Green Passport
The Green Passport is an initiative from the University of Westminster to make students and staff more aware of their impact on the world around them.
The idea is to encourage you to perform tasks which show that you are environmentally aware of the actions you take. The project begins during Freshers' week.
Staff can also take part in the project to ensure the entire University continues to make a real difference and set an example to those around them. This project is a joint venture with Estates and Facilities, Westminster Students' Union and the University’s catering company.
Here are some handy hints and tips to help you complete the Green Passport. But you don't have to stop there – use your own ideas and tell us about them, and we'll encourage the entire University to do the same.
E: sustainability@westminster.ac.uk
Here are ideas on how to complete each task by topic:
Energy
1. Turn off lights
If you’re the last person to leave a room please switch off the lights. This simple practice could apply at home as well as at work and University. Even though we use energy-saving lights at the University of Westminster, switching off does make a difference.
2. Adjust your computer’s power settings
You can adjust the power settings on your laptop or PC (regardless of whether you are using Windows or a Mac). Try configuring the settings to switch off in a staggered fashion over time. You can set the monitor to switch off first and then make adjustments to the sleep and hibernate configuration. Little adjustments add up and you are not only saving power but making the machine last longer.
3. Boil only as much water as you need
There is no point in boiling a whole kettle full of water for only one cup. Boil what you need. Most modern kettles have a gauge to indicate the cups of water. Full kettles take longer to boil and then waste all the stored energy as they cool down. Encourage your workplace to invest in a wall-mounted boiler.
4. Turn off electrical appliances when you are not using them.
Switch off devices completely. A single computer and monitor left on overnight will cost £38 or 256 kg of CO2 per year. Televisions and other devices that are left on standby use a small amount of residual energy which adds up over a year. Switching devices off completely also reduces the risk of fire.
A plug extension board with switches for each socket allows you greater control of what is on and off. Use one plug extension for the television and DVD player. Switch off the entire extension board when you want to turn off all devices.
Energy-saving lamps are cheap and can be bought on most high streets.
5. Tune the thermostat
Turn down the thermostat by one degree in winter and wear one extra layer of clothing instead.
6. Eat more local, seasonal food
This will reduce the energy needed to grow and transport food, and support the local economy.
7. Rechargeable batteries
Invest in a battery charger and rechargeable batteries. This investment will pay off after a year and from then you will go on saving as most rechargeable batteries take at least 1,000 charges.
Work is being done to develop handheld devices with internal solar panels to charge them. You might have seen desktop calculators with this technology, and it could be available for mobile telephones and even cars in the future.
Recycle and reuse
1. Put waste into the correct bin
Most buildings in the University have several bins clustered together to form a recycle bank. Labelling on each bin indicates how to separate your waste. This makes it easier for waste collection and sorting.
2. Reuse food
What started as one meal could end up being three. Don’t waste food by throwing away scraps – convert the scraps into new dishes. Try cooking bigger quantities and freezing the remainder for later. It means you save on cooking costs and have a ready meal whenever you need it.
3. Recycle glass
Don’t put glass into your household rubbish, pop it into a glass recycling bin. It can be reused to make insulation.
4. Recycle clothes
Charity shops are among the best recyclers. Buy the odd bit of clothing for fancy dress or donate items that you no longer need. Clothes which are not sold are either sent abroad or shredded and pulped for paper manufacture.
Transport
1. Cycle
Cycling is cheaper than any other form of transport except walking. Look around you, there are more cyclists than ever taking to the streets. If more people cycled, there would be less carbon emissions – and it's a great way to keep fit. The University of Westminster provides facilities for cyclists at most campuses.
2. Bicycle Hire Scheme
If you don't have a bicycle, the Barclays Transport for London (TfL) Cycle Hire Scheme might be a good option. The scheme can work out cheaper than the cost of maintaining your own bike. TfL even offer bicycle training courses. Take advantage of these and enjoy the freedom of the city. Most central London University sites have cycle hire docking stations nearby.
3. Walk
It seems obvious, but it can be a quicker alternative than the Tube or bus. People think London is a huge city and the distances between Tube stops are vast – not true. Central London is easy to walk around and you will find new and wonderful things to see. You can walk from our Marylebone Campus to 309 Regent Street in 20 minutes.
Health
1. Eat well
As the saying goes, we are what we eat. A little bit of good food is better than a lot of bad food. Make sure you eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. Treat yourself to good food – your body will love it.
2. Exercise
Student life is largely spent sitting in class, sitting in the library and sitting at home working, socialising or watching television. Your brain is getting plenty of exercise but your body is not. Try walking up stairs instead of taking the lift or get off the bus a stop early and walk. The best exercise is where you physically sweat for 20 minutes, so why not exercise on the way home from University? The University of Westminster has an extensive range of sport and fitness facilities as well as activities for students, staff and members of the general public.
3. Play sport
The University has a sports ground at Chiswick, but this can be too far for some to travel. However, you can do other sports that are local to you. How about jogging in The Regent's Park? Join a sports club near where you live. Get out and do something, anything to get your heart beating faster. If you look after your heart, your heart will look after you.
Water
Water in London takes a lot of effort to make. It has to be collected from rivers and treated to make it safe. It does not cost much but it is precious. When southern England does not get enough rainwater, there are occasionally water bans on the public – usually during the summer. These can include restrictions on how much you are allowed to use, so use it wisely.
1. Drink tap water
Bottled water can be expensive and a lot of carbon emissions are released to produce and transport it. Buy one bottle then re-fill it at home or around the University. In London all tap water is fit to drink unless marked otherwise. If in doubt, ask someone. London water is filtered and treated to make and keep it safe.
2. Turn off taps
Try not to leave the tap running when you are brushing your teeth. Don't walk away from the kitchen sink and leave the tap running.
3. Use short flush
A full flush can use five litres of water. Most modern toilet cisterns have two flush options, if you can, use the short flush. It saves a lot of water.
4. Take showers not baths
Taking a four-minute shower uses less water and less energy than running the average bath, and it's also a more efficient way of washing.
Food
1. Buy local
Buying locally sourced food reduces the amount of carbon emissions produced from transporting goods around the world. While we can’t grow bananas in Britain, we do produce a lot of vegetables. When you go shopping, look at the label to see where a product has come from. Buy local food and reduce demand for all those journeys.
2. Fair trade
We cannot expect the poorer parts of the world to live in poverty because we want cheap food. If we all make the decision to buy products with the Fairtrade mark, big supermarket companies will insist their suppliers adhere to fair trade principles. The Co-Op supermarket chain sell a lot of Fairtrade items, so if there is a store near you, pop in and check it out. Poorer farmers across the globe have seen a big difference in their income when a fair price is paid for their products.
3. Vegetarian
Producing meat is energy intensive. Try going ‘vegetarian before dinner’. This means you have something like cereal, toast, fruit or a croissant for breakfast. Vegetarian lunch options could include cheese, falafel or beans. The big English breakfast can be saved for an evening meal instead. Try and swap one meat meal a week for a vegetarian meal.
Innovations
1. Your ideas
Your bright ideas can change our world. There is no easy solution to reducing carbon emissions and the affects of climate change on the planet. We have to bring all these ideas together and get them adopted.
What will your idea be? Whatever it might be we would love to hear about it.
Around home
1. Fridges and freezers
Set your fridge to a temperature between three and five degrees centigrade. Shut the door as quickly as you can to prevent heat getting in.
Don’t put hot foods in the fridge straight away, allow them to cool first. Check the rating of the fridge and if it is not an A-rated fridge consider asking your landlord to replace it. Keep the coils at the back free from dust; this will help the machine perform a better heat exchange system.
2. Laundry
Try and do a full wash load. Use the best energy settings recommended by the manufacturer. On hot or windy days, try drying clothes outside. Avoid hanging clothes on radiators as it prevents the heat escaping from the radiator and makes the boiler work harder. Dry clothes on hangers or clothes racks.
3. Cooking
If you are boiling vegetables, use only enough water to cover them. Use the kettle to boil water for cooking as it is quicker and more efficient than boiling water in a pot. Use the right size pot for the amount of food you have. Too big and it will use too much energy.
Limit the flame size so that it does not climb up the sides of the pan – this is wasted energy, as it's only heating the air and could damage your pots and pans. Keep a lid on your pot as this will keep the heat in and cook things quicker. You could use a microwave for certain items. If you are using the oven, keep the door closed to keep the heat in. Switch off the oven sooner as the retained heat will still cook your food.
