Over the past few months Sophia has been volunteering as a Green Impact Project Assistant (GIPA) to learn more about what the University of Essex staff are doing to reduce their impact on the environment and become more sustainable.
Since being trained by NUS on becoming a GIPA, Sophia was partnered with the The Interdisciplinary Studies Centre / School of Philosophy and Art History (ISC/SPAH) Green Impact Team at the University of Essex. GIPA's roles can vary depending on what each Green Impact teams need but they can support with toolkit admin, creating resources and communication materials right through to encouraging other students and colleagues to join Green Impact and to take those small steps to make a big difference!
Sophia let us know just what her and her team are planning over the next few months;
- Students and staff within our team collaborated in November to host a sustainability stall at our Winter Night Market, selling homemade vegan food and hot drinks whilst promoting low waste.
- We are planning a meeting with department staff members to discuss what actions we can take in the office and, as a school.
- We are organising a walk around the campus park for wellbeing, appreciation of nature and the company of others - other Green Impact teams and University students and staff are invited to join us as well.
- We collaborate with the University�s gardening society to donate food scraps for composting.
- We�re running a Click Campaign to raise money for the Summer School in Sustainability Practice.
By working together, students and staff have been able to gain different points of view on sustainability, and have increased the reach of the programme.
If you would like to be included in our next newsletter, please email katie.jepson@nus.org.uk
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