In the third quarter of 2022, the University has made huge progress in its sustainability agenda, achieving the following milestones across its campuses.
University scientists are investigating inland plastic pollution
Scientists at Staffordshire University are driving research to understand the scale of plastic pollution in agricultural soils and its impact around the world.
The new research highlights the increasing threat of microplastics to global farming and food production.
Sustainable swaps for summer awards ceremonies
For its summer graduation ceremonies, this year Staffordshire University ensured a more sustainable offering for its 2,238 graduating students and almost 7,000 guests, that celebrated over five days in July.
This included trialing reusable water bottles, reducing the size of the brochure to reduce waste, utilising glass champagne flutes instead of the single-use plastic flutes, and replacing single-use glass bottles of prosecco with sparkling wine on tap.
National Allotments Week
During National Allotments Week (Monday 8 August - Sunday 14 August), a week dedicated to raising awareness of allotments and the role they play in helping people to live healthier lifestyles and grow their own food, staff and students were encouraged to share photos of their home-grown produce.
By sharing their photos, which included courgettes, beans, tomatoes, potatoes, garlic and even honey from a beekeeping member of staff, it highlighted the importance of allotments for not only producing food but also supporting eco-system services such as pollination and offering a refuge for wildlife.
The campaign also highlighted that you don’t need an allotment or a huge garden to grow your own. By making space on a window sill, you can turn it into a mini herb garden like student communications ambassador Alex, rather than buying new every few weeks.
Staffordshire University Ecology Students Making A Difference On Campus With Staffordshire Wildlife Trust
Staffordshire University Biological Science students have seen the impact of their collaboration with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust on the ERDF SUNRISE project come to life on campus.
The ERDF SUNRISE Project is the biggest nature conservation project currently working in Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme over 16 locations. The scheme saw a 450-metre stretch of the River Trent which meanders through the University’s Leek Road site, re-naturalised providing another link in the chain for a joined-up wildlife corridor though the heart of Stoke-on-Trent.
Dr. Eleanor Atkins, Lecturer in Biological and Biomedical Sciences at Staffordshire University explains, “Ecologists want to make differences. We want to make things better, so we’ve tried to do that on our own campus. When I heard the river was being reprofiled, it seemed a brilliant opportunity for us to go and actually do some of that work and get involved in it and help out.”
Sustainable student cards
Our lanyards are already made from recycled plastic bottles and there is a logo on the back and now our student cards are no longer made from plastic (PVC). Instead, they’re made from ABS which is a recycled and recyclable material. As part of this Pledge, we are also changing our approach to providing physical student cards by reducing our physical card printing.