The Sustainability and Environment team is responsible for driving the university's sustainability agenda, managing our environmental compliance obligations, and empowering the Herts community to make sustainable choices.
The Environmental Sustainability team is based in Estates and is made up of 2 engagement co-ordinators (Jess Money and Kenneth Yeung) and a Senior Adviser (Nanna Blomquist). We work with all things sustainability, from energy, waste, and carbon emissions to engagement, education, and events. We take a holistic and embedded approach, meaning that we invite all staff, students, and partners across the university to get involved and help us achieve our sustainability goals.
Our aims and objectives are based on our identified impact areas and delivered through 4 pathways as can be seen below.
Our commitments to environmental protection include pledging to be Net Zero by 2050 and to become a Nature Positive University. You can read more about our environmental sustainability approach on the UH website.
Below you can find examples of some of the things that we have done and offer.
News/What we have been up to:
- We found hedgehog footprints at Herts!
We received training from Hedgehog Friendly Campus on how to conduct tunnel surveys during the last week of April. 6 students helped us carry out these surveys over 5 consecutive nights to identify whether any hedgehog footprints were present. We had placed 4 tunnels on CL and 3 on DH. We identified hedgehog footprints in one tunnel, the one positioned beside the nursery on CL. Hedgehog prints were found there 3 out of the 5 days. We will continue to carry out regular litter picks to keep Herts Hedgehog Friendly.
- During the week leading up to Earth Day on the 22nd April we organised a campaign week to celebrate our Earth and learn how to protect it 🌍
Events included hedgehog pom-pom making with our chaplain Fiona, a quiz night, a film night, a litter pick, a biodiversity walk and an Earth Day Pledge Prize Draw to win some ethical chocolate!
- Check out this article written by Helen from the University's Projects team on how they are making a difference to sustainability in their roles.
- On Monday 20th March, we collaborated with Enactus Hertforshire on a recycling challenge where passers-by had to sort the items out in the quickest time to win a prize!
- We celebrated Go Green Week from the 6th-10th March!
Different teams from across the university put on sustainability events including a film and quiz night, a debate, career talks, a gardening session, nature walk, a clothing upcycling event, a giveaway day to name a few.
- We celebrated LGBT+ History Month this February with our stall at the SU Pride Market!
We had a clothes bank courtesy of the LGBT+ society and had a game of Sustainable Pride snap.
- Great news! University of Hertfordshire has now achieved Hedgehog Friendly Campus Silver Accreditation! Thank you for all your efforts. We look forward to your support in helping us achieve Gold over the next year!
