Idea
LUSU to go further to protect the environment
Category: Welfare
Voting closed
Thank you for submitting your idea. The Executive Committee referred the items numbered 1 and 2 in this idea to the Student Jury which met in Michaelmas Term 2016. The Jury rejected both of these items, but did recommend to Executive Committee:
- A keep cup scheme in Central
- Campaigning to raise awareness of recycling and for the University to install more recycing points
- Providing affordable reusable bags at the point of sale in Central
- A plastic bag recycle and reuse point near Central and Colleges
LUSU needs to have a greater focus on environmental protection which of course affects each and every one of us. Here are a few things LUSU should consider in order to make a big difference.
- Ban disposable cups in Central and selling reusable plastic cups instead
- Increase the price of ordinary plastic bags and sell reusable bags made of natural materials for a subsidised price
- Use renewable energy for LUSU Living accomodation where it is financially viable by using green energy suppliers and /or generating renewable energy on site ( http://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/green-energy/)
- Create mini wildflower meadow areas in the back gardens of at least 25% of LUSU Living houses. They don't need any maintaining in the summer months and are great for all sorts of wildlife. All you need to do is sow the seeds and cut it down when it has all died back. (https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/makeahomeforwildlife/givenatureahomeinyourgarden/gardenactivities/startawildflowermeadow/)
- Have second hand stalls on Thursday markets
Comments
I agree. We should also make taxis turn their engines off when waiting for more than 2 minutes on campus.
Hell yes, great ideas
This could be LUSU's default search engine https://www.ecosia.org/?ref=icon-search because apparently, the money made is used to protect the environment
Thank you for submitting this idea, which has now been considered by the Union Executive. This idea was broken down into parts for the Executive to consider: A. Ban disposable cups in Central and selling reusable plastic cups instead B. Increase the price of ordinary plastic bags and sell reusable bags made of natural materials for a subsidised price C. Use renewable energy for LUSU Living accommodation where it is financially viable by using green energy suppliers and /or generating renewable energy on site ( http://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/green-energy/) D. Create mini wildflower meadow areas in the back gardens of at least 25% of LUSU Living houses. They don't need any maintaining in the summer months and are great for all sorts of wildlife. All you need to do is sow the seeds and cut it down when it has all died back. E. Have second hand stalls on Thursday markets The Union Executive believed that parts A and B would be considered contentious by students and therefore have referred these ideas to a Student Jury for a decision. The first Jury will be meeting in Week 5, so you should have more information after this! An evidence window will be opening in the coming weeks. To provide some context regarding part C; the energy supplier which LUSU Living use is OVO, who strive to provide the greenest electricity for good value (53.1% of the electrical energy supplied by OVO is renewable). Parts D and E of this idea have been sent to LUSU Living Group and the LUSU Commercial Marketing & Support Manager to consider.
Hi Harry – this idea has now be considered by a student jury and I can let you know the results. The Jury decided not to ban coffee cups but to make it easier and more appealing for students to use reusable ‘keep cups’, such as discounts and a deposit scheme. They also decided not to increase the price of plastic carrier bags, but to set up recycling or plastic-bag-swap points. The union should also run more recycling awareness campaigns and work with the University to provide more recycling points around campus. The outcomes from this Jury will now go to the Executive to consider how they will be implemented.
Thank you for your feedback. I wondered if reusable cups could be sold in Central and in a couple of the college bars (County and Cartmel because of location) to raise money as well as make them more readily avaliable. With the discounts, I wondered if LUSU could negotiate with cafe's in town to encourage students living in town to use them.