Virtual Green Week promotes practical action

Running from 15-19 March, Green Week will see a programme of talks on the practical actions everyone can take to improve the environment around us.

Date: 15 March 2021

London Met is this week celebrating Green Week, which takes place between Monday 15 and Friday 19 March 2021. Green Week is an annual event which has been celebrated at the University since 2012 when it was first known as the Climate Week. The sustainability team will be delivering a range of virtual talks, at which all are welcome to learn about the practical actions everyone can take to improve the environment around us.

This Green Week we’re promoting how everyone at home can be part of the change and make a difference to our environment. The programme of events will feature partners from Paper Round, Tower Hamlets Fairtrade Steering Group, SOS-UK, Rewild My Street, Cork Rooftop Farm, The Conservation Volunteers, The Octopus Community Network, North London Waste Authority, Hedgehog Friendly Campus, The Energy Consortium, Students’ Union and with students from the Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability MSc course.

At the beginning of the Green Week you will be able to learn how to recycle and what you can do at home to reduce waste, learn why Fairtrade and climate justice are relevant, how you can get involved with the University’s drive for sustainability and the efforts of local activists in Tower Hamlets, and join the Green Impact talk where university staff members will guide you through the rewilding projects and Rewild My Street campaign.

Mid-week will see a student-led event which will explore domestic water consumption behaviours and how we can make our homes more water-efficient and reduce our water bill, and we will explore the potential of growing on rooftops in London and learn how to get involved with projects in Islington and the University.

The second half of the week will look at food waste prevention at home, finding out the ways in which communities connect with their green spaces through volunteering work, and a discussion on how to help our University to become a hedgehog friendly campus.

Green Week will close with the Students’ Union discussion around sustainability and the initiatives that our University takes to tackle environmental issues, and how we can help to shape the way how we engage with sustainability around the campus.

Due to the pandemic all Green Week events are taking place online, making them accessible to more people than ever before. Most of the events are open not only to University’s students and staff but also to externally to help everyone with their sustainability journey.

Zanda Pipira, Sustainability Officer said: “We are really exited to partner with so many great and inspirational organisations this year to deliver interactive, educational and practical sustainability lunchtime talks for our students and staff. We hope that the range of events this year will continue to raise the awareness about environmental issues and will help to inspire us all to make a positive change by taking simple actions.

“The University is committed to reducing its environmental impact and using resources in an environmentally sustainable and responsible way. During Green Week we hope to further this by inviting local groups, charities and businesses or individuals who wish to learn what they can do in their local community or at home, to participate in our events and get involved with the University’s activities.

“This year Green Week is also a celebration of the work University already doing. The London Met Lab’s recently submitted application to be featured in the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), showcasing the Environment strand’s work. The proposed exhibit will highlight five approaches to the environment: research, teaching, student enterprise, partnerships and management.’’

A full list of the Green Week events on offer can be viewed on the London Met Sustainability pages.

Green Week will take place online starting 15 March.

All events are free and can be booked on the Sustainability page.