Kingston University London

Eco-champions are allowed time to volunteer to help promote awareness and action in their departments and faculties. Members of the scheme can also have one to one support with our Carbon Coach Kevin Frea.

 

Since the start of the University’s scheme in January, Eco-champions have been making themselves very busy with activities from attending workshops, conducting environmental audits and raising environmental awareness in their areas. Some champions have already started instigating changes in their area which have reduced energy use and recycled more.

 

Organiser of Kingston’s first eco-champions meeting, Nicola Corrigan, said it was a great start. “The champions share a passion for the environment and their role is to look at ways to reduce the University’s environmental impact. They will promote campaigns, carry out audits and contribute ideas.  They will also be rewarded with eco points that could lead to prizes.”

 

Savings

Eco-champions have already been busy carrying out audits of their areas. Nicola Elliot from KUSCO has implemented a Kingston-wide scheme to use single copy internal journal vouchers instead of triple sets.  These are used to transfer money between university budgets and will lead to savings of around £800 a year. Tina Corr from Early Years in FASS has organised double-sided printing for her department.

 

Busted

Head of Secretariat, Chris Ince said: “It was excellent to have the myth busted that switching a light off and on uses more energy than leaving it on. Switching lights and computers off really will save the University money.  Apart from that I’m looking forward to learning the secret eco-champion handshake!”

 

Controls

The champions were also updated on the success of a trial energy saving scheme now being rolled out across the University.  Energy Manager Wayne Hitchings said the Monitoring and Targeting system was already saving around £1,000 a month at River House. It showed the controls on the heating system were not functioning properly and all the boilers were running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 

Awards

Staff from across the University got together on Monday 4th April 2011 for an extra special lunch! To celebrate 15 months  of outstanding action from the staff who added ‘Eco-Champion’ to their list of job responsibilities, Deputy VC David Macintosh presented the top achievers with prizes and thanked all staff for their commitment to an inspiring scheme.

 

Phil Segall who works in Information Services at the Nightingale Centre claimed top spot, winning a meal for two at local restaurant Riverside Vegetaria, a hurricane lamp made from recycled glass and a DIY book for Sustainable home improvements.

 

On being awarded first prize, Phil said “I owe the award to my colleagues in the LRCs for their continued positive attitude towards Sustainability. I’ve also really benefited from having other committed Eco Champions so close by here at Kingston Hill and feel it's been a real team effort which I am sure will continue to thrive.”

 

Other top achievements:

2nd place: Bruce Lloyd- KUSCO
3rd Place: Ruth Willans- Business School
4th Place: Suzette Tongson- KUSCO

 

Gold Awards:
Chris Ford- Student Affairs
Muriel Swijghuisen Reigersberg- Research Office
Tina Corr- School of Education

 

Special Managers Award:
Martin Chalker- KUSCO

 

You are a member of staff and you want to take part in this exciting scheme?

If so, email the Sustainability Hub.

 

You can also follow the Eco-Champions on Yammer.

 

If you sign up to become an Eco Champion you will instantly receive a free re-useable mug, which can be used to promote the Bring Your Own (BYO) Mug Scheme in your area. 

 

"It's easy to recycle your office paper, magazines and cardboard. Just email the KUSCO FM Helpdesk to request a recycling bin."

SGS has representatives from all faculties and departments as well as the Students Union. To find out more about SGS and who your local rep is click here.

See our recycling guide for information on what you can recycle.