Get Involved

All staff and students can attend our Sustainability Open Forums and hear all the latest information from the Sustainability Leadership Team. Information about dates/locations will be sent via regular updates such as the Sustainability Spotlight in the weekly staff newsletter.  

Our Sustainability Champions form a community of engaged students and staff from across all parts of campus. They work together to develop ideas and can also submit proposals to gain access to a small source of funds to support sustainability projects. As a one of the University's Sustainability Champions you will also be invited to attend bespoke, thematic workshops and play a key role in engaging the rest of our university community.  

Sign up to become a Sustainability Champion. 

In 2024 we had our first ‘Shape our Sustainable Future’ competition where all staff and students were invited to vote for their favourite sustainability project. The winner was ‘Living PillarsTM’ and Estates together with the Biodiversity Enhancement Group are now exploring the installation of these on campus. Look out for updates at our Sustainability Open Forums.  

Future ‘Shape our Sustainable Future’ competitions will be announced through the Sustainability Open Forums.  

Green Impact is a national programme that supports universities with practical steps to improve environmental sustainability in work and in curriculum. Our University currently has more than 40 staff and student teams signed up. Visit the Green Impact website for more information. Staff and students can join our Teams Page to find a team in their Department!  

We hold two Green Weeks per year, to give students and staff the opportunity to learn about our world leading research, and get involved with a wealth of different sustainability-related activities. From climate and biodiversity workshops, lectures and eco café’s, to sustainable food supplier exhibitions, bike training and volunteering opportunities, Green Week gives everyone within our University community the chance to find the tools they need to turn good intentions into well-informed actions.  

All staff are eligible for a volunteering allowance of one day a year. One major volunteering project is Birmingham In Action, a programme that aims to make education more accessible and turn research into action. We are always looking for students, staff and public partners to support these projects, find out how you can today! 

Volunteer with the Birmingham Institute for Forest Research (BIFoR) to support cutting-edge research into the impact of climate and environmental change on woodland.  

There are so many ways you can get involved with sustainability, including become a Sustainability Champion. The Guild of Students has a Sustainability Officer and a range of societies focussed on sustainability. The community wardens also work on sustainability through projects such as JunkBusters and first-year students in University-owned accommodation can become ‘Green Heroes’. You can also have a look at the jobs and volunteering opportunities that allow you to make a difference in the community. 

Students can apply for our Sustainability Summer Internships (see the blog post from a previous intern here and more information on the Sustainability Teaching and Learning pages) and also take part in competitions such as the Reimagine our Future competition in collaboration with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Enactus UK and The Birmingham Project. All of these competitions have the Sustainable Development Goals at their heart.  

Students can also get involved through our Green Weeks and our UoB Xtra programme of summer events, which includes activities such as sustainability talks, biodiversity surveys and sustainable food tastings for you to get involved in.  

Sustainability is a huge area, touching on everything we do and, for students, every discipline you study. Below are some examples of ways in which students and staff can learn about sustainable development and climate awareness. 

1. Library resources: The ‘Sustainability and Green Impact’ list includes relevant books and links to video resources available to enhance your knowledge and understanding of sustainability and climate action. 

2. One Planet, One Future: Biodiversity, Climate Change and Sustainability. A new online short-course is now available to students (you can access the full version on the link below, or go through Careers Connect for an additional short version) and staff (staff version can be accessed through Canvas link below). This four-week, 15 hour course enables you to develop your biodiversity literacy knowledge and test your understanding of the ecological crisis.  

One Planet, One Future: Biodiversity, Climate Change and Sustainability: Full Student Version

One Planet, One Future: Biodiversity, Climate Change and Sustainability: Staff Version

3. Sustainability in Action: Look out for our new one-hour training course coming later in 2024 for all students and staff.

We are working together with colleagues and students to ensure our campus operates as efficiently as possible. There are simple actions and changes we all can take to contribute to a more sustainable campus environment. Some of these top tips could also help you save energy at home. 

These actions include the following: 

• Switch off lights when you leave the room. Avoid turning on artificial lighting if it is bright outside. 

• Switch appliances off at the wall when they are not in use.  

• Spot any stray incandescent lamps on campus? Let Estates know so they can be changed to energy-saving alternatives! 

• If there are adjustable thermostats in your area, make sure heating is not set higher than 20 deg C. Each degree higher will increase energy use by around 10%. 

• If you have control over a time clock for heating and hot water, make sure it is set to timed, never constant. Also check that the clock is set correctly as they do not always update automatically when the clocks go back / forward. 

• Keep windows closed when the heating is on , and avoid using portable heaters! 

• Did you know that WiFi can lead to a significant reduction in energy consumption compared to mobile data? When on campus, please use WiFi instead of mobile data. 

• A toilet with water constantly running could be wasting 500 litres of water per day! Log a call for repair with Estates as quickly as possible. 

• A dripping tap could waste around 60 cubic meters of water per year; that’s around five-and-a-half times the capacity of a concrete mixer truck! If you see a badly dripping tap, place a call for repair.