Our achievements: waste and resource management

• Be the Change x Bristol SU Sustainability Month
  February is Sustainability Month, which involves a huge range of events to raise awareness of green initiatives and encourage students and staff to take action on climate change.
• Refurbished furniture – save carbon, resources and money
  If you are looking to refresh your department with new furniture, why not refurbish what you already have? Refurbishing and reupholstery is a great way to update furniture and reduce our impact on the environment, it significantly reduces landfill waste.
• Reducing food waste at the University of Bristol
  As a Green University, the University of Bristol has been taking many innovative steps to ensure we are consistently reducing the amount of food waste produced. Sustainability have inputted to the University's policies and procurement to ensure sustainable practices for catering and purchasing, surplus food donation, supporting food waste campaigns and ensuring that staff and students can dispose of food waste in halls, cafes and staff kitchens throughout the campus.
• Save food money and the planet during March's food waste action week
  It’s Food Waste Action Week from 1-7 March 2021. Whether you’re a student, member of staff or working as part of the University of Bristol’s catering team, we can all make small changes that will add up to a big difference for ourselves and our planet.
• Cup recycling bins on campus
  Sustainability's Circular Economy team are working with Bristol Waste Company to offer more recycling opportunities for single use hot drinks cups. From Monday 16th November there will be five new cup recycling bins on campus, located at Priory Road, Tyndall Avenue, Royal Fort Gardens, Park Row and Cantock’s Close.
• Water bottles donated to homeless support group
  Have you ever wondered what happens to all the unclaimed lost property from across the University? The Sustainability Circular Economy Team were able to find a solution for the reusable water bottles which get left and forgotten in the Sports Centres, libraries and lecture theatres.
• Furniture donation for school library
  May Park Primary School in Easton contacted Sustainability for surplus furniture so that they could create a new library for the children. They wanted to highlight sustainability to the young students by using second-hand furniture and were also keen to promote higher education by making them aware that their new library had been supported by the University of Bristol.
• Let's EcoSort It Case Study - February 2020
  This project has been running since June 2017. Now, after nearly three years of progress and close collaboration with University staff, we take a look at the improvements brought about by the new system so far, as it continues to roll out.
• Relaunch of the Refill Campaign
  City to Sea’s Refill campaign originated in Bristol and has since spread across the globe. As a university proudly located in an environmentally conscious city, we are proud to support the campaign here in its birthplace. With good quality water fountains available to all members of the university, and water points mapped around the university, it is easier than ever to make the switch and support Refill.
• Plastic orders plummet at Print Services
  Thanks to conscious purchasing decisions throughout the University and an innovative alternative, Splendorlux, Print Services has recorded an exceptional 40% year-on-year decrease in acetate orders.
• Going for Gold
  University set to help Bristol become the UK’s first Gold Sustainable Food City.
• School benefits from surplus resources
  Donating surplus resources is one way to extend the life of University furniture.
• Great Bristol Spring Clean
  Bristol Waste Company supported the University of Bristol to take part in the Great Bristol Spring Clean; part of a national week of litter picks organised by Keep Britain Tidy.
• Cups for keeps
  The University’s alternative to coffee cups is saving energy, resources and costs
• Recycle your old pens for charity
  We’ve joined an innovative recycling programme, which provides not only environmental benefits from recycling plastic stationery, but also a fundraising opportunity.
• The future’s bright for Merchant Venturers Building
  During summer 2017, the Upper Atrium in Merchant Venturers Building (MVB), a social space used daily by students and staff, underwent an environmental revamp.
• The resource efficient choice for ‘new’ furniture
  Recycling is a familiar concept to many of us, but what is re-use? Making items available to others, or making repairs so they can continue being used.
• Duvets for DAWGs
  The University of Bristol has supported a local dog rescue charity by donating duvets, collected during The Big Give.
• Let’s EcoSort it!
  Improving recycling facilities for staff across the University.
• Bristol Big Give
  An annual campaign to promote waste management across Bristol.
• Sustainable furniture
  The Re-Store scheme extends the life of furniture and equipment at the University.
• Students and staff benefit from resource management training
  Experts from our Sustainability Team share best practice across the University, equipping our students and staff with the tools to make a real difference.
• Natural closed-loop system turns waste into wildlife
  A series of reed beds at the School of Veterinary Sciences has provided an environmentally-enhancing and cost-effective solution to manage farm waste on the 255-acre site.