I’m writing from the train on the way back from beautiful Edinburgh. I was lucky enough to attend the Green Gown Awards last night (13 November 2024), celebrating the wonderful achievements of Lou Robinson, as a finalist in the Student Sustainability Champion category. Alongside Lou’s nomination – we heard about projects across the higher education sector and came away with a renewed sense of hope and motivation.
The words of the EAUC’s (Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges) Chief Executive, Charlotte Bonner, are ringing in my ears,
We need to ground ourseleves in the collective power of what we do.
The last couple of days have gifted me an opportunity to reflect on a busy couple of years embedding sustainability into the work of the Association. Lou spearheaded this from her role as an elected volunteer in the Student Leadership Team as Vice President Engagement. I know Lou would agree that although she diligently planted and tended the seeds, nuturing this work has been an immense team effort. The incredible volunteers and staff from the Association’s Environment and Sustainability Working Group have collaborated with University colleagues to water the shoots of engagement through campaigns and events, dug-in to actions to reduce the environmental impact of the Association, and advocated for sustainability to be a bigger part of the curriculum across the University.
You may have seen Lou over the last couple of years at events dressed as a banana, advocating for fully recyclable books, deciphering Responsible Futures criteria to help us gain accreditation for the first time, and even interviewing the one and only Chris Packham. On top of all that, she inspired us to work hard to make sustainability a priority for the Association. That legacy will be felt long into the future.
Talking to Lou last night, I was struck too by the personal journey she’s taken whilst volunteering, and this reminded me of the deeper personal impact being involved in the Association can have. Lou’s experience within her elected role opened up doors, built confidence and ultimately helped her land the most incredible new job.
The Association’s new dedicated Sustainability Representative, and hedgehog hero, Jethro, will be taking on the role of head gardener to continue advocating for sustainable practices at the Assocation and the OU. Help us support Jethro in this work in your community, by becoming a hedgehog hero yourself through the The Big Hog Friendly Litter Pick Challenge until 29 November.
If you’re interested in this work, there’s never been a better time to get involved – you can still apply to be an Environment and Sustainability volunteer, but you will need to be quick as applications close on 17 November 2024. The OU Environmental Sustainability Society are always looking for new and enthusiastic members and you can read more about our action plan, add to our ideas bank, and check out some fantastic resources on our Environment and Sustainability Hub.
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