Get involved in sustainability

UWE Bristol has nearly 40,000 students and 4,300 staff and together we are making change happen. With climate action becoming ever more urgent, the importance of engaging students staff and the public in making a sustainable university is central to our communications events and activities.

Find out more about what you can do and how to get involved.

• Make your voice heard. Join others in The Students' Union Green Team for social practical projects and campaigns.
• If you are a member of a club or society, apply for a Greener Futures award for guidance on how to run it in a planet-friendly way.
• Get involved in textiles and electronics repair and save items from landfill at UWE Bristol's monthly Repair Café.
• Sign up to our free online climate education course available to all students.
• Work with staff and students to decolonise our teaching and promote climate justice at UWE Bristol.
• Make your ideas a reality through Student Ideas and apply for up to £500 project funding from Change for Change (provided by the University and administered by the Students' Union).
• Learn how to grow your own vegetables on Frenchay Campus at the Community Garden.      
• Come along to UWE Bristol Green fortnight in November and our Fairtrade Fortnight in March.
• Take part in community projects such as GreenSpace and Green School ambassadors with UWE Bristol Volunteering.     
• Get involved in oversight of the University’s Carbon Management plan, its Ethical Investment Policy and Sustainability Plan for 2030.  
• Hold the University and the Students' Union to account: get involved as auditors in our accreditations for NUS SOS-UK Responsible Futures, Fairtrade university status, NUS Green impact and our ISO 14001 audit.

Visit The Students' Union at UWE for more ideas on getting involved

Staff orientation and input

All new staff attend the staff welcome fair at which there is a sustainability session, covering our strategy, how it translates into action and how you can get involved. This is supplemented by online training, a general induction, and our Climate Action Series, which is available on the My Learning platform for staff and via Blackboard for students.

All staff are welcome to attend meetings of the Sustainability Executive committee at which the Sustainability Strategy, Carbon Management Plan and other relevant strategic areas of sustainable development are discussed and reported.

Union members can get involved through their unions, which have representation at the Sustainability Executive committee.

Teaching and research: KESE network

Academic staff are urged to explore how to embed and develop sustainability within their teaching and research. For support, contact Professor Georgina Gough, who coordinates UWE Bristol's cross-institutional Knowledge Exchange for Sustainability Education.

In addition, there are many formal and informal research clusters focussing on sustainability. Our Changing Climate Network draws together staff with interests in climate change, encourage cross-disciplinary collaborations and support funding bids for related research. For more information email Lindsay Walker at lindsay.walker@uwe.ac.uk.

Taking positive action: Climate action cafés

Our climate action cafés are informal sessions which aim to translate UWE Bristol's policies and plans into your area of work. Relevant to academics and services staff alike the events provide an opportunity to focus on sustainability and are tailored to your team's needs. To request a session and contact us for an initial chat email sustainability@uwe.ac.uk. 

Swap shops

Visit our new swap shop at Frenchay Campus for clothing, books, household, small electrical items and more. Located in 1D015, next to the main information point on the ground floor.

Opening hours

• Tuesday: 10:00 to 15:00
• Wednesday: 10:00 to 15:00
• Thursday: 10:00 to 15:00

At Bower Ashton, City Campus visit the Students' Union at UWE's Community Corner for clothing, books, household items, a community fridge and more. 

Opening hours

• Monday to Friday: 09:00 to 16:00 

Fix my Tek tech repair

Fix my Tek are the on-campus student-run tech repair company based in 1D015 along with the Sustainability Hub.

Opening hours

• Monday to Friday: 09.00 to 17.00