The University of Cambridge Sustainability website is full of fantastic resources and information on topics such as biodiversity, food, recycling and waste, and travel and transport.
You can also find useful information at sustainability.nus.org.uk
In addition to this, our team will be sharing resources on this page of articles, books, films, programmes, podcasts etc. that we have enjoyed. We will also be giving tips on small actions that we personally carry out to live more sustainably and to send out a message to others that this topic is of great importance.
Resources
Helen enjoys listening to the Sustainableish podcast with Jen Gale - a good accessible podcast that reflects normal people's attempts to be more sustainable.
Published just before the first lockdown, Maggie found the book Slowdown: The End of the Great Acceleration--And Why It's Good for the Planet, the Economy, and Our Lives by Danny Dorling surprising and thought-provoking, and the graphic representation of data fascinating.
Hania recently enjoyed Feast to Save the Planet on BBC Two, exploring the carbon footprint of our meals.
Anthony listens to 39 Ways to Save the Planet on BBC Sounds which provides bite-sized food for thought and inspiration.
Laura enjoyed reading How Bad Are Bananas? by Mike Berners-Lee which delves into the carbon cost of our daily activities and things we consume. It's an entertaining and engaging read and helps to put our choices into perspective.
Daily tips
Energy
- Instead of turning up the heating, put on an extra jumper or keep your living room stocked up with blankets
- Consider installing a smart thermostat in your home so you can set the temperature for each room individually, ensuring an empty room is never unnecessarily heated
- Unplug chargers, laptops or other electrical items that have been left on unnecessarily
- Research other suppliers to see if you could be using a more ethical option
- Make sure your fridge is set to between 3° and 5°
- Wash clothes at 30° or on a cold cycle
- Switch the bulbs in your house to LED
- Bleed your radiators often to ensure they're running optimally
- Switch off lights in unoccupied areas and where daylight is adequate
- Only boil as much water as is needed for hot drinks
Food
- Try to buy from local producers
- Grow your own food in an allotment, your garden, or your windowsill
- Swap your tea brand for one which offers compostable and plastic-free teabags
- Eat in season
Waste
- Always take a bag and a bottle of water with you when you leave the house so you don't have to buy single-use versions
- Avoid throwing away food - learn to love leftovers!
- Cover your leftovers with silicon lids instead of single-use clingfilm
- Use a food waste bin
- Use refill shops to minimise packaging waste
- Recycle your crisp packets at the Music Faculty
- Make sure Vegware goes into food waste bins
Biodiversity
- Find out what plants, trees and wildlife is on your doorstep, using books or apps such as PlantNet
- Plant nectar-rich native plants for pollinators
- Leave fallen leaves and plant stalks in your garden to create space for invertebrates, hedgehogs, toads, bats and birds
- Leave our grass long for insects and birds
- Create a small pond or water source for dragonflies, toads, birds and insects
- Support wildlife with a bee hotel, bat box, bird box or feeder, log pile for insects, or hedgehog shelter
Travel
- Take a look at the Sigwick Site sustainable travel poster
- Make use of the U bus, which is £1 per journey for University staff and students who show their University card
Misc.
- Use environmentally conscious banks
