Take the next step with 10,000 Actions
06 Mar 2017
‘Newcomer’ Jo steps up – to get to know the University and look after our future
Our 10,000 Actions Programme gives all staff the opportunity to engage in collective, measurable action on environmental sustainability.
It is the biggest environmental sustainability initiative in the higher education sector.
Colleagues have been learning about the key issues of sustainability such as travel, responsible purchasing and energy, and the actions they can take to make a big difference through an innovative online tool.
Our aim was to create more than 10,000 actions on environmental sustainability and more than 20,000 actions have been pledged.
Now it’s time to turn your pledges into actions – to make a difference, and even fund your amazing ideas.
Building Surveyor Jo Wavish is a relative newcomer, having started working at the University in August 2016.
But she decided to join forces with others to make more of a difference, become a living campus champion and even set up a Green Impact team.
“I wanted to get to know the University better as a relatively new starter,” she explains.
“Engaging with others around me and with the local environment seemed like a good start.”
She adds: “I would say I am quite environmentally aware, I ensure I recycle as much as possible, including food composting. I also think about the supply chain for my purchases, so avoiding ‘fast fashion’ and buying clothes from charity shops or organisations like People Tree.
“I was already pretty environmentally active but this exercise is making me realise how I can influence others.
“Everyone should take responsibility for their actions and try to be as environmentally aware and active as possible, to ensure that we limit our impact on the planet as much as possible in order that future generations can enjoy it as we have.”
Take the next step
To support this programme, a £10,000 fund has been established for environmental sustainability projects for the 2016-17 academic year. Staff can claim anything up to £2,500 to fund projects from buying birdseed or pedometers to carrying out a feasibility study to change lab equipment.
To update your plan or apply for funding, visit:
Follow and share
You can also follow the University’s engagement with environmental sustainability at @UoMSust and share your actions using the hashtag #10000Actions on Twitter or Instagram.