ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS AND IMPACTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD

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Environmental aspects and Impacts of University of Sheffield Union of Students

Environmental aspects and Impacts of the University of Sheffield Students’ Union

(updated May 2017)



The Students’ Union has identified its most significant environmental impacts and is engaging its members in addressing them. This document provides an overview of the main environmental impacts of the Union’s activities and a summary of its commitment to addressing them.

Summary of main impacts

The following table summarises the principle areas of activity, the aspects of them that have environmental significance and an outline of the impacts of those activities. It is not exhaustive and may be reviewed regularly as other impacts are identified for action.

No

Activity

Aspects

Impacts

1

Electricity Usage

Lighting

Air con

Appliances

Office electrical equipment

Electricity usage: 745 t CO2/yr (Nov 2014- Oct 2015) (latest available reliable data)

Resource depletion (fossil fuels): Release of greenhouse gases

2

Heating

District heating (gas and oil fired to supplement incineration rubbish) : usage c. 440 t CO2/yr

Resource depletion (fossil fuels) ; Release of greenhouse gases

3

Procurement


Equipment

Fridges, vending catering equipment


Cellar cooling


Gas cookers




  • Energy usage– during manufacture, delivery and disposal

  • Use of ozone depleting substances

  • Use of gas




– resource depletion (fossil fuels), contribution to climate change: air pollution


Ozone depletion


-Non renewable resource depletion, release of greenhouse gases


Goods for resale


Sale of all non-food items


Buying prepared food and drink

Disposal of electrical and fridges

  • Energy and resource usage– during manufacture, delivery and disposal

  • Energy and resource usage– during manufacture, delivery and disposal

  • Energy and resource usage during manufacture, delivery and disposal

Landfill: emissions of greenhouse gases, leachates. Visual impact

  • EWF – emission to greenhouse gases, less visual impact


Resource use: Resource depletion, release of greenhouse gases, localised air pollution from particulate emissions and NOX



Cleaning

Beer line

General

  • Use of chemicals

  • Use of water

  • Effluent discharge

Disposal of hazardous waste

Use of energy, effect on biodiversity, reduction in water table

4

Water usage – domestic use

e.g. toilets

Tap water (heating)

Using water

contribution to climate change

Energy use

Effluent discharge

Effect on biodiversity. Reduction in water table

5

Maintenance and refurbishing the building

Painting

Materials use e.g. timber, plasterboard, carpets, lighting

Fluorescent tubes

  • unsustainable forestry; resource depletion; habitat loss; VOC’s from paints causing air pollution

  • Waste disposal hazardous and no hazardous

6

Printed materials – flyers, newspapers, posters, loyalty cards


Paper use

Printing

Internally – electricity use

Externally transportation and electricity


Energy usage


Printing process


Distribution

Disposal

-Raw materials (paper) – unsustainable forestry, habitat loss, biodiversity, air pollution





– (paper manufacture, printing) contribution to climate change

– Water usage: VOC’s from inks causing air pollution: contribution to climate change.

– Contribution to climate change: air pollution.

– contribution to climate change: land degradation

7

Travel –business travel, visitors and members, safety bus

Vehicle use

Fuel use

Resource depletion (fossil fuels) contribution to climate change; local air pollution

As transportation

Increased congestion







Strategy 2016

Sheffield University Students’ Union reviewed and revised its overarching strategic document in 2012 and developed its Strategy to 2016. Within this it reaffirms ‘sustainable, environmentally and socially responsible’ as a core value and its Buildings and Facilities function leads on enabling this value through a set of priorities, goals and measures which are regularly reviewed.

The Union states in its Strategy 2016: We will maintain our commitment to work on environmental best practice and continue to run the organisation in an ethical and socially responsible manner.

Detail of the Strategy 2016 is on the website at: http://su.sheffield.ac.uk/sheffield-su/our-strategy-2016



Strategy 2034

At time of writing, the Students’ Union is in the final stages of signing off its 18-year strategy, which includes some ambitious sustainability targets on carbon, waste and encouraging sustainable diets. Watch this space.



Environmental Policy

The Students' Union notes:

1. Current unsustainable practices are creating severe problems for society as environmental and social limits are reached.

2. Sustainability is a positive vision advocating environmental, economic and social justice, through living our home and work lives in a way that benefits the environment, current social needs and future generations.

3. A 2013 HEA and NUS report found over 80% of students believe that sustainable development should be actively promoted and incorporated by UK universities.



The Students' Union resolves to: 1. Lobby the University to embed skills for sustainability throughout the curriculum to ensure graduates can contribute to a more sustainable world.

2. Support student groups (including, but not limited to Ethical and Environmental Committee and People and Planet) to get involved in sustainability issues and make full use of the Green Space.

3. Actively seek partnerships with local organisations which share our environmental agenda, and lobby other organisations to do the same.

4. Implement the Environmental code of Best Practice and ensure it’s updated, relevant and adhered to by the whole organisation.

5. Actively engage with the NUS sustainability strategy, implementing it where it strengthens our vision, and constructively challenging it where necessary.

POLICY HISTORY: Originally passed by Referendum March 2009 (3394 votes for; 235 against; 400 abstentions). It was renewed without amendment in October 2011. The above revised policy was agreed by SU Council in December 2014. This policy is due for review in November 2017.

Environmental Code of Practice

As a crucial part of the Union’s Environmental Policy, a Code of Practice has been agreed that will:

  1. Provide clear environmental targets and systems for everyone in the Students' Union to work towards

  2. Spell out the specific ways in which those targets will be achieved

The Constitution

The University of Sheffield Students’ Union is governed by a constitution that sets out the aims, objectives, powers and responsibilities of the Union and its component parts. This document gives a clear role and authority to an Ethical and Environmental Committee (now renamed Sustainability Committee), empowered to campaign on and raise awareness of ethical and environmental issues and to advise the President on developments in ethical and environmental issues. A member of this committee is elected to the Student Council annually.

The constitution is on the website at: http://su.sheffield.ac.uk/make-a-change/how-your-students-union-works/constitution

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