities that once ranked far below it.
So what is our university doing wrong?
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Can students afford to live sustainably?
Student shopping. Credit: Dinendra Haria/LNP/Shutterstock Naturally most people want to take the right action to help the planet and being vegan is offered as a sustainable way to help nature.
The dietary choice has been shown to be cheaper too if you use staple items like beans and lentils, according to research carried out by Oxford University highlighting that vegan food can be the most affordable way to eat.
But is this achievable as a student?
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Tips to reduce your food wastage
Photo credit by: markus spiske/unsplash Have you ever opened the fridge to see two-week-old fruit rotting at the back? You are not alone. So much of the food we buy ends up in the bin.
UK households threw away food worth equivalent to over £14 billion according to a survey by WRAP. About 40 per cent of all food globally going to waste.
So how can we solve this problem and reduce waste?
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How to build sustainable habits that last
If each of the 67 million people living in the UK tried their hand at a new sustainable habit, the results would be huge. Photo: NeONBRAND/ Unsplash Many people believe it takes 21 days to form a habit. However, according to one study on habit forming, it can take an average of 66 days. The truth is that the length of time varies.
A recent survey conducted by Utilita, as part of its Planet Pledge campaign, found that it takes an average of only 13 days for adults to give up sustainable habits.
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Vegan promise: KU students are struggling to adapt to the lifestyle
Going vegan could be the key to a sustainable future. Photo: Anna Pelzer, Unsplash A survey commissioned by the plant-based cheese brand, Nurishh, found that over a third of Brits wanted to switch to a plant-based diet this year, but over a third of them thought they would fail within two weeks.
Similarly some KU students who attempted to adapt to a plant-based lifestyle as a part of Veganuary have since returned to consuming animal products.
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Make your period more sustainable with reusable sanitary products
Zoe Racette and Greg Webber handed out free reusable sanitary products provided by the Union to help tackle period poverty and spread awareness about sustainable periods. Photo: Malin Lervaag As part of sustainability week, Union of Kingston Students held a stall in the reception at Penrhyn Road on Tuesday providing students with free reusable sanitary products.The goal was to spread awareness when it comes to more sustainable versions of sanitary products for people who menstruate, as well as giving people a chance to try the products before making the switch.
