Page 8 - Eclipse - Autumn/Winter 2023

Environmental

sustainability update

We have had another busy year doing what we can to reduce our

environmental impact, and recently this has included anything from
installing beehives to helping vintage planes.

CARBON • Two new wildflower meadows have AWARENESS
been created at the Hawkshead
The RVC approved a new Environmental Campus as part of the development We launched a new student competition
Sustainability Strategy to develop a plan to works. There are also around eight between the residents in RVC halls to
meet our goal of being net zero by 2040. hectares of wildflower/bird seed mix, win prizes for recycling, reducing energy
We are working hard to achieve this. use and saving water. This was launched
which have been planted at Boltons
In line with the Mayor’s Retrofit Park Farm. at the 2022 Freshers’ Fair, where we
received 140 sustainability pledges.
Accelerator programme – designed • We received funding from the Tree
to tackle climate change and reduce Council for 900 whips to create a The focus this year has been to help
energy bills to make London zero new hedgerow which RVC staff then manage energy price increases. Students
carbon – we are assessing all our volunteered to plant at the farm. were trained as energy auditors to identify
buildings and land for renewable energy how they could save money in their house
and energy-saving opportunities. • Four beehives have been installed and then were paid to undertake the
Projects we are looking at include using at the farm. Training in the art of audits in their friends’ houses.
the slurry from our farm, and food waste beekeeping has been delivered to A Green Week was organised in
from our student halls and catering staff and students and we are pleased conjunction with the RVC’s Community
outlets, to generate energy. to see our bee colonies starting to Relations team and the SU Environment
thrive. Further information about our
BIODIVERSITY bees can be found on page 73. Representative. Several events were run,
including clothes swaps, green cocktails,
In 2022, the RVC launched a new • We are taking part in Snapshot spring bulb planting, beekeeping training
Biodiversity Action Plan, developed Europe, to put camera traps around and a pop-up freecycle room.
in conjunction with Hertfordshire and the farm to gather data on the
Middlesex Wildlife Trust. This year we have species we have there. This will WASTE
started to implement its recommendations: form a student project to provide We’ve been looking to find uses for
baseline and monitoring data for the our waste rather than dispose of it.
Biodiversity Action Plan.
Examples include:
• As part of the Hawkshead Campus
redevelopment project, 18 tonnes
of un-needed furniture has been
rehomed to various places, including
local schools and charities. The
furniture has also been used to help
six charities set up community cafes.
• Pallets have been given to
schools to make bug hotels and
strawberry planters.

• We collected 20 abandoned
bikes, which have been donated
to Hertfordshire Disability Sports
Foundation.
• Coffee grounds and banana skins
have been used to make muffins in
our restaurant.

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